Gmail keyboard shortcuts
Gmail runs on single keys and short sequences: C starts a new message, E archives, and G then I goes back to the inbox. Google says most of them won't work unless keyboard shortcuts are turned on in Gmail's settings, and lists only the compose, chat and formatting keys without that condition. Press ? in Gmail for the full list, which is also where you can turn them on.
Checked against Google — Keyboard shortcuts for Gmail. Version: Gmail on the web, on a computer.
Showing the Windows keyboard. Showing the Mac keyboard.
The top 20 are the Gmail shortcuts this page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear here. The drill asks the marked ones first too, shuffled. Or tick your own and print those.
The 20 to learn first: the shortcuts the Gmail page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear on it.
Your own sheet: the Gmail shortcuts you ticked.
Start here
These won't work unless keyboard shortcuts are turned on in Gmail's settings. Google also warns that shortcuts are not supported in every language or on every keyboard.
Practise theseReading and moving through mail
These won't work unless keyboard shortcuts are turned on in Gmail's settings, except where a row says otherwise.
Practise theseGoing to a folder or label
These won't work unless keyboard shortcuts are turned on in Gmail's settings.
Sorting and tidying conversations
These won't work unless keyboard shortcuts are turned on in Gmail's settings.
Practise theseSelecting conversations in the list
For the conversation list. These won't work unless keyboard shortcuts are turned on in Gmail's settings.
Writing and sending
Google lists most of these without the condition that keyboard shortcuts be turned on. The rows that need it say so.
Practise theseFormatting a message
For the message you are writing. Google lists these without the condition that keyboard shortcuts be turned on.
Practise theseNext
Chrome
Most of these hold in Edge, Brave, Opera and Vivaldi too, because they all share the same engine and the same conventions.
Docs
In Google Docs the key worth learning first is Alt+/, or Option+/ on a Mac, which finds any menu command when you type its name.
Sheets
Sheets deliberately borrows most of Excel's keys, so almost everything you already know still works.
Slack
Slack puts a key on nearly every place you go in it: a conversation, your threads, your unread messages, the Activity feed.
Gmail keyboard shortcuts — comboshelf.com. Checked 25 September 2026 against Google — Keyboard shortcuts for Gmail.