G Suite For Dummies
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G Suite offers a huge number of keyboard shortcuts that not only enable you to navigate the app interfaces quickly but also let you easily invoke many app features and settings. Here, you see some of the more useful shortcuts that are common to the G Suite apps, as well as some handy shortcuts you can use with Gmail and Calendar. Do you need to memorize them all? Don't be silly. But read through the lists — you'll probably find two or three that you'll use every day.

Google Calendar

Common G Suite keyboard shortcuts

The following table lists a few keyboard shortcuts that you can use in most G Suite apps (if you’re using a Mac, replace the Ctrl keystroke with Command):

To Do This Press This
Apply bold Ctrl+b
Apply italic Ctrl+i
Apply underline Ctrl+u
Insert a link Ctrl+k
Open spelling suggestions Ctrl+m
Decrease text size Ctrl+Shift+– (minus)
Increase text size Ctrl+Shift++ (plus)
Indent less Ctrl+[
Indent more Ctrl+]
Align left Ctrl+Shift+l
Align center Ctrl+Shift+e
Align right Ctrl+Shift+r
Start a numbered list Ctrl+Shift+7
Start a bulleted list Ctrl+Shift+8
Open keyboard shortcut help ?

 

50 Gmail keyboard shortcuts

You might not think about using the keyboard with Gmail for anything beyond typing your message text, but Gmail actually has a fistful of handy keyboard shortcuts that can be real timesavers. Before getting to the actual shortcuts, you should first follow these steps to make sure all Gmail keyboard shortcuts are activated:

  1. In Gmail, select Settings to open the menu and then choose Settings.
  2. On the General tab, scroll down to the Keyboard Shortcuts section and then click the Keyboard Shortcuts On radio button.
  3. At the bottom of the tab, click Save Changes.

With that chore crossed off your to-do list, you can now use the shortcuts in the following table (if you’re using a Mac, replace the Ctrl keystroke with Command):

To Do This Press This
Go to inbox g, i
Go to starred conversations g, s
Go to snoozed conversations g, b
Go to sent messages g, t
Go to drafts g, d
Go to All Mail g, a
Go to tasks g, k
Search mail /
Open the More Actions menu . (period)
Open the Label As menu l
Compose c
Compose on a new tab d
Send message Ctrl+Enter
Add cc recipients Ctrl+Shift+c
Add bcc recipients Ctrl+Shift+b
Go to previous message in open conversation p
Go to next message in open conversation n
Focus on main window Shift+Esc
Focus on latest chat or compose window Esc
Select conversation X
Toggle star or rotate among superstars S
Go to next page g+n
Go to previous page g+p
Newer conversation k
Older conversation j
Open conversation o or Enter
Expand entire conversation ; (semicolon)
Collapse entire conversation : (colon)
Add conversation to tasks Shift+t
Archive conversation e
Archive conversation and go to previous or next message ] or [
Mute conversation m
Snooze conversation b
Report as spam !
Delete #
Reply r
Reply in new window Shift+r
Reply all a
Reply all in new window Shift+a
Forward f
Forward in new window Shift+f
Undo last action z
Mark as read Shift+i
Mark as unread Shift+u
Mark as important + or =
Mark as not important – (minus)
Move focus to toolbar , (comma)

 

Some useful calendar shortcuts

Calendar doesn’t offer a ton of keyboard shortcuts, but the shortcuts it supports are pretty darned useful, if you ask me. Keyboard shortcuts are usually enabled by default in Calendar, but you should scurry through the following steps, just to make sure:

  1. In Calendar, select Settings Menu and then choose Settings.
  2. Select Keyboard Shortcuts.
  3. Select the Enable Keyboard Shortcuts check box.

You’re now free to play around with the keyboard shortcuts in the following table (if you’re using a Mac, replace the Ctrl keystroke with Command):

To Do This Press This
Display current day T
Go to specific date G
Switch to Day view 1 or d
Switch to Week view 2 or w
Switch to Month view 3 or m
Switch to Custom view 4 or x
Switch to Agenda view 5 or a
Change calendar view to the next date range j or n
Create new event c
See event’s details e
Delete event Backspace or Delete
Refresh calendar r
Move to Meet With text box +
Search /
Open Settings s
Undo z
Save event (from event details) Ctrl+s
Return to calendar grid (from event details) Esc

 

About This Article

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About the book author:

Paul McFedries is a technical writer who has been authoring computer books since 1991 and has over 100 books to his credit. These books include Alexa For Dummies, Amazon Fire TV For Dummies, and Cord Cutting For Dummies. You can visit Paul on the web at www.mcfedries.com.

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