Google Search Shortcuts Guide - Part 2 - Gmail

Dan Rimon — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:46:29 GMT

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"

i
(Replaces the term Label)
For Example: i:friends

Gmail Label Shortcuts:

^b chats
^f sent mail
^i inbox
^k trash
^r draft
^s spam
^t starred messages
^u unread mail

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

" " (quotes)

(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

www.LogBlo.com

UX review on a Google experiment - Accessible View

Dan Rimon — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:42:09 GMT

Few posts ago I wrote on another Google experiment - Keyboard Shortcuts. This new experiment is a bit different.

Google accessible view, I presume, was created for disabled people who can't see well (This is why its called accessible view...). I am very glad to see that "Accessibility" is embraced for Google .

What the Accessible View gives the user, is a very simple and intuitive navigation alternative, that allows him to browse the search results. You can navigate between results by using the keywords "J", "K" (very similar to the keyboard shortcuts experiment)In addition "N", "P", & the up/down arrows (Very good improvement for the keyboard short cut experiment) allow you to do almost the same.

The added value here is that the results are highlighted. But it is not just a highlight of the results, but a sort of magnifying-glass view of the result. The magnified area floats in different layer above the actual results page. This solution is great for people who have difficulties seeing, as they can magnify the text even further by using the "=" key or the "-" key, and in addition if the user has a screen reader (commonly used by blind people) - the result that is currently highlighted, will be read to him, and only that (nothing else in the screen will be read to him, as this might distract them).

Few insights:

I will not recommend using it for people who have no difficulty in reading, as the floating layer of the highlighted result, is floating above other results as well, and because you can't see the next results or the previous one, it is very hard to have good orientation when navigating between the results.
J,K,Up and Down keys have the same functionality, they allow you to navigate between the results (but not to jump to the next index page). Using "N" & "P" do the same, but also when you are standing on the last result of the page, pressing the key "N" will send you to the next index results page (and the other way around with "P"). what I find confusing is why do we need different functionality for these buttons. Either create buttons that will allow you to jump between index pages, or just use the same functionality as the "N"&"P" keys, for all buttons. This way it will have a better logic to me in terms of user experience.
Too many buttons that act the same, well I realize its an experiment, but why can't you decide?

Keep them coming Google, you're doing good to the user experience and accessibility.

LogBlo.com - Accessibility

Google Search Shortcuts Guide - Part 2 - Gmail

Searching Gmail:

Google explanation video:

Keyboard shortcuts

UX review on a Google experiment - Accessible View