To change the view in Gmail on a computer, click the Settings gear in the top-right corner to open Quick settings. From there, you can change the Density (how much space each email takes up), the Inbox type, the Reading pane layout, the Theme, and whether emails are grouped into conversations. Changes apply right away. For more options, click See all settings.
Here’s what each view option does and how to change it on your computer, iPhone, or Android.
Change Gmail’s view on a computer
- Go to mail.google.com.
- Click the Settings gear (⚙) in the top-right corner.
- Choose the options you want in the Quick settings panel. Your inbox updates as you click.
Density: fit more or fewer emails on screen
- Default: Shows attachment chips (like PDFs and photos) under each email.
- Comfortable: More space, without attachment chips.
- Compact: The tightest spacing, so you see the most emails at once.
Inbox type: choose how emails are sorted
- Default: Newest first, with tabs like Primary, Promotions, and Social. Click Customize to choose which tabs appear.
- Important first: Emails Gmail marks as important appear at the top.
- Unread first: Unread emails appear in their own section at the top.
- Starred first: Starred emails appear at the top.
- Priority Inbox: Splits your inbox into sections, like Important and unread, Starred, and Everything else.
- Multiple Inboxes: Adds custom sections based on searches or labels, like a section for one project.
Reading pane: read emails next to your inbox
- No split: Emails open full screen, replacing the list.
- Right of inbox: Your inbox on the left, the open email on the right. Great for wide screens.
- Below inbox: Your inbox on top, the open email below.
Conversation view: group replies together
Under Email threading in Quick settings, check or uncheck Conversation view. With it on, replies are grouped into one thread. With it off, every message appears separately in your inbox.
Theme: change colors and background
Under Theme, click View all to choose a color, a dark theme, or a background image. You can also go to Settings > See all settings > Themes.
More view options in “See all settings”
- Maximum page size: On the General tab, show up to 100 conversations per page.
- Keyboard shortcuts: Turn them on in the General tab for faster navigation.
- Labels: On the Labels tab, show or hide labels and system folders like Spam and All Mail in the left menu.
- Chat and Meet: On the Chat and Meet tab, hide Google Chat and Meet from Gmail’s sidebar for a simpler view.
Change the view in the Gmail app
iPhone and iPad
- Open the Gmail app and tap the Menu (☰) in the top-left corner.
- Scroll down and tap Settings.
- Tap Inbox type to choose Default, Important first, Unread first, Starred first, or Priority Inbox.
- Tap Density to change spacing, and use Conversation view to group or separate replies (these may be under your account’s settings).
Android
- Open the Gmail app and tap the Menu (☰) > Settings.
- Tap General settings for Theme, Conversation list density, and Conversation view.
- Tap your account for Inbox type and Inbox categories.
View settings in the app are separate from the website, so you can have a compact list on your phone and a split view on your computer.
How to go back to the default view
Open Quick settings and choose Default for Density and Inbox type, No split for Reading pane, and check Conversation view. That matches Gmail’s standard layout.
To move through your inbox with the keyboard, enable Gmail keyboard shortcuts.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my Gmail layout change?
Google updates Gmail’s design from time to time, and you may have changed a setting by accident. Check Quick settings to adjust it.
How do I make Gmail show more emails?
Choose Compact density, and set Maximum page size to 100 in See all settings > General.
How do I get rid of the Promotions and Social tabs?
In Quick settings, under Inbox type, click Customize next to Default and uncheck the tabs you don’t want.
Can I preview emails without opening them?
Yes. Turn on the reading pane (Right of inbox or Below inbox) in Quick settings.
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.