Lesser-known Gmail features you should start using immediately
Gmail is used by millions of people across the globe. However, many of us don't even know its full range of capabilities. Beyond basic emailing, the service offers a wide range of tools to boost productivity and keep your privacy intact. Here are seven lesser-known but incredibly useful features every Gmail user should start using.
AI-powered drafting tool: 'Help me write'
The first feature is Gmail's AI-powered drafting tool, "Help me write." With this, users can generate an email draft quickly based on their prompt. It can be accessed by clicking on an icon shaped like a star with a pencil at the bottom of the Compose window. After entering a basic prompt and selecting Create, you'll have a ready-to-edit or send draft.
'Snooze' feature helps manage important emails
For those who get important emails but can't reply immediately, Gmail has a "Snooze" feature. This tool removes the email from the inbox temporarily and brings it back at a user-defined date and time. The Snooze feature appears as a small clock icon at the end of the email options bar, next to Archive, Delete, and Mark as Read. Tap on this icon to select from a few predefined snooze times or define your own date and time.
'Smart Reply' feature for quick responses
Another handy tool is the "Smart Reply" feature, which leverages machine learning to suggest three relevant responses depending on the content of an incoming email. You can activate this feature by heading over to Settings, selecting the General tab, scrolling down to Smart Reply, and clicking Smart Reply on. Then, just select Save Changes to activate this time-saving tool.
Schedule send: A solution for time zone differences
Gmail also provides a "Schedule Send" feature, which comes in handy for users communicating across different time zones or those who like to draft emails at certain times. It lets you compose an email and schedule it for delivery at a time convenient for the recipient. To use it, just click the arrow beside the Send button and select Schedule Send before picking your date and time.
'Nudging' ensures no important emails are missed
Gmail's "Nudging" feature ensures you don't miss replying to or following up on important emails. The feature is typically enabled by default and can be accessed by heading over to Gmail Settings and turning on Smart features and personalization. Once enabled, you'll see reminders like "Received 5 days ago. Reply?" next to the email you missed, making sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Google Calendar integration for seamless event management
The last feature is the integration of Gmail with Google Calendar. This will automatically list events mentioned in emails on a user's Google Calendar without switching apps or adding details manually. If you don't see events from Gmail on your Calendar, you can follow these simple steps to activate it: Open Gmail Calendar, click the gear icon to choose Settings, select "Events from Gmail" on the left, check "Show events automatically created by Gmail," and then click OK to confirm.
Confidential mode: A security feature for sensitive information
For those dealing with sensitive information, Gmail also offers a "Confidential Mode." This feature makes sure that the recipients can't forward, copy, print, or download the contents of an email. To use it, just compose your email and select Toggle confidential mode from the bottom of the Compose window. Then, choose when you want the email to expire and set up a Google-generated SMS passcode for added security.
