Gmail is one of the most popular email services in the world for very good reasons - it makes you email, chat, and archive mail and conversations very easily and conveniently. But, if you've just created an account, you may be overwhelmed with all the options you are faced with. If you want to learn how to use Gmail to start chatting and emailing friends and contacts, just follow these steps.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Sending an Email Message
Step 1. Click "Dial"
You can find this option in the upper left of the screen, above "Inbox". It will open a new window.
Step 2. Type the email address of the person you want to write to
Once you have sent an email to a certain person with Gmail, you will be able to access their address by simply typing the first letters or starting to write the person's name. If you want to send the email to multiple recipients, just write their addresses and separate them with commas.
Step 3. Enter a subject in the relevant box
It is not mandatory, but if you do not type one, a pop-up window will appear asking you if you agree to send the message with no subject.
Step 4. Write your message under the subject line
If you don't enter a message, a pop-up will appear asking if you really want to send the message without a text (body).
Step 5. Send an attachment (optional)
To send an attachment, click on the paperclip at the bottom of the email and go to your computer hard drive to find the file you want to send. Once you have found the file, just click on "Choose" and the file will be uploaded to your email. This can take a while, depending on the size of the file and the speed of your Internet connection.
Step 6. Add more information to the email
There is a variety of other information that you can add to the email, in addition to an attachment. Here's what you can do:
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Insert a photo. Hover to the right of the paper clip at the bottom of the email and a camera will appear. Click this icon and search for the photo you want to send. When you're done, just click "Choose File".
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Insert a hyperlink. Click the button to the right of the camera and type the link you want to email.
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Insert a face (emoticon). Click to the right of the link button to search for the smiley face among the different emoticons. Just click on the one you want to use and it will appear in the email box.
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Enter an invitation. To insert an email invitation, click on the calendar button to the right of the smiley face and an invitation will open. Just type in the relevant information about the event, such as the identifier, time, place and description, then click on "Insert invitation".
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Step 7. Change the font and text format (optional)
You can change the text style by pressing the button that appears as a large "A" next to the "Attach a File" link at the bottom of the mailbox. You can choose from: font, bold, italic, underline, large, medium or small. You can also edit it. You can first highlight the text you wrote and then select these options to edit it or vice versa. Here are the ways you can change the font and formatting:
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Change the font. The current one should be listed on the bottom left. Click the arrow to the right of the font name and move through the options until you find the font you want.
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Change the size: Just click "T" to the right of the font options and select "small", "normal", "large," or "huge" to choose the size of your text.
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Click on "B" to the right of the size to make your text bold.
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Click on "I" to the right of B for italics.
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Click on the "U" to the right of the "I" to underline your words.
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Click on "A" to the right of the "I" to change the color of the text.
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Click on the two buttons to the right of the "A" for the bulleted or numbered list.
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Click the "Tx" button to remove the text formatting.
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Method 2 of 5: Chat
Step 1. Click on "Join Chat"
You can find this option at the top of the chat window on the left side of the screen. You can only chat with other people who are on Gmail right now. Anyone you have emailed with will automatically appear in your chat box.
Step 2. Change your status
The status tells you if you are available to chat or if you are absent. To change your status, click on the icon that appears in the form of a stylized bust of a person at the top left of the chat window. Here are the options you can select:
- Available. This is the default option, which states that you are online and ready to chat.
- Busy. It tells people that you are online, but that you may be too busy to chat.
- Invisible. If you want to be on G-chat without people knowing while still being able to send a message to anyone you want, go for this choice.
- Personalized message. Select this option if you want to write a personalized message for your friends.
Step 3. Chat with one of your contacts
Just click on the person's name and a pop-up box will open at the bottom right of your screen. Write what you want and press "Enter", so that your contact reads your message. Here is what you can do while you are chatting:
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Click on the camera that appears at the top right of the screen to video chat with a particular person.
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Click on the line at the top right to iconize the box and on the arrow next to the box to enlarge it. Click on the "x" at the top right to exit the chat.
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Click on "More" under the "x" at the top right of the window to cancel the chat recording or to block the person you are chatting with.
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Step 4. Add a contact to your chat box
If you don't want to wait to send an email to a contact so that it appears in your chat box, you need to click on the icon at the top left of the chat window and select "Add contact". Then type in the email of the person you want to invite and click on "Invite contact".
Step 5. Change your profile picture
To add or edit your profile picture, click on the person icon at the top left of your chat box and select "Edit photo". Then click "Choose File" to browse for the image you want to use for your profile.
Step 6. Fix the chat settings
To do this, simply click on the gray icon with a person's face or profile picture at the top left of the chat window and select "Chat Settings". Then you will be taken to a new screen where you can activate or deactivate your chat, adjust the audio and video properties and choose emoticons and sounds to include in your communications.
Step 7. Search your archived chats
Gmail automatically archives them all. If you want to access a conversation you have recently had, just click on the "More" button above your chat box and you will access the options. Select "Chat" and you will find yourself among the archived sessions. It is possible to locate one in particular or even delete it through searches by name or keyword.
Step 8. Log out of your chat session:
select the "Exit" option. It can also close the Gmail window directly if you are done chatting and using the program, although you will still remain in your email account.
Method 3 of 5: Mail Management
Step 1. Click on the email
If you want to order, delete or archive an email, you need to select it. Then a list of possible choices will appear. You can also just click in the box to the left of the email.
Step 2. Archive the email
The email will be stored under "All mail" on the left side of the messages, but will no longer be visible in your main inbox. This is a good solution for keeping your inbox tidy. To archive the e-mail, just click on the button that appears on the upper left of the message and which has a file icon with an arrow pointing down.
To cancel an archive, drag the archived message to the trash. If you don't delete it manually, the message will be automatically deleted within thirty days
Step 3. Mark the email as Spam:
just click on the stop sign with an exclamation point in the system tray above the email. This process will send it to your Spam folder.
Step 4. Delete the email
To delete your email, click on the trash can above the message.
Step 5. Move the email to a different folder
Just click on the folder to the right of the trash and select the one where you want to send the email.
Step 6. Search messages in other ways
Click on the "Other" item in the upper right part of the email and decide if you want to mark it as unread or important, add it to your business or other.
Step 7. Search the emails
If you want to retrieve an old message, but don't remember exactly where it is or when it was sent, just type in the search bar at the top of your account and click "Enter". Alternatively you can click on the search icon to the right of the search bar.
Step 8. Create a new folder
You can have several folders in which to put your messages to distinguish, for example, work emails from personal ones. To do this, click on an email, then select "Other" and click on "Create new folder". Type the folder name and decide, from the left side of the screen, which folder it will go to. Then click on "Create".
Step 9. Manage the Spam folder
Click on "More" to the left of the message and select "Spam". See if there are any messages you want to save. If there are none, just click on the "Delete forever" box at the top right of the screen.
If you found an email marked as spam by mistake, click the box next to it and select the "Not spam" button above the email. This will send it to your inbox
Method 4 of 5: Contact Management
Step 1. Click on "Contacts" at the bottom left of the screen
This will allow you to view your contact list. You can add a contact or just send a message to that person. If you send a message, the recipient will be automatically saved as a contact.
Step 2. Add a group for your contacts
This will help you sort your contacts by groups of people: friends, colleagues or players of the football team you train for. Click on the icon with the + sign and three stylized people, next to the + sign with only one person. A pop-up will appear asking you to give the group a name.
Step 3. When you have added a group, populate it with contacts
You can add a contact manually by clicking on the + sign with a person symbol behind it. Gmail will ask for information about your contact as soon as the opportunity arises to enter it.
- If necessary, you can edit a contact by selecting one and clicking the “Edit” button on the right.
- Delete one by clicking the "Delete" button while the contact is selected.
- To delete a group, select it and click on the "Delete group" button.
Method 5 of 5: Other Gmail Features
Step 1. Read the news
Gmail automatically provides links to the latest news. To view the news, look to the right of the "Compose Email" button.
- Click on the ">" button to browse the different articles. You should see "Web Clip" next to the arrow. You can also access previous news by pressing the "<" button.
- When you have found a piece of news that interests you, click on the header to find out more.
Step 2. Change the look of your email
Just click on the gear at the top right and select how you want it to appear: "comfortable", "cozy" or "compact".
Step 3. Adjust the settings
Click the gray wheel in the upper right of your window and select "Settings" from the drop-down menu to adjust your email settings. This will take you to the "General" window, which will allow you to make various changes, such as changing the default language and adding a signature to your email address. Click through other categories, such as "Chat" or "Filters", to manage those settings.
Step 4. Call
Click on the phone at the top of your chat box and enter the number of the person you wish to call. Then press "Call". In order to do this, you and the other person must be in chat.
Advice
- Gmail allows you to undo many actions and can be set to undo emails within seconds of sending them.
- Remember that you can access the news through Gmail.
- Don't feel obligated to send all your invitations: you don't have to experience it as a constraint.
