Why do my Gmail keyboard shortcuts not work?

Single-key shortcuts are off by default. Open Settings, then See all settings, then General, and set Keyboard shortcuts to on, then save. After that the keys in this reference will work.

What is the difference between Reply and Reply all in Gmail?

Press r to reply only to the sender, or a to reply to everyone on the message. Use Shift r or Shift a to open the reply in a separate window.

How do I archive an email with the keyboard?

Press e to archive the open conversation or any selected conversations. Archiving removes them from the inbox without deleting them, so they stay searchable in All mail.

How do I navigate between conversations and labels?

Use j and k to move to older and newer conversations, o or Enter to open one, and u to return to the list. Press g then a letter, such as g then i, to jump to a label like Inbox.

Do these shortcuts work on the Gmail mobile app?

No. Keyboard shortcuts apply to Gmail in a desktop web browser with a physical keyboard. The mobile apps use gestures and on-screen buttons instead.

What is the Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts?

A searchable Gmail keyboard shortcut reference for compose and reply, navigation, message actions, labels and search, with a note on enabling shortcuts in Gmail settings first. It runs free in your browser on Gera Tools, with nothing uploaded.

Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts

Name: Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts
Creator: Gera Tools
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Gmail keyboard shortcuts

This searchable reference lists the Gmail shortcuts that help you clear an inbox without reaching for the mouse — compose and reply keys, navigation, message actions, labels and search. Gmail’s shortcuts are mostly single keys, so they are fast once you learn a handful.

The first thing: enable shortcuts

Single-key shortcuts are off by default in every Gmail account. To turn them on, open Settings (the gear icon), choose See all settings, go to the General tab, and set Keyboard shortcuts to On, then save. Without this step, every key you press types into a compose field or search box instead of running a command. This is by far the most common reason shortcuts appear not to work.

How Gmail shortcuts work

Gmail uses two kinds of shortcuts. Single keys do an immediate action — c opens Compose, e archives, r opens a reply inline. Two-key sequences first press a mode key and then a letter: g followed by i jumps to Inbox, g then s jumps to Starred. A handful of actions that create or send messages still require the platform modifier: Cmd+Enter on a Mac or Ctrl+Enter on Windows to send, for example.

The reference is filtered in real time as you type — enter “archive”, “label”, or “star” and only the matching shortcuts appear.

Essential shortcuts to learn first

These five will immediately change how fast you move through Gmail:

Action	Keys	Notes
Compose a new message	`c`	Opens inline compose
Archive selected message	`e`	Skips Trash; stays searchable
Reply to sender	`r`	Inline reply
Reply all	`a`	Includes all recipients
Go to Inbox	`g` then `i`	Two-key jump
Search mail	`/`	Focuses the search bar
Select all conversations	`* a`	Asterisk then a
Mark as read	`Shift+i`	Works on selected messages

The g + letter pattern is one of Gmail’s most useful features and the least known. g i = Inbox, g s = Starred, g t = Sent, g d = Drafts, g a = All Mail, g l = a specific label (prompts you for the name). Combined with j and k to step through conversations and o or Enter to open one, you can navigate a full inbox without touching the mouse.

Practical workflow: inbox zero in keyboard-only mode

Press g i to land in Inbox.
Press j to move to the first conversation you want to read.
Press o to open it; read with n (next message) and p (previous).
Press e to archive when done, automatically moving to the next.
Press r to reply, type the reply, then Cmd+Enter to send.
Repeat until empty.

Notes

If pressing a key types a letter into a field instead of running a command, shortcuts are still off — enable them in Settings first. The whole reference and its search run in your browser; nothing you type is uploaded.

Mobile Gmail apps use gestures, not keyboard shortcuts — this reference applies to Gmail in a desktop browser only.