TLDR;
This video provides a comprehensive tutorial on how to use Gmail effectively, covering everything from basic interface navigation to advanced features like filters, templates, and vacation responders. It aims to improve user experience and productivity by teaching viewers how to customize their inbox, manage emails efficiently, and automate common tasks.
- Interface tour and customization
- Email composition and scheduling
- Advanced features: templates, signatures, vacation responder, filters
- Email management: labels, search, bulk actions
Intro [0:00]
The video introduces a comprehensive Gmail tutorial suitable for users of all levels, from beginners to those looking to improve their skills. Jess Stratton promises to cover a wide range of features to enhance the Gmail experience.
Tour the interface [0:14]
The navigation bar is located on the left-hand side, with expandable menus indicated by three dots or a down triangle. The blue compose button is used to create new emails. The menu can be hidden or shown by clicking the three horizontal lines in the top left corner. The grid icon in the top right corner allows switching between Google products, and the avatar icon is used to switch between multiple Google accounts or add a new one.
Switch between work and personal accounts [0:58]
Users can switch between multiple Google accounts by clicking on their avatar icon in the top right corner. This is useful for managing both personal and work or school Google Workspace accounts.
Use the quick access bar [1:12]
The quick access toolbar on the right allows access to Google Calendar, Google Keep (a note-taking app), Tasks, and Contacts. Additional Google add-ons like Trello can be added. The side panel can be toggled on or off using the arrow at the bottom right. Users can drag messages into Google Tasks to create tasks with titles and due dates that sync with Google Calendar. Opening an email and then opening Google Calendar will automatically add the email's subject line to the calendar entry. Google Keep can be used to store important information from emails for later reference.
Change Inbox types [2:56]
Gmail's default tabbed interface sorts emails into Primary, Promotions, and Social categories. Users can add an Updates tab, which includes purchase tracking, package tracking, online ticketing, hotel reservations, and Google security alerts. To add the Updates tab, click the gear icon, go to "Inbox type," click "Customize," and select the "Updates" tab. Other inbox types include "Unread first" and "Starred messages first," and users can also add multiple inboxes.
Track purchases [4:17]
Gmail offers a "Purchases" view on the left-hand side, providing a specialized view for tracking purchases and packages. This view consolidates all purchase-related emails for easy tracking.
Move messages between tabs [4:41]
Users can manually move messages between tabs by dragging them to the desired tab. Gmail may then ask if you want to do this for all similar messages in the future.
Compose and send a message [5:13]
To compose a message, click the blue "Compose" button. Enter the recipient's email address in the "To" field, and use "CC" (carbon copy) to send a copy to someone else or "BCC" (blind carbon copy) to send a copy without the recipient's knowledge. Type the subject line and the email body. The font icon allows complex formatting, and the three dots provide additional actions like spell check and scheduling meetings. Gmail saves new messages as drafts, which can be found in the "Drafts" section.
Schedule a message to send later [7:26]
Instead of sending an email immediately, you can schedule it to send later by clicking the down arrow next to the "Send" button. This is useful for sending emails at optimal times for recipients in different time zones or on weekends.
Work with images and attachments [8:10]
Emails with attachments display icons in the message list. Clicking on an email allows you to view the attachment at the bottom. Hovering over the attachment provides options to download it, add it to Google Drive, or edit it with Google Docs. To send attachments, click the paperclip icon to choose files from your computer. You can insert photos directly into the email body, resize them, and add descriptions. Files larger than 25 megabytes are automatically uploaded to Google Drive, and the recipient receives a download link.
Create a mail template [11:45]
To save frequently used responses as templates, enable the feature in Gmail settings under the "Advanced" tab. Compose a new email with the desired content, click the three dots for more options, hover over "Templates," and choose "Save draft as template" then "Save as new template." To use a template, reply to an email, click the three dots, hover over "Templates," and select the saved template.
Add an email signature [13:08]
To create a signature file, go to "Settings," scroll down to the "Signature" area, and click "Create new." Give the signature a name and create the body of the signature, including text and images. Choose whether to use the signature for new emails and replies/forwards. Save the changes to apply the signature.
Create an automatic vacation responder [14:50]
To set up an automatic vacation responder, go to "Settings," scroll down to the "Vacation responder" section, and turn it on. Set the first day and optional last day for the responder. Enter the subject and message for the automatic reply. Choose whether to send the response only to people in your contacts. Save the changes to activate the vacation responder.
Reply and forward messages [16:57]
To reply to an email, use the smart replies or click "Reply." You can send the reply immediately, schedule it for later, or send and archive the email simultaneously. In a long email thread, "Reply" sends only to the last sender, while "Reply all" sends to everyone in the thread. Attachments are removed in replies but can be kept by forwarding the email. Collapsed emails in a thread can be viewed by clicking the number indicating how many emails are collapsed.
Change the subject line of a reply [18:58]
When replying to or forwarding a message, you can change the subject line by clicking the arrows and choosing "Edit subject." This can help split the message into a new thread.
Create a task and calendar event from an email [19:41]
To create a task from an email, select the email, click the three dots, and choose "Add to tasks." To create a calendar event, open the email, click the three dots, and choose "Create event." This opens Google Calendar with the email's subject line as the event title, and you can add a location and invite guests.
Snooze an email [21:17]
The snooze feature hides an email and makes it reappear in your inbox at a specified time. Hover over the email, click "Snooze," and choose a time or date for it to reappear. Snoozed emails are stored in the "Snoozed" section.
Use or disable smart features and hover [22:26]
Hovering over an email provides quick actions like marking as read/unread, deleting, and archiving. Smart features may add buttons based on email content, such as "Unsubscribe" for newsletters or "Track package" for shipping notifications. These hover actions and dynamic email features can be disabled in Gmail settings.
Archive and delete mail [23:57]
Archiving a message keeps it for searching but removes it from the inbox, while deleting a message removes it permanently. Select the message(s), click the "Archive" button or the "Delete" button (trash can icon). Deleted messages can be found in the "Trash" folder and restored within a few moments of deletion. Archived messages are stored in the "All Mail" label.
Work with labels [25:25]
Labels are visual tags for emails, allowing you to categorize and group them. A single email can have multiple labels. Tabs like "Purchases" and "Trash" are also labels. To create a new label, click the plus sign next to "Labels," give it a name, and optionally nest it under an existing label. You can change the label color for better visual organization. Apply labels to emails by selecting the email, clicking the three dots, choosing "Label as," and selecting the desired label. You can move an email into a label, which is different from a traditional folder as the email still exists in "All Mail" and other relevant labels.
Manage email subscriptions [28:20]
To manage unwanted mail, use the "Manage subscriptions" feature to see the vendors that send you the most email and unsubscribe from them.
Bulk delete messages [28:46]
To bulk delete messages, go to the "Promotions" tab, select the checkbox at the top to select all visible messages, and then click the option to select all messages in the tab. Then, click the trash can icon to delete them.
Use stars to create a system [30:26]
Stars are icon-based categories for visually categorizing messages. By default, you can click a star to activate or deactivate it. You can customize the stars available in "Settings" and assign different meanings to each star. Use the search operator "has:" followed by the star's name (e.g., "has:red-bang") to find emails with that specific star. Starred messages in different tabs will also show up in the primary tab.
Process messages with filters [32:22]
Filters automate tasks in Gmail by acting on incoming messages based on specified criteria. To create a filter, select a message, click the three dots, and choose "Filter messages like these." Specify the criteria (e.g., sender, keywords) and choose an action (e.g., apply a label, skip the inbox, send a template). You can also apply the filter to existing messages in your inbox.
Search mail [33:41]
To search in Gmail, type your query into the search bar and hit enter. Use the filter button for advanced search options, specifying criteria like sender, recipient, and attachments. You can create a filter from the search results to perform actions on all matching emails.
Change search results to most recent to also search within trash and spam [34:48]
Change the search results order to "Most recent" to see the newest emails first. This also searches within the "Trash" and "Spam" labels. You can right-click on an email and select "Find all emails from the sender" to see all messages from that person.
Bonus tip: Get your daily agenda from Google Calendar sent via email [35:44]
To receive a daily agenda email from Google Calendar, go to Google Calendar settings, find your calendar, and change the "Daily agenda" setting from "None" to "Email." You will receive an email every morning with your daily schedule. If you don't want to receive emails when you have no events, create a filter based on the subject line to send those emails to the trash.
Conclusion [36:55]
The video concludes by encouraging viewers to explore more Gmail and Google tutorials and tips, including how to turn Gmail into an AI command center. It reminds viewers to subscribe to the channel and newsletter for more content.
