To turn keyboard shortcuts on or off in Gmail, click the Settings gear, choose See all settings, stay on the General tab, and set Keyboard shortcuts to on or off. Scroll down and click Save Changes. Once on, press ? (Shift + /) in your inbox to see every shortcut.
Quick Answer
Settings > See all settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts on (or off) > Save Changes.
Steps to Enable or Disable Keyboard Shortcuts
- Open Gmail in a browser on your computer.
- Click the Settings gear at the top right, then See all settings.
- On the General tab, scroll to Keyboard shortcuts.
- Select Keyboard shortcuts on to enable them, or Keyboard shortcuts off to stop accidental key presses from archiving or deleting mail.
- Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
Useful Shortcuts to Start With
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| c | Compose |
| r / a / f | Reply / Reply all / Forward |
| e | Archive |
| # | Delete |
| j / k | Next / previous conversation |
| / | Search mail |
| g then i | Go to Inbox |
| ? | Show all shortcuts |
Customize Shortcuts
Go to Settings > See all settings > Advanced, enable Custom keyboard shortcuts and save. A Keyboard Shortcuts tab then appears in settings where you can change the keys for each action.
Keyboard shortcuts pair well with bulk cleanup. See how to delete Gmail emails in bulk.
Troubleshooting
- Shortcuts still don’t work: Click in the message list first; shortcuts don’t fire while you’re typing in a box. Browser extensions can also capture keys.
- Setting won’t save: Make sure you clicked Save Changes at the bottom of the General tab.
- Using a work or school account: Settings are per account, so repeat the steps in each account.
- More Gmail settings: See changing the default reply behavior, changing the view in Gmail and replying to all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do shortcuts work in the Gmail phone app?
The settings above apply to Gmail in a browser. On a tablet with a hardware keyboard, some shortcuts may work in the app.
Why did an email disappear when I pressed a key?
You probably pressed e (archive) or # (delete). Check All Mail or Trash, or use Undo.
Can I print the list of shortcuts?
Press ? in Gmail to open the list, then use your browser’s print command to print what’s on screen.
Summary
- Open Settings > See all settings.
- Find Keyboard shortcuts on the General tab.
- Choose on or off.
- Click Save Changes.
- Press ? for the full list.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.