Overview
Gmail is a web-based email service from Google. It’s part of the Google Workspace suite of productivity tools, like Google Calendar, Google Meet, Google Docs, and more.
For personal and professional communications, you can use Gmail to:
- Send and receive emails.
- Store and organize your messages.
It’s available on various devices, like:
- Computers
- Smartphones
- Tablets
Gmail's content, ads, and elements are accessible through platform features and tools designed for accessibility, such as screen readers. There are several built-in accessibility features in Gmail, like:
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Multiple viewing options
- Suggested replies
- Spelling and grammar correction
For the best experience, use the latest version of:
- Gmail
- Your web browser
- Your device’s operating system
- Any assistive technology you use
Some accessibility features discussed in this article require specific local setup or configuration and might not be available in all locales.
Vision
To interact with Gmail with spoken feedback or Braille, use a screen reader to:
- Describe Gmail elements and content as you navigate and perform actions.
- Inform you about alerts and notifications.
Additionally, Gmail has shortcuts to perform actions like:
- Navigate, label, and reply to messages.
- Archive, mute, or snooze conversations.
- Search for specific messages.
For more information:
To customize the appearance of Gmail, you can:
- Change your Gmail background.
- Turn images on or off in Gmail.
- Configure a reading pane that can be turned off. Learn how to preview your emails.
For more information on low vision assistance available on your platform, refer to your platform’s related resources. Features include:
- Screen reader
- Screen magnification
- Text scaling
- Improve visibility of focus and cursor
- Screen resolution
- Color filter and contrast customization
- Reading mode
- Select to speak
In addition to the platform features listed above, Gmail also works with the latest version of these third-party assistive technologies for vision:
Alternative input
To preview emails while you browse your inbox, set up the reading pane so that it opens below or next to your message list. Learn how to preview your emails.
Additionally, Gmail has shortcuts to perform actions like:
- Navigate, label, and reply to messages.
- Archive, mute, or snooze conversations.
- Search for specific messages.
For a list of shortcuts, check Keyboard shortcuts for Gmail.
To minimize your mouse or keyboard input, you can enable and use these Gmail features:
- Spelling and grammar suggestions
- Smart Compose
- Smart Reply
- Hover actions
- Right-click menu
If you have a motor disorder or dexterity impairment, you can benefit from various platform features, like:
- Add a physical keyboard with:
- Sticky keys
- Filter keys
- Bounce keys
- An on-screen keyboard, optionally with a switch device
- Mouse keys
- Eye or face tracking for mouse input
- Voice input for:
- Command
- Control
- Dictation
To learn more about these features, refer to your platform’s related resources.
Cognition
Users with cognitive challenges like processing orders or distraction issues have different requirements. Some users need extensive hints and attention-grabbing UI to stay on task, while others need minimal distractions. To meet these requirements, Gmail provides settings and features with toggles to turn individual features on or off. Learn how to change your Gmail settings.
These features include:
- Inbox density.
- Display snippets of an email body in the inbox.
- Display toolbar buttons as text or icons.
- Hover actions that can be shown or hidden.
- Configurable preview pane that can be turned off. Learn how to preview your emails.
- Options to change your Gmail layout.
- Optional inline spelling and grammar suggestions.
- Optional autocorrect.
- Message recall time or “Undo send.”
- Present each message separately or group emails into conversations.
- Configure desktop notifications.
Learn how to change your Gmail settings.
Some Gmail usability features that can be helpful are:
- Automatic addition of email contacts.
- Create labels to organize Gmail.
- Create rules to filter your emails.
Additionally, these optional smart features in Gmail can improve your efficiency, especially if you have a processing disorder, distraction issue, or other cognitive challenges:
- Automatic email filters and categories
- High priority notifications for emails
- Summary cards above emails
- Smart Compose in Gmail
- Smart Reply in Gmail
- Nudges about important emails
Learn about smart features in Gmail.
You can also use these additional platform features:
- Animation toggle
- Notification timeout and appearance
- Select to speak
To learn more about these additional features, refer to your platform’s related resources.