Gmail Tools & Hacks: Boost Your Productivity - 40+ Tips

Enhancing Your Gmail Experience: A Comprehensive Guide

This article presents a collection of Firefox extensions, Greasemonkey scripts, desktop applications, and useful tips designed to significantly improve your Gmail functionality. These resources aim to elevate your Gmail usage to a more efficient and personalized level.

Firefox Extensions for Gmail

Several Firefox extensions can augment your Gmail experience. These addons provide features ranging from enhanced storage to streamlined task management.

• Gspace – While no longer functioning, this was a multi-platform addon that transformed your Gmail account into a robust online storage solution.
• Gmail Search Extension – This extension allows you to directly search your Gmail account from the Firefox search bar, increasing accessibility.
• GcalQuickTab – Quickly toggle between Gmail and Google Calendar using convenient keyboard shortcuts.
• GTDInbox – Convert your Gmail account into a flexible and comprehensive ToDo-management service, based on the 'Getting Things Done' methodology.
• GMail Manager – Efficiently manage multiple Gmail accounts directly from your web browser.
• DragDropUpload – Quickly attach files to emails by simply dragging and dropping them onto the "Attach a file" link.
• CustomizeGoogle – This extension removes advertisements, switches to a secure HTTPS connection, hides the spam counter and invite box, and enforces a fixed font.
• Better Gmail – Integrates a variety of features, including attachment icons, attachment reminders, mail previews, filter assistance, label coloring, macros, and saved searches.
• GmailSkinz – A powerful addon offering extensive customization options, including inbox color changes, weather and calendar integration, and sidebar module integration. (Note: some users have reported compatibility issues.)

Google Toolbar with Gmail search provides one-click Gmail search functionality directly from the official Google toolbar.

E-Mail Notifier Toolbar and Gmail Notifier serve as dedicated notifiers, alerting you to new email arrivals.

Greasemonkey Scripts to Optimize Gmail

Greasemonkey scripts offer further customization and functionality enhancements for Gmail. These scripts modify the Gmail interface and add new features.

Gmail Super Clean provides a clean and distraction-free Gmail interface, enhancing focus and readability.

Gmail Spam-count Hide effectively conceals the spam count link, reducing visual clutter.

GMail Attachment Icons adds icons to emails, visually indicating the type of attachment (HTML, JPG, PDF, etc.).

Google Reader Integration seamlessly integrates Google Reader into Gmail, providing convenient access to your feeds.

GmailTo forces all 'mailto' links to open directly in Gmail.

Saved Searches allows you to create and display 'saved searches' (smart folders) in the navigation menu, enabling quick access to specific email sets.

Conversation Preview enables quick previewing of message contents directly from the main inbox window.

Google Calendar Integration integrates your Google Calendar agenda directly into Gmail.

Label Colors lets you color-code menu labels for improved visual organization.

Gmail Macros adds extra keyboard shortcuts to Gmail for faster operation (e.g., "t" for trash, "r" for mark as read).

SSLGoogle forces secure HTTPS connections for Gmail, Docs, and Calendar pages.

Gmail Encrypt encrypts outgoing emails for enhanced privacy.

Gmail Date Search adds a "Search by Date" button to the Gmail search form.

Gmail Signature Float moves your email signature to the top of the message, rather than the bottom.

Desktop Applications and Web Tools

Beyond browser extensions, several desktop applications and web tools can enhance your Gmail experience.

GmailDrive (Windows) creates a virtual drive ('Gmail Drive') in 'My Computer', utilizing Gmail as its storage medium. Files can be dragged and dropped for storage.

gDisk (Mac) provides similar functionality to GmailDrive, but is designed for Mac users.

Gmail ToDo is a desktop application that stores to-do lists as labels within your Gmail account.

Desktop Notifiers such as GMail Notifier (official Google release), GTray (Win XP), GCount (Mac), and Gmail+Growl 2.0 provide desktop notifications for new emails.

GMail for Mobile allows access to Gmail from your mobile device.

GmailFS is a mountable Linux filesystem that uses Gmail as its storage medium.

Google Talk is Google's instant messaging service, fully integrated with Gmail.

Tips and Hacks for Gmail Mastery

Several tips and hacks can further optimize your Gmail usage.

Unbl0ck is a tool to access Gmail from locations where it may be blocked (work, school).

Gmail icon generator creates an image of your email address to minimize spam exposure.

Gmail To Thunderbird explains how to access your Gmail account using Mozilla Thunderbird.

Shortcut List provides a handy, printable list of keyboard shortcuts for Gmail.

Hotmail Contacts Import details how to import contacts from Hotmail to Gmail.

A Gmail trick reveals how to identify individuals who share your email address with spammers.

Techniques exist to attach and send blocked file types, such as '*.exe' files.

JimsTips offers a vast collection of basic Gmail tips and tricks.

Resources are available to address issues with a nearly full Gmail account.

A secret keyboard shortcut exists for deleting messages quickly.

Instructions are provided for importing archived emails into Gmail.

Guidance is available for backing up your Gmail data using Google Groups.

Information is provided on how to re-download Gmail messages into Outlook.

Comprehensive resources detail how to work with Gmail attachments, including scripts and addons.