Keyboard shortcuts for gmail for faster mail usage with less effort

Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts help you save time by allowing you to never take your hands off the keyboard to use the mouse. You'll need a Standard 101/102-Key or Natural PS/2 Keyboard to use the shortcuts. 

Define Your Own Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts

To change the default Gmail keyboard shortcuts to more handy keys:

• Make sure Gmail keyboard shortcuts are enabled.
• Follow the Settings link in Gmail.
• Go to the Labs category.
• Make sure Enable is selected under Custom keyboard shortcuts.
• Click Save Changes.
• Follow the Settings link again.
• This time, go to the Keyboard Shortcuts section.
• Edit all desired keyboard shortcuts.
  • Use '\' together with the corresponding decimal ASCII code to use non-printable characters. "\27" stands for ESC, for example, and "\127" for DEL (you cannot, alas, use the latter for the text input field only accepts three characters).
• Click Save Changes.

 
To turn these case-sensitive shortcuts on or off:

1. Click the gear icon in the upper right, then select Settings.
2. Choose the option next to "Keyboard shortcuts" to turn them on. You can also enable shortcuts automatically by going to http://mail.google.com/mail/?kbd=1

Shortcut Key	Definition	Action
c	Compose	Allows you to compose a new message. <Shift> + c allows you to compose a message in a new window.
/	Search	Puts your cursor in the search box.
k	Move to newer conversation	Opens or moves your cursor to a more recent conversation. You can hit <Enter> to expand a conversation.
j	Move to older conversation	Opens or moves your cursor to the next oldest conversation. You can hit <Enter> to expand a conversation.
n	Next message	Moves your cursor to the next message. You can hit <Enter> to expand or collapse a message. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
p	Previous message	Moves your cursor to the previous message. You can hit <Enter> to expand or collapse a message. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
o or <Enter>	Open	Opens your conversation. Also expands or collapses a message if you are in 'Conversation View.'
u	Return to conversation list	Refreshes your page and returns you to the inbox, or list of conversations.
e	Archive	Archive your conversation from any view.
m	Mute	Archives the conversation, and all future messages skip the Inbox unless sent or cc'd directly to you. Learn more.
x	Select conversation	Automatically checks and selects a conversation so that you can archive, apply a label, or choose an action from the drop-down menu to apply to that conversation.
s	Star a message or conversation	Adds or removes a star to a message or conversation. Stars allow you to give a message or conversation a special status.
+	Mark as important	Helps Gmail learn what's important to you by marking misclassified messages. (Specific to Priority Inbox)
-	Mark as unimportant	Helps Gmail learn what's not important to you by marking misclassified messages. (Specific to Priority Inbox)
!	Report spam	Marks a message as spam and removes it from your conversation list.
r	Reply	Replies to the message sender. <Shift> + r allows you to reply to a message in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
a	Reply all	Replies to all message recipients. <Shift> +a allows you to reply to all message recipients in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
f	Forward	Forwards a message. <Shift> + f allows you to forward a message in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
<Esc>	Escape from input field	Removes the cursor from your current input field.
<Ctrl> + s	Save draft	Saves the current text as a draft when composing a message. Hold the <Ctrl> key while pressing s and make sure your cursor is in one of the text fields -- either the composition pane, or any of the To, CC, BCC, or Subject fields -- when using this shortcut.
#	Delete	Moves the conversation to Trash.
l	Label	Opens the Labels menu to label a conversation.
v	Move to	Moves the conversation from the inbox to a different label, Spam or Trash.
<Shift> + i	Mark as read	Marks your message as 'read' and skip to the next message.
<Shift> + u	Mark as unread	Marks your message as 'unread' so you can go back to it later.
[	Archive and previous	Removes the current view's label from your conversation and moves to the previous one.
]	Archive and next	Removes the current view's label from your conversation and moves to the next one.
z	Undo	Undoes your previous action, if possible (works for actions with an 'undo' link).
<Shift> + n	Update current conversation	Updates your current conversation when there are new messages.
q	Move cursor to chat search	Moves your cursor directly to the chat search box.
y	Remove from Current View*	Automatically removes the message or conversation from your current view. From 'Inbox,' 'y' means Archive From 'Starred,' 'y' means Unstar From 'Trash,' 'y' means Move to inbox From any label, 'y' means Remove the label * 'y' has no effect if you're in 'Spam,' 'Sent,' or 'All Mail.'
.	Show more actions	Displays the 'More Actions' drop-down menu.
<Ctrl> + <Down arrow>	Opens options in Chat	<Ctrl> + <Down arrow> moves from edit field in your chat window to select the 'Video and more' menu Next, press <Tab> to select the emoticon menu Press <Enter> to open the selected menu
?	Show keyboard shortcuts help	Displays the keyboard shortcuts help menu within any page you're on. (Note: Typing ? will display the help menu even if you don't have keyboard shortcuts enabled)
k	Move up a contact	Moves your cursor up in your contact list
j	Move down a contact	Moves your cursor down in your contact list
o or <Enter>	Open	Opens the contact with the cursor next to it.
u	Return to contact list view	Refreshes your page and returns you to the contact list.
e	Remove from Current Group	Removes selected contacts from the group currently being displayed.
x	Select contact	Checks and selects a contact so that you can change group membership or choose an action from the drop-down menu to apply to the contact.
<Esc>	Escape from input field	Removes the cursor from the current input
#	Delete	Deletes a contact permanently
l	Group membership	Opens the groups button to group contacts
z	Undo	Reverses your previous action, if possible (works for actions with an 'undo' link)
.	Show more actions	Opens the "More actions" drop-down menu.

Combo-keys - Use the following combinations of keys to navigate through Gmail.

Shortcut Key	Definition	Action
<Tab> then <Enter>	Send message	After composing your message, use this combination to send it automatically. (Supported in Internet Explorer and Firefox, on Windows.)
y then o	Archive and next	Archives your conversation and moves to the next one.
g then a	Go to 'All Mail'	Takes you to 'All Mail,' the storage site for all mail you've ever sent or received (and have not deleted).
g then s	Go to 'Starred'	Takes you to all conversations you have starred.
g then c	Go to 'Contacts'	Takes you to your Contacts list.
g then d	Go to 'Drafts'	Takes you to all drafts you have saved.
g then l	Go to 'Label'	Takes you to the search box with the "label:" operator filled in for you.
g then i	Go to 'Inbox'	Returns you to the inbox.
g then t	Go to 'Sent Mail'	Takes you to all mail you've sent.
* then a	Select all	Selects all mail.
* then n	Select none	Deselects all mail.
* then r	Select read	Selects all mail you've read.
* then u	Select unread	Selects all unread mail.
* then s	Select starred	Selects all starred mail.
* then t	Select unstarred	Selects all unstarred mail.