Gmail is slow for my users

You and your users can follow the steps below to troubleshoot common issues that can make Gmail slow.

Tell your users to...

Fix your browser

Poor performance in Gmail can usually be fixed by troubleshooting the browser. Try the following steps:

1. Make sure you are using a supported browser and that it’s up to date.
   Learn how to update Chrome Browser.
2. Clear cache and cookies. In Chrome, check the Hosted app data box on the Advanced tab of the Clear browsing data setting.
3. Disable browser extensions.
4. Test Gmail in private (Incognito) mode.
5. Reinstall your browser.
6. Try a different browser.

Disconnect apps

Make sure you don’t reach the request limits for accounts. Reaching a limit can happen, for example, if a mail client tries to check for mail too often.

1. Temporarily turn off Gmail Advanced settings:
   1. Go to https://mail.google.com/mail/?labs=0 to open Gmail with Advanced settings turned off.
   2. Test Gmail for slowness.
2. If POP or IMAP is turned on for your domain, temporarily turn it off for the affected account:
   1. On your computer, sign in to Gmail with your Google Workspace account.
   2. In the top right, click SettingsSettings.
   3. At the top, click Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
      • If POP is turned on, select Disable POP.
      • If IMAP is turned on, select Disable IMAP.
   4. At the bottom, click Save Changes.
   5. If the slowness is fixed and you don’t remember which apps or devices you have syncing to your account, you can:
      • Review the devices connected to your account.
      • Review the apps connected to your account.
3. Make sure each Gmail account is accessed by one individual user. Access by one user prevents account suspension for violation of the Google Workspace Terms of Service.
   If you need shared mail addresses, you can use Google Groups for Business.

Review labels and filters

Follow these best practices to maximize Gmail performance:

1. Delete Gmail labels to stay under 500 labels (including sublabels).
2. Delete Gmail filters to stay under 500 filters.
3. Avoid bulk operations. When you delete multiple messages, empty your Trash, and so on, stay under 1,000 messages at a time.

Fix local network and computer issues

Troubleshoot any potential computer and network issues to identify what might be causing slowness in Gmail.

1. Open Gmail on a different computer.
2. Open Gmail from a different network:
   1. Turn off any proxies or Virtual Private Network (VPN).
   2. Connect your device to a different Wi-Fi network.
3. Open other Google Workspace services, such as Google Drive at https://drive.google.com. Are other webpages slow?
4. Check if other users in your domain are experiencing the issue.

If Gmail works fine on a different network or machine, contact your network administrator. Tell them to try advanced tests to diagnose connectivity issues.

If the issue affects multiple users and different networks, check the Status Dashboard for any known issues affecting Gmail.

Reduce the number of messages on a page

To load Gmail more quickly, reduce the number of messages Gmail shows on a page.

1. In the top right, click Settings See all settings.
2. Scroll to the Maximum page size setting.
3. Select the number of messages to show on a page.
4. At the bottom, click Save Changes.

Related topics

• Gmail best practices
• Status Dashboard