Google Mail (or Gmail) is really useful. It’s free. It’s powerful. It’s heavy (with features of course). It’s free from banner ads and ads within signature. I’m sharing top 10 Gmail features, tips & tricks which will enhance your Google Mail experience.

Gmail Features, Tips & Tricks You Probably Don’t Know

1. Your single Gmail account = Unlimited E-mail IDs

Let’s say my registered Gmail ID is maheshone@gmail.com.

Since Gmail doesn’t recognize dots as characters within usernames, you can add or remove the dots from a Gmail address without changing the actual destination address; they’ll all go to your inbox, and only yours. In short:

maheshone@gmail.com = m.a.h.e.s.h.o.n.e@gmai.com

maheshone@gmail.com = mahesh.one@gmail.com

maheshone@gmail.com = m.aheshone@gmai..com

As you can see all the above addresses belong to the same person. You can see this if you try to sign in with your username, but adding or removing a dot from it. You’ll still go to your account.

That’s not all.

maheshone@gmail.com = maheshone@googlemail.com

maheshone@gmail.com = mahesh.one@googlemail.com

Since googlemail.com is Google’s email domain for users in the United Kingdom and Germany, so if you register your username @gmail.com, it becomes unavailable in @googlemail.com as well.

Gmail Plus Addressing

Append a plus ("+") sign and any combination of words or numbers after your email address. For example, I can use the ID maheshone+twitter@gmail.com to Sign Up for Twitter and use maheshone+facebook@gmail.com to Sign Up for Facebook. So now you virtually have unlimited email IDs.

2. Catch the spammers using the “Plus Addressing”

Now, I can find out who is spamming me. You can really find out who is spamming you. Next time when you join a newsletter use youremail+newlettername@gmail.com. So that in case you’re receiving lot of spam to that ID you can create a filter to auto delete those mails.

3. Sign Out Remotely

With Gmail you can now track your recent sessions and can also sign out remotely. Click on the “Details” link present at the bottom right corner of your Gmail inbox.

4. Embed images instead of attaching them

Enable “Inserting images“ lab feature and it allows you to insert images directly into a message body. Now you can upload an image from your PC or insert images by URLs by clicking on the “Insert Image” icon located right next to emotion icon in the “Compose Mail” page. Even if you have not enabled this lab feature you can still copy paste images directly to your Gmail body.

5. Undo Send

Enable “Undo Send” lab and it gives you up to 30 seconds to undo the sent mail.

6. Grant access to your account

You can delegate access to your Gmail to another Google account holder. This person will be able to sign in to your account to read, delete and send mail on your behalf. They will not be able to change your account settings or your password.

7. Sender Time Zone

Enable “Sender Time Zone” lab and you’ll see green phone icons next to people who are probably awake and readily reachable (if it’s between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM in the sender’s local time zone) and red ones next to those who could be sleeping or out of the office.

8. Message Sneak Peek

Enable “Message Sneak Peek” lab and it allows you to preview messages to get a glimpse on what they contain and maybe take immediate action without actually opening them. After you turn it on, right-clicking on a line in your inbox and it shows a preview pane with the message in it.

9. Mark as Read Button

Tired of spending all that effort to click on the “More” actions menu every time you want to mark message(s) as read without reading them? Enable “Mark as Read Button” labs feature and that is just a button click away!

10. Canned Responses

If you’re lazy just like me then “Canned Responses” is just for you and me. E-mail for the truly lazy. Now save and then send your common messages using a button next to the compose form. Or else automate those process by utilizing Gmail filters.

Is your Gmail account compromised?

I’ve already discussed about how to secure your Gmail account from hacking. But it’s all about keeping your account safe by using a strong password, enabling two step verification and other method(s). But what if your Gmail account is hacked (or compromised)? The hacked would have already changed the password, security question & answer, mobile number associated with the account. So you can’t recover your Gmail using those primary account recovery methods.

But wait! Google allows you to recover your Google account using Knowledge Test process. All you need to do is answer few questions as thoroughly and accurately as possible; the strength of your answers will determine if they can return your account.

Your detailed answers will help them ensure that you’re the actual account holder and only you get access to your account.

What to do when your Gmail account is hacked?

Step 1: Go to Google Mail and click on “Can’t access your account?” link.

Step 2: Enter your Google Mail or Gmail ID.

Step 3: Complete the Captcha form.

Step 4: Click on “Verify your identity” link since the “Get a password reset link at my recovery email” and “Get a verification code on my phone” won’t work as hackers have already changed that.

Step 5: Verify your identity by answering multiple questions about your account.

Protect your Gmail account.

You can secure your Gmail account from hacking by following the article  How To Secure Your Gmail Account From Hacking and then note down the following information somewhere (preferably in your personal diary) so that in case your Gmail account is hacked you can still recover your account using the following information.

1. Account Creation Date

To get your account creation date, go to “All Mail”, click on "Oldest" on the upper right, and get the date of the welcome mail from Google. If its deleted choose the date of the last mail in your “All Mail” to get an approximate date.

2. Verification Code (if you have it)

3. Email addresses of up to five frequently emailed contacts

To get the email address of your frequently emailed contacts go to “Contacts” and click “Most Contacted” choose five of your contacts from them.

4. Names of up to four labels

Did you receive an invitation to create your account? If so select “Yes” and enter the details if you can otherwise leave it blank.

That’s it! You’re done. Google will review your application and will contact you.

1. Choose A Strong & Unique Password

Use a strong password for your Gmail account that you do not use on any other site.

2. Enable Two Step Verification

Two step verification adds an extra layer of security to your Google Account by requiring you to have access to your phone – as well as your username and password – when you sign in. This means that if someone steals or guesses your password, the potential hijacker still can’t sign in to your account because they don’t have your phone.

3. Secure Your Computer

Check for viruses and malware.

Make sure your operating system is up to date.

Make sure to perform regular software updates.

Make sure your browser is up to date.

Check your browser for plug-ins, extensions, and third-party programs/tools that require access to your Google Account credentials.

4. Check Your Gmail Settings

Use a secure connection to sign in by selecting ‘Always use HTTPS.’ option in your Gmail settings.

Click the Details link next to the ‘Last Account Activity’ entry at the bottom of your account to see the time, date, IP address and the associated location of recent access to your account

Check if your Gmail messages are being forwarded without your permission.

Source(s): Google Blog, Gmail Help, Sophos

Gmail Labs is a testing ground for experimental features that aren’t quite ready for primetime. They may change,break or disappear at any time. If (when) a Labs feature breaks, and you’re having trouble loading your inbox, there’s an escape hatch. Use http://mail.google.com/mail/?labs=0.

Custom Date Formats

Adds options to the general settings page allowing the date and time format to be changed independent of language. For example, you can use a 24-hour clock (14:57) or show dates with the day first (31/12/07).

Inserting Images

Allows you to insert images into a message body. You can upload and insert image files in your computer, or insert images by URLs. This lab will not work if you have offline enabled.

Mark As Read Button

Tired of spending all that effort to click on the more actions menu every time you want to mark messages as read without reading them? Now just enable this lab and that is just a button click away!

Pictures In Chat

See your friends’ profile pictures when you chat with them.

Quote Selected Text

Quote the text you have selected when you reply to a message. (Now works with the mouse, too!)

Send & Archive

Adds a button to the compose form that lets you send a reply message and archive the email conversation in a single action.

Sender Time Zone

Should I reply to this mail or just call the guy? Ooops… it’s 1 am. Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb…

Signature Tweaks

Places your signature before the quoted text in a reply, and removes the "–" line that appears before signatures.

Superstars

Adds additional star icons. After enabling this feature:
(1) Go to the "General" Settings page to choose which superstars you wish to use.
(2) Use either the keyboard shortcut (‘s’) or click to rotate through your selected superstars.
(3) Use the search operator "has:" to find all messages with your superstar (e.g. "has:red-bang", "has:blue-star"). Learn the name of a superstar by hovering over its image in the "General" Settings page.

Undo Send

Oops, hit "Send" too soon? Stop messages from being sent for a few seconds after hitting the send button.

Recently, one of my friend asked me “Hey Niks, do you know Gmail Labs”? I replied – “I know Google Suggest Labs”. He smiled and said it’s alright, Gmail Labs is something different! Well, this enticed me to know what Gmail Lab is and how can it help. Although, all these years Google has been making my experience with Gmail more pleasing, effective and productive, so what’s with Gmail Labs? Actually, Gmail Labs is full of experimental new features that you could choose to use or not use. However, many people might still don’t know about Gmail Labs or haven’t taken time to review all the exciting features. With that in mind, I thought sharing Top 10 excellent features worth turning on that can increase your daily productivity.

Offline – I found this to be the best feature among all. This allows you to work offline and work with your messages without even having Internet connection. What this means is that you could be using Gmail, lose your Internet connection, and never know the difference. Your inbox messages, attachments, etc. are always synced with your desktop, and you are free to use offline.

Email Addict – Too much on Gmail? Enable this features and a link would appear at the top of the page, blocking your Inbox and chat screen for 15 minutes and allowing you to take a break. Email Addict is superb for people who have trouble stepping away from their computer!

Undo Send – This is very helpful for me, I often find myself saying –Oops, Send so soon?? So, this gives me a grace period of five second to correct my error. You will see a new “Undo” link with every sent mail, just click “Undo” and it will take you right back to compose message where changes can be done.  

Message Translation – Got online friends who happen to speak other language? This new feature in Gmail Labs automatically translates your inbox messages to the language you can understand. You can simply click on the translate link, which automatically appears when an email in different language than your default one. Now language would not be an obstacle for users!

Multiple Inboxes – Multiple Inboxes allows me to implement multiple input boxes. So, now it is possible for me to systematize and underscore the new inbox messages displayed under one setting. I now have better customized view of my mails and it is easy to handle them at a glance as well. However, you should know that this feature creates multiple inboxes for labels, and not for your secondary Gmail accounts.

Mouse Gestures – This is extremely useful for person like me who relies more upon mouse than hitting keyboard shortcuts. I can now navigate my mails using Mouse Gestures. Hold right-click and move the mouse left to visit to a last conversation, move it right to visit to the next conversation, and move up to visit back to the inbox view. So simple!

Canned Response – Canned response is a no newer but has two interesting features that can help you save time. It has the ability to store email as templates and then skill to automatically reply to emails using those templates. So guys don’t waste time typing similar response when you can type it once and save it!

Inserting Images – I always use to get irritated whenever I had to attach images in the email coz of the process. And now the newest Gmail Labs is making my work lot easier when I have to send an image!

Task – Managing my task was never this easier with Gmail! But now, I can create my due dates, to-do list, sub-tasks and loads of things using incredibly simple interface in Gmail window!

Hide Unread Counts – This features is great for people that are lazy to manage their inbox and don’t care about unread mails! It hides the unread counts of Inbox, label etc!

Beyond doubt Gmail has become more productive, easier to use and truly viable alternative to Outlook! Check out Gmail Labs for even more interesting features that might make you even more productive.

I’ve just noticed that the Advertising Programs link on the Google home page is not working and is returning a 404 Error! And that’s not all Gmail is down for me. Yesterday they have blocked my Gmail account for few minutes after sending two mails with 20 MB attachment each. I wonder what these guys are doing out there.

Google has recently integrated AOL’s popular AIM instant-messaging service in to Gmail. Since February 2006, Gmail Chat is available and now Gmail users can get connected to AIM through a drop-down menu on the Gmail Web page. To try this, look for the big red banner on the top left when logged in to Gmail. In the right navigation, you could click on the upside-down triangle next to "set status here" in your Gmail chat and choose "Sign into AIM" from the drop down menu. Once you’ve got in your AIM log-in data, your AIM contacts would automatically appear intermingled among your Gmail contacts, and you could then select an AIM contact and chat with them directly. Google is on the way to roll out a fresh feature on the English version of Gmail; however other language version on Gmail will be available soon.

Google in a statement said – "We’re always looking for new and useful ways to help our users connect with friends, family, and coworkers," Further the ability to connect to AIM through Gmail is no doubt a "very big deal," said Michael Osterman, founder of messaging analysis firm Osterman Research. About 75 percent of people who use IM in business settings use AIM or the AIM enterprise product, he said. "Best of all, the features you love most about Gmail chat, such as chat history and automatic sorting of your buddies based on regularity of communication, work effortlessly across your Google and AIM buddies," Jazayeri said (Senior product manager at Google).

At present AIM, works only in the latest version of Gmail, and is currently available for Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 2. So upgrade your browser today!

Today I almost said Goodbye to spam in my Gmail account. Gmail is my favourite email service since it’s launch back in April 2004. The only thing I complain about Gmail is its User Interface. I didn’t mean their technology or features I mean their look. When it comes to GUI my vote goes for Yahoo! though I hate their banner ads and the text links. They are more keen to sell ads than to provide their email as a service. But Gmail considers their email as an addon or a service. Hence they use only text ads and no image ads too. I wont complain about that too as they are relevant to the topic.

I appreciate the SPAM filter of Gmail. They are catching each and every single SPAM I receive. BUT I hate one feature of that SPAM feature which is the "spam count".

That’s irritating me a lot. Because I do receive a lot of SPAM mails. So that whenever I Login to Gmail I have something left there in SPAM. So I have to check that folder every time I login. Once logged in I usually kept that open so that I need to check SPAM folder whenever I get a SPAM which I receive a SPAM every 10 minutes or so.

How I found a solutions to this? Today, I have came to know to about the IN:FOLDER criteria. It can be used to create a filter so that I can mark all emails I receive in SPAM Folder as "read". So the unread SPAM count wont appear.

Before I say how to do that. I must say that this works for the NEW Gmail Version only. As there is no option that says "Mark as read" in the Actions. But once you setup this filter you can switch back to the Old Version as it sill works for you.

Just Create a new filter and Enter "IN:SPAM" in the "Has the words:" field and click "Next Step".

Check the box that says "Mark as read" and click "Create Filter". And you are done.

If your email is not upgraded to the new version yet. Then try Gmail Spam Count Hide.

Wow it’s nice to see that Gmail is now offering 5 GB (or 5000 MB) of Free Web Storage. And hence it clearly beaten Windows Live Hotmail in storage. Microsoft earlier increased the free storage of Windows Live Hotmail from 2 GB to 5 GB. But still Yahoo! rules in terms of free space as it offers Unlimited amount of free space.

I’ve read that Gmail’s New Version Is Now Available. On reading that I checked my Gmail account after clearing all my Cache and Temporary Internet Files :D but it didn’t worked. And I found that it’s available to select users only. Then I found that someone from Digital Point posted the same. I created my Gmail account when they launched that service back in April 2004 itself. So the new version is not for available for old account. Then I checked one of my recently created Gmail account. Wow! It’s available for me. So if your Gmail account is a recently created one then the next version of Gmail is already available for you. I didn’t noticed this earlier as I’m forwarding all mails to this account to my default Gmail account.

What’s New In Gmail 2.0?

The basic look and feel remains the same but they added some new useful features. Now you can use your browser Back and Forward button to browse through various pages. That’s not all you can even bookmark specific emails. The Contacts manager have changed a lot. It has got a new look as shown below. Want to try the new Contacts manager? Try it here even if you use the old version of Gmail as it’s a different application. See the below screen shots for additional changes to Gmail.

More Gmail 2.0 Screen shots:

Gmail 2.0 Chat Options

Message Options

Select a Picture Options

Contact Options