Personalize your inbox

In Gmail, you can personalize the look and feel of your inbox to match your style. You can also customize how messages and other apps are displayed.

On this page

• Change your inbox type
• Change your background
• Add a reading pane
• View Chat and Meet in Gmail
• Customize keyboard shortcuts

Note: The instructions in this guide are primarily web only. Get switching information for mobile devices. 

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Change your inbox type

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• In Outlook: Choose view options in the ribbon or choose detailed options under File > Options.
• In Gmail: Choose your inbox type, density, and more in Settings or the Quick settings sidebar.

Learn how

Choose your inbox type

1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
2. Click Settings .
3. Under 'Inbox type', select:
   • Default
   • Important first
   • Unread first
   • Starred first
   • Priority Inbox
   • Multiple inboxes

Tip: The settings are also available in the Quick settings sidebar.

Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

Change your background

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• In Outlook: Choose a theme under File > Options. 
• In Gmail: Choose a theme or background in Settings or the Quick settings sidebar.

Learn how

Change your background 

1. On your computer, open Gmail.
2. At the top right, click Settings .
3. Next to 'Theme', click View all.
4. In the theme window, select a theme. 
   • For the default theme, select Default.
   • For Dark theme, select Dark.
   • For a pre-uploaded theme, select any theme.
5. Optional: If available, at the bottom of the theme window, you can change the theme. 
   • To change the text background, click Text background .
   • To make the corners darker, click Vignette .
   • To blur background theme, click Blur .
6. Click Save.

Tip: The settings are also available in the Quick settings sidebar.

Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

Add a reading pane

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• In Outlook: Select reading pane options in the View ribbon.
• In Gmail: Turn on preview pane in Settings or the Quick settings sidebar. 

Learn how

Turn on preview pane

1. On your computer, go to Gmail .
2. In the top right, click Settings   See all settings.
3. At the top, select the Inbox tab  scroll to Reading pane.
4. Tick the 'Enable reading pane' box.
5. Select your split pane mode:
   • No split
   • Right of inbox
   • Below inbox
6. At the bottom, click Save changes. 

Tip: The settings are also available in the Quick settings sidebar.

 Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

View Chat, Meet, and other apps

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• In Outlook: Choose options for Calendar and Tasks and People.
• In Gmail: Turn Chat and Meet on or off in Settings or Quick settings. You can also show or hide apps like Google Calendar in the sidebar.

Learn how

Turn Chat and Meet on or off

1. On your computer, open Gmail.
2. In the top right, click Settings   See all settings.
3. At the top, click Chat and Meet.
4. To turn Chat on or off in Gmail, next to ‘Chat’, select On or Off.
5. Click Save changes.

Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

Show or hide apps in the sidebar 

1. Open Gmail.
2. At the bottom right, click Show side panel .
3. On the right, choose the product you want to open:
   • Calendar : Check your schedule and add or edit events.
   • Keep : Create a note or list.
   • Tasks : Add to-do items and deadlines.
   • Contacts : Access your contacts.
   • Voice : Make a Google Voice call.
   • Maps : Search Google Maps.
4. To close the app panel, on the right, click Close .

 

Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

Customize keyboard shortcuts

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• In Outlook: Customize settings on the ribbon.
• In Gmail: Add custom keyboard shortcuts for things you do frequently.

Learn how

Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

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