Gmail is a powerful tool that allows you to view and interact with all the emails you get from your various online accounts. Since you likely spend extra time each day navigating your inbox, this routine should be as efficient as possible to increase your productivity. Getting an external keyboard for your Chromebook or Android tablet gives you more control and flexibility over your inbox. And when you combine some of the top Gmail keyboard shortcuts with your own custom actions, you'll improve your Gmail experience even more.

Setting up custom keyboard shortcuts in Gmail may seem like something only advanced users would consider, but everyone can benefit from them. Whether you're new to Gmail or a long-time user, you can make custom keyboard shortcuts that fit your inbox needs. Here's how to enable the feature on your Gmail account so that you can add these custom shortcut actions to your daily email routine.

How to enable custom keyboard shortcuts in Gmail

Before creating these unique keyboard shortcuts, you must enable the custom keyboard shortcuts setting for your Gmail account. It's disabled by default, so you can't set up custom keyboard shortcut actions without turning on the feature. But when that's finished, you're ready to move on to the next part of this guide.

To enable the custom keyboard shortcuts setting for your Gmail account, do the following:

  1. Open the desktop version of Gmail in a web browser on your computer.
  2. Click the Settings icon in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select the See all settings button.
  4. Click the Advanced tab at the top of the page.
  5. Locate the Custom keyboard shortcuts feature, then click Enable.
    Enabling the Custom keyboard shortcuts features in the desktop version of Gmail
  6. Click the Save Changes button at the bottom to return to your inbox.

How to set up custom keyboard shortcuts in Gmail

Now that custom keyboard shortcuts are enabled for your Gmail account, it's time to tweak them to your liking. Since the feature you just turned on earlier sent you back to your inbox, you'll need to open your settings again.

To use your custom keyboard shortcuts, check out these steps:

  1. Click the Settings icon in the upper-right corner.
  2. Select the See all settings button.
  3. Click the Keyboard Shortcuts tab at the top of the page.
  4. Review the list as needed and replace one or more actions with your new custom keyboard shortcuts. The Key(s) section shows the default setting for each one, and the blank boxes on the right allow you to assign new key press shortcut combinations for those actions.
    The main screen for assigning custom keyboard shortcut actions in the desktop version of Gmail

  5. Click the Save Changes button at the bottom to finalize your settings.

If you assign a shortcut using the same key more than once, Gmail gives an error message that says One action per key. If this happens, find the key in question and change it to something else. Alternatively, deleting the default setting from the Key(s) section helps to avoid deciding on a different shortcut altogether. You can change as many keyboard shortcuts as you want, so feel free to experiment with them to find the perfect combination.

The error code that displays when trying to assign more than one custom action per key in in the desktop version of Gmail

How to restore keyboard shortcuts to the default settings

When customizing something for the first time, you may not always like your changes and want to return to the original settings. As such, what happens when the Gmail keyboard shortcuts you assigned aren't quite right? If you're unhappy with your custom shortcuts and want to return to their default settings, do the following:

  1. Click the Settings icon in the upper-right corner.
  2. Select the See all settings button.
  3. Click the Keyboard Shortcuts tab at the top of the page.
  4. Scroll down and select the Restore Defaults option in the lower-right corner.
    Showing the Restore Defaults option for custom keyboard shortcut actions in the desktop version of Gmail
  5. Click the Save Changes button to continue.
  6. Your Gmail keyboard shortcuts are now restored to their default settings.

Creating custom Gmail keyboard shortcuts gives your more control over your inbox

Rather than relying on your mouse to navigate your inbox for every action, tapping into some handy keyboard shortcuts can increase your productivity. Adding custom actions to Gmail allows you to create a more personalized experience. This means you can set up unique keyboard shortcuts that work best for your needs without much trouble. Simply swapping out a handful of the default shortcut keys with your own can make them easier to remember. And after you find the right key combinations, they'll you manage the emails in your inbox more efficiently.

Some mechanical keyboards have extra macro keys, allowing for more custom Gmail shortcut combinations. Learning about the different types of mechanical keyboard switches can help you understand what to expect if you want to try one later.