Browse all keyboard shortcut cheat sheets
Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts (Web) — Complete Cheat Sheet
Master Gmail with keyboard shortcuts for composing, replying, navigating, and organizing your inbox — works in any browser.
51 shortcuts across 5 categories · Browser (All OS)
Gmail's keyboard shortcut system — once enabled in Settings — lets you compose, reply, archive, label, and navigate your inbox entirely from the keyboard. Email power users process their inbox dramatically faster using shortcuts than by clicking through the interface.
Compose & Reply
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Compose New Email | C | Open the compose window for a new message |
| Compose in New Tab | D | Open a new compose window in a separate tab |
| Reply | R | Reply to the current email |
| Reply All | A | Reply to all recipients of the current email |
| Forward | F | Forward the current email to another recipient |
| Send | Ctrl + Enter | Send the composed message |
| Add CC | Ctrl + Shift + C | Add CC recipients while composing |
| Add BCC | Ctrl + Shift + B | Add BCC recipients while composing |
| Discard Draft | Ctrl + Shift + D | Discard the current draft without saving |
| Insert Link | Ctrl + K | Insert a hyperlink into the message body |
| Insert Signature | Ctrl + Shift + S | Insert your signature at the cursor position |
Inbox Navigation
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Go to Inbox | G + I | Navigate to the Inbox from anywhere (press G then I) |
| Go to Starred | G + S | Navigate to Starred messages |
| Go to Sent Mail | G + T | Navigate to Sent messages |
| Go to Drafts | G + D | Navigate to Drafts |
| Go to All Mail | G + A | Navigate to All Mail |
| Back to Thread List | U | Return to the thread list from an open email |
| Newer Conversation | J | Move to the next (newer) email in the list |
| Older Conversation | K | Move to the previous (older) email in the list |
| Open Conversation | O or Enter | Open the selected email or conversation |
| Search Mail | / or Ctrl + F | Focus the search box to search your inbox |
| Next Page | ` | Go to the next page of emails |
| Previous Page | ~ | Go to the previous page of emails |
Message Actions
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Archive | E | Archive the selected email or conversation |
| Delete | # | Move the selected email to Trash |
| Mark as Spam | ! | Report the selected email as spam |
| Mark as Read | Shift + I | Mark the selected conversation as read |
| Mark as Unread | Shift + U | Mark the selected conversation as unread |
| Star / Unstar | S | Toggle the star on the selected email |
| Select Conversation | X | Select or deselect the current conversation |
| Select All Conversations | * A | Select all visible conversations on the page |
| Undo Last Action | Z | Undo the most recent action (archive, delete, etc.) |
| Move to Label / Folder | V | Open a menu to move the email to a label |
| Apply Label | L | Open a menu to add a label to the email |
| Snooze | B | Snooze the email to remind you later |
Compose Formatting
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Ctrl + B | Toggle bold formatting on selected text |
| Italic | Ctrl + I | Toggle italic formatting on selected text |
| Underline | Ctrl + U | Toggle underline formatting on selected text |
| Strikethrough | Alt + Shift + 5 | Apply strikethrough to selected text |
| Numbered List | Ctrl + Shift + 7 | Toggle an ordered (numbered) list |
| Bulleted List | Ctrl + Shift + 8 | Toggle an unordered (bullet) list |
| Remove Formatting | Ctrl + \ | Strip all formatting from selected text |
| Increase Indent | Ctrl + ] | Indent the current paragraph further |
| Decrease Indent | Ctrl + [ | Reduce the indent of the current paragraph |
| Quote | Ctrl + Shift + 9 | Wrap selected text in a block quote |
Thread & Window
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Expand All Messages | ; | Expand all collapsed messages in a thread |
| Collapse All Messages | : | Collapse all messages in a thread |
| Open Newest Message | N | Move to the next message in a thread |
| Open Older Message | P | Move to the previous message in a thread |
| Toggle Label Pane | [ | Open or close the label list on the left sidebar |
| Show Keyboard Shortcuts | ? | Display the full list of Gmail keyboard shortcuts |
Gmail Tips & Tricks
- Enable shortcuts first: Gmail keyboard shortcuts must be turned on in Settings → General → Keyboard shortcuts before they work. Only one-letter shortcuts are affected; Ctrl combos always work.
- G then letter navigates anywhere: Pressing G followed by a letter jumps to a mailbox: G→I (Inbox), G→S (Starred), G→T (Sent), G→D (Drafts), G→A (All Mail). It's the fastest way to switch views.
- E archives — don't use Delete by default: Pressing E archives a message (removes from inbox but keeps it searchable). Archiving is almost always better than deleting so you can find messages later with search.
Frequently Asked Questions — Gmail
- How do I enable keyboard shortcuts in Gmail?
- Gmail shortcuts must be enabled first. Go to Settings (gear icon) → See all settings → General tab → Keyboard shortcuts → select 'Keyboard shortcuts on' → Save Changes. After that, all shortcuts will work.
- What is the Gmail shortcut to compose a new email?
- Press C to open the compose window in a new dialog. Press D to open compose in a new full-window tab. Both shortcuts require keyboard shortcuts to be enabled in Gmail settings.
- How do I archive an email in Gmail using the keyboard?
- Press E to archive the selected conversation and move it out of your inbox. The email is not deleted and can be found in All Mail. Press ] to archive and move to the next conversation.
How to Learn Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts
Gmail's keyboard shortcut system is disabled by default and can be enabled in Settings. Once enabled, J and K move between emails, E archives, R replies, and # deletes. These commands make it possible to process messages without moving back and forth between the keyboard and pointer. Start with a small set, confirm each command in Gmail's built-in shortcut help, and add more only when the action is part of your regular workflow.
The most effective approach to learning Gmail shortcuts is to enable them first, then commit to using just J, K, and E for one week. These three keys cover next email, previous email, and archive. After that week, add R (reply), A (reply all), and / (search). The G+I combination (go to inbox from anywhere) is worth learning early because it acts as a reliable home key when you've navigated into labels or search results. Gmail's shortcuts also have a useful multi-select system: X selects a conversation, and once several are selected, you can bulk archive, label, or delete with a single key.