How to get the most out of Google Mail. Learn the basics.

1. Gmail Basics

2. Getting the Basics…
• Gmail Environment
You will notice the Gmail environment looks pretty similar a traditional email account. There
are a few unique features that simplify it’s use. You can choose to view the environment in
icons or text.
• Conversation view
Gmail groups emails and the replies together in your inbox so you can always see the entire
conversation. Related messages are stacked neatly on top of each other.
• Labels instead of folders
Labels do the work of folders with an extra bonus: a conversation can have several labels, so
you’re not forced to choose just one particular folder.
• Archive instead of delete
You should never have to delete an email. With the archive feature, you get the messages out
of your inbox and into “All Mail.” The mail will no longer clutter your inbox, but remains
searchable in the case you need to reference it in the future.
• Chat and Video chat
No need to use another chat program when it’s built right in. Use your contact list to chat live
with colleagues or through video if you have access to a webcam.

3. Search labels/folders
Chat via text or
video with your
contacts
Organize emails
with labels
Compose a
new email
Navigate to other
Google Apps
New email will
appear in your
inbox
Unread emails
appear in bold
Change Settings
Inbox tabs organize
your inbox with up
to five different
categories
Turn your inbox
tabs off with the +
Mail Boxes

4. Buttons in Your Gmail Toolbar
Some buttons, like Archive, Spam, and Labels, are collapsed until
you need them. This means that they’ll only show up if you’ve
selected or opened a message.
Here’s a guide to the button icons
If you’d rather have buttons with text
instead of the icons, go to settings and in
the “Button labels” section, choose Text
and then Save Changes.

5. Understanding Gmail Icons
The Star icon is a great way to
label important emails that you
need to come back to.
Star any email and it will
automatically move into your
primary inbox tab. Change this
setting by configuring your inbox.

6. Your Gmail Boxes
• Inbox: a display of your recent emails. The unread messages appear in bold
and the most recent will be at the top. Your messages are automatically
categorized into inbox tabs.
• Starred: if you receive a message that you want to mark as important, click
and change the star to yellow.
• Sent Mail: messages you have sent will appear here.
• Chats: All chats that you have taken part in will be archived here.
• Drafts: if you start an email, but don’t send it, Gmail will store it here.
• All Mail: your archive, a storage place for all the mail you’ve ever sent or
received but have not deleted (no spam).
• Spam: when an email looks suspicious to Google, it will put it here. The
more spam you mark, the better Google will get at weeding it out.
• Trash: messages you delete will be moved here. It will be stored for 30 days
before being permanently deleted.

7. Meet Your New Inbox

8. Inbox Tabs
If you prefer to see all your messages in one list, simply hide the tab and the
messages will automatically appear in your primary inbox
Configure the
inbox change
settings and tabs
by clicking on
the settings
button

9. Pull addresses from
your Contacts List
Format using familiar
word processing tools
Add attachments
Select the + to get icons to insert pictures,
Drive files, links, emoticons, and Calendar
invitations
Composing Email
When
composing a
new email a new
message
window will pop
up on top of
your inbox.

10. Viewing Attachments
Messages that
contain attachments
will show the paper
clip icon
Choose to view or
download the
attachment

11. Viewing Conversations
When you open a message in a
conversation, all the messages
will be stacked neatly on top of
each other
To see all the
messages in a
conversation,
just click the
“Expand all”
button
Email messages that involve any replies are collected into a conversation for easy tracking of
the conversation.

12. Reply To and Forward Messages
If there are multiple recipients of the
message, make sure NOT to “reply to
all” unless that is your intention
You can change the default reply
behavior to just one person or to all in
the settings
When
forwarding a
message you
can select
forward at
the bottom
of the
message or
from
message
menu
To forward an entire
conversation, select that
option from the more menu
To reply, just click in the box below the message and
type away or choose reply from the message menu

13. Organizing Your Mail With Labels
Create new
labels, manage
labels, label a
selected message
with the tag menu
Move messages into one or
more labels for easy locating
with the move to menu
Organize your labels by clicking to
left of a label to add
color, rename, hide, or delete

14. Apply Your Label From Your Inbox
When viewing the
inbox, select the checkbox
next messages to be labeled
Click the Labels button and
select the label you want or
choose to create a new label
Click the Move To
button and select
the label you want
to move the
messages to or
create a new label

15. Starred Messages
To choose more
star options go to
settings and find
the “Star”
section to drag
stars from “not in
use” to “in use”
Use the
keyboard
shortcut of a
simple “s” to
star messages

16. Finding Starred Messages
To see all starred
messages, click
Starred mail box
on the left side
To search for a
particular kind of
starred message use
the search box and
search using has with
the star’s color and the
name will appear to be
chosen

17. • If you’re positive you won’t need a message again, use the
Delete button to send it to the trash. All deleted messages
are removed permanently after 30 days.
• Deleting unimportant mail is a great way to free up some of
your storage, but with Gmail’s free storage, you can probably
keep those messages, too!
• Archiving mail moves messages out of your inbox and into
your “All Mail” box for safekeeping. You won’t be bothered
with extra messages cluttering your inbox, but you’ll still be
able find a message if you need it six years from now! It’s as
though it’s deleted, but still can be found if needed for
reference in the future.
Archiving Your Mail

18. How to Archive Your Mail and Find it
Again
Select the message
in your inbox and
then select the
archive button
Select the All Mail
box from the left
Once in the All Mail box, search for
the message in the search box
Search using
contacts, tags, and
keywords

19. Chat…Instant Messaging
Choose a contact
from the chat
section on the left.
A chat window will
pop up on top of
your inbox
A green dot: the contact is online
An orange dot: the contact is idle
A gray dot: the contact is offline
Dots next to the contact mean
they can text chat only. The
video camera icon means they
are set up to video chat
All text chat conversations are archived in the Chat
box and accessible from the left menu

20. • Change the general look and feel of your environment
• Setup other email accounts to work with Gmail
• Manage your labels
• Change your Inbox Tabs and Categories
• Set filters to determine what to do with incoming email
• Change your chat options
• Turn Web Clips (sponsored links above your inbox) on or off
• Add fun and function with Labs gadgets
• Enable offline options to see messages without Internet
connection
• Personalize your environment with themes
Changing Your Settings
Tip: Make 1 or 2 changes and test when playing with
your settings. If you don’t know what an option
is…DON’T CHANGE IT!

21. • Filters allow you to manage the flow of incoming messages.
• Using filters, you can automatically
label, archive, delete, star, or forward your mail, even keep it
out of Spam.
Using Filters…As Rules for Your Inbox
Click the down
arrow in your
search box
A window will
appear that allows
you to specify your
search criteria
Click Create filter with this search
at the bottom of the search

22. A new window will appear and allow you t o
choose the actions you want the filter to take.
When finished
choosing
actions, click the
Create filter
button
Customizing Your Filters
Use a particular
message to
create a filter by
selecting the
message Click the More button
and then Filter
messages like these
To edit or delete existing filters go to Settings and click the Filters tab

23. Contacts
From the Mail
screen select the
red arrow and
select Contacts
from the list
Click the New Contact button
to add a new contact Fill out the information
and save when complete
Add your new
contact to a group
for easy group
messages

24. Organizing Your Contacts
Click My
Contacts and
then select the
contacts you
want to group
together
Click the Group Button and then choose a group
to add the contacts to or create a new group
Compose a message by
selecting a contact and
then the Compose button
Delete contacts
by clicking the
More button
Manage groups by
selecting the
group from the
left and then add
or delete contacts
as needed

25. • Review Gmail with overview videos or participate
in an interactive tour
• Become an expert with self-paced training
• Learn some Gmail tips and tricks
• Quicken up your Gmail experience with keyboard
shortcuts
Find these tutorials and videos at:
http://learn.googleapps.com/gmail
Need More Practice?
Want to Become an Expert?