Gmail is one of the most popular email services today, and it’s easy to see why: it’s hassle-free to use, secure, and feature-rich.
If you’re just getting started with Gmail, there are a few steps you should take to make sure your account is set up properly.
Tips to Set Up Your Gmail Account
Here are 13 tips for setting up the Gmail account easily.
1. Choose the Right Username
Your username will be part of your permanent email address, so choose wisely.
You can create a unique username that best reflects the identity you want to project or use an existing username from Google (such as a YouTube channel name).
Also, do not forget about the need to change email signature Gmail offers if you wish so that your overall profile looks better/more professional.
2. Create a Strong Password
When choosing a password, avoid using any personal information that could be easily guessed by someone else like your name or birthdate.
Instead, opt for something more complex such as a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols – the more random the better.
3. Secure Your Account With Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your Gmail account by requiring both your password and an additional code sent to your phone before you can log in.
This helps ensure that no one else can access your account even if they have your password.
4. Configure Spam Filtering Settings
Once you’ve secured the account with 2FA, it’s time to configure spam filters in order to keep unwanted emails out of your inbox.
Gmail has some great spam-fighting tools built into its system that can block suspicious emails from reaching you automatically; all you have to do is turn them on.
5. Set Up Vacation Responder
If you plan on taking any extended trips away from home or office or just need some extra time off from work emails, setting up a vacation responder message can help keep people informed during this time without having to manually reply to each email yourself.
6. Create Labels & Filters
Labels are like folders in which you can organize emails while filters allow incoming messages to skip the inbox and go directly into their designated label based on certain criteria (like sender or subject line).
This is especially handy if you receive tons of emails every day that need sorting through quickly.
7. Utilize Keyboard Shortcuts
Did you know there’s a huge list of helpful keyboard shortcuts available for Gmail? For example, pressing “C” will open up compose mode while pressing “/” will provide access to search features like advanced search operators – all within seconds.
8. Set Up SMS Notifications
If you don’t want notifications popping up onscreen every time an email comes through but would still like some indication when messages arrive in real-time – then setting up SMS notifications may be ideal for you.
By connecting Gmail with your mobile number via text messaging service providers like Twilio – notifications can get pushed straight from Gmail onto your phone instantly so that nothing slips through the cracks.
9. Incorporate AI Into Email Management
G Suite users now have access to Smart Reply, an artificial intelligence tool powered by Google’s machine learning algorithms, helping to drastically reduce response times by providing automated replies based on what is written in incoming messages.
It works across platforms, including web browsers, Android devices, iPhones, and iPads too.
10. Take Advantage Of Tabs & Categories
To further organize incoming mail, take advantage of the tabs and categories setup option in Gmail, which categorizes emails into three sections (Primary, Social, and Promotions) depending on content.
By doing this, it makes sorting important information like bills much easier since they are grouped together separately from other types of messages.
11. Use Boomerang Feature To Schedule Emails
Another great way to stay organized when managing emails is to use the Boomerang feature in Gmail, which allows you to schedule messages ahead of time so they reach recipients’ inboxes at a specific date/time.
This way, important notes won’t get lost among other emails or forgotten about, as they will always arrive when intended.
12. Enable Offline Mode For Convenient Access
With the offline mode enabled on the Chrome browser, users are able to read, write and search their Gmail without needing a wifi connection at all times.
This also means never worrying about losing unsent drafts anymore since everything is stored locally first until there is a connection established again, making this feature really convenient especially when traveling abroad or to places with spotty signal strength.
13. Find Themes To Customize the Appearance
One last useful trick for those who want their inbox to look aesthetically pleasing – try finding themes under the ‘Settings’ tab which allows customizing the appearance and feel of how things appear online.
There are plenty of color schemes available, plus options for changing the background image too – so give it a go if you want something new and fresh looking for your mailbox interface.
