In part 1- Google search shortcuts I gave you most of the shortcuts Google has to offer on its search box (the ones I know of). In part 2, I'm going to do the same for the Gmail Email Service.
Gmail Shortcuts Guide (Most of the help is taken from Google's Gmail help):
Searching Gmail:
- from:
(Used to specify the sender)
Example - from:amy
Meaning - Messages from Amy - to:
(Used to specify a recipient)
Example - to:david
Meaning - All messages that were sent to David (by you or someone else) - subject:
(Search for words in the subject line)
Example - subject:dinner
Meaning - Messages that have the word "dinner" in the subject - OR
(Search for messages matching term A or term B*)
*OR must be in all caps
Example - from:amy OR from:david
Meaning - Messages from Amy or from David
- - (hyphen)
(Used to exclude messages from your search)
Example - dinner -movie
Meaning - Messages that contain the word "dinner" but do not contain the word "movie" - label:
(Search for messages by label*)
*There isn't a search operator for unlabeled messages
Example - from:amy label:friends
Meaning - Messages from Amy that have the label "friends"
Example - from:david label:my-family
Meaning - Messages from David that have the label "My Family"
- has:attachment
(Search for messages with an attachment)
Example - from:david has:attachment
Meaning - Messages from David that have an attachment - list:
(Search for messages on mailing lists)
Example - list:info@example.com
(Meaning - Messages with the words info@example.com in the headers, sent to or from this list)
- filename:
(Search for an attachment by name or type)
Example - filename:physicshomework.txt
Meaning - Messages with an attachment named "physicshomework.txt"
Example - label:work filename:pdf
Meaning - Messages labeled "work" that also have a PDF file as an attachment
(Used to search for an exact phrase*)
*Capitalization isn't taken into consideration
Example - "i'm feeling lucky"
Meaning - Messages containing the phrase "i'm feeling lucky" or "I'm feeling lucky"
Example - subject:"dinner and a movie"
Meaning - Messages containing the phrase "dinner and a movie" in the subject
- ( )
(Used to group words)
Used to specify terms that shouldn't be excluded
Example - from:amy(dinner OR movie)
Meaning - Messages from Amy that contain either the word "dinner" or the word "movie"
Example - subject:(dinner movie)
Meaning - Messages in which the subject contains both the word "dinner" and the word "movie"
- in:anywhere
(Search for messages anywhere in Gmail*)
*Messages in Spam and Trash are excluded from searches by default
Example - in:anywhere movie
Meaning - Messages in All Mail, Spam, and Trash that contain the word "movie" - in:inbox
in:trash
in:spam
(Search for messages in Inbox, Trash, or Spam)
Example - in:trash from:amy
Meaning - Messages from Amy that are in Trash
- is:starred
is:unread
is:read
(Search for messages that are starred, unread or read)
Example - is:read is:starred from:David
Meaning - Messages from David that have been read and are marked with a star - cc:
bcc:
(Used to specify recipients in the cc: or bcc: fields*)
*Search on bcc: cannot retrieve messages on which you were blind carbon copied
Example - cc:david
Meaning - Messages that were cc-ed to David - after:
before:
(Search for messages sent during a certain period of time*)
*Dates must be in yyyy/mm/dd format.
Example - after:2004/04/16 before:2004/04/18
Meaning - Messages sent between April 16, 2004 and April 18, 2004.*
*More precisely: Messages sent after 12:00 AM (or 00:00) April 16, 2004 and before April 18, 2004. - is:chat
(Search for chat messages)
Example - is:chat monkey
Meaning - Any chat message including the word "monkey".
Google explanation video:
Keyboard shortcuts
To turn these case-sensitive shortcuts on or off, click Settings, and then pick an option next to Keyboard shortcuts.
- c
(Compose)
Allows you to compose a new message. + c allows you to compose a message in a new window. - /
(Search)
Puts your cursor in the search box. - k
(Move to newer conversation)
Opens or moves your cursor to a more recent conversation. You can hit to expand a conversation - j
(Move to older conversation)
Opens or moves your cursor to the next oldest conversation. You can hit to expand a conversation. - n
(Next message)
Moves your cursor to the next message. You can hit to expand or collapse a message. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.') - p
(Previous message)
Moves your cursor to the previous message. You can hit to expand or collapse a message. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.') - o or
(Open)
Opens your conversation. Also expands or collapses a message if you are in 'Conversation View.' - u
(Return to conversation list)
Refreshes your page and returns you to the inbox, or list of conversations. - e
(Archive)
Archive your conversation from any view. - m
(Mute)
Archives the conversation, and all future messages skip the Inbox unless sent or cc'd directly to you. Learn more. - x
(Select conversation)
Automatically checks and selects a conversation so that you can archive, apply a label, or choose an action from the drop-down menu to apply to that conversation. - s
(Star a message or conversation)
Adds or removes a star to a message or conversation. Stars allow you to give a message or conversation a special status. - !
(Report spam)
Marks a message as spam and removes it from your conversation list. - r
(Reply)
Replies to the message sender. + r allows you to reply to a message in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.') - a
(Reply all)
Replies to all message recipients. +a allows you to reply to all message recipients in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.') - f
(Forward)
Forwards a message. + f allows you to forward a message in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
(Escape from input field)
Removes the cursor from your current input field.- #
(Delete)
Moves the conversation to Trash. - +s
(Save draft)
Saves the current text as a draft when composing a message. Hold the key while pressing s and make sure your cursor is in one of the text fields -- either the composition pane, or any of the To, CC, BCC, or Subject fields -- when using this shortcut. - + i
(Mark as read)
Marks your message as 'read' and skip to the next message. - + u
(Mark as unread)
Marks your message as 'unread' so you can go back to it later. - [
(Archive and previous)
Archives your conversation and moves to the previous one. - ]
(Archive and next)
Archives your conversation and moves to the next one. - z
(Undo)
Undoes your previous action, if possible (works for actions with an 'undo' link). - + n
(Update current conversation)
Updates your current conversation when there are new messages. - q
(Move cursor to chat search)
Moves your cursor directly to the chat search box. - y
(Remove from Current View*)
Automatically removes the message or conversation from your current view. - From 'Inbox,' 'y' means Archive
- From 'Starred,' 'y' means Unstar
- From 'Trash,' 'y' means Move to inbox
- From any label, 'y' means Remove the label
* 'y' has no effect if you're in 'Spam,' 'Sent,' or 'All Mail.'
- .
(Show more actions)
Displays the 'More Actions' drop-down menu. - ?
(Show keyboard shortcuts help)
Displays the keyboard shortcuts help menu within any page you're on.
Combo-keys
- then
(Send message)
After composing your message, use this combination to send it automatically. (Supported in Internet Explorer and Firefox, on Windows.) - y then o
(Archive and next)
Archives your conversation and moves to the next one. - g then a
(Go to 'All Mail')
Takes you to 'All Mail,' the storage site for all mail you've ever sent or received (and have not deleted). - g then s
(Go to 'Starred')
Takes you to all conversations you have starred. - g then c
(Go to 'Contacts')
Takes you to your Contacts list. - g then d
(Go to 'Drafts')
Takes you to all drafts you have saved. - g then i
(Go to 'Inbox')
Returns you to the inbox. - g then t
(Go to 'Sent Mail')
Takes you to all mail you've sent. - * then a
(Select all)
Selects all mail. - * then n
(Select none)
Deselects all mail. - * then r
(Select read)
Selects all mail you've read. - * then u
(Select unread)
Selects all unread mail. - * then s
(Select starred)
Selects all starred mail. - * then t
(Select unstarred)
Selects all unstarred mail.
And finally a nice post i found with interesting and unusual tips for using Gmail: Gmail Tips and Tricks Monster Roundup