Quick Gmail Tip: Compose in a New Window
I admit it. I’m a tabbed-browsing freak. At any given time, I would have dozens of tabs open, in two or three windows. In the mess sometimes I can barely track my work. And sometimes I forget to send emails, which are usually buried in the tabs, and usually just saved to drafts half-written.
A quick solution I’ve found: Composing Gmail messages in a new window.
I know it’s kind of an anti-tab thing. But having a dedicated window for just that particular message you’re composing can be quite handy. This especially goes for folks like me who are also Mac users. Stand alone windows are easier to find via Exposé. Try looking for a tab buried in a window somewhere with Exposé–it can be quite difficult.
So how do you compose in a new window? Easy. It just involves two keys, actually. Just Shift-Click on the Gmail Compose link, and voila! Your system launches a new window for you to compose your message on.
Again, just Shift-Click on the compose link.
A new window will be launched. By default the size is smaller than the usual window. That way it’s more easy to find amid the clutter of other full-sized windows.
It might take a while to load, since this is a new full-fledged Gmail window. I guess I wouldn’t advise using this with dialup.
But it’s worth it. Here’s the new compose window.
If it doesn’t work on your end, be sure you have popup blockers disabled or at least enabled selectively for google.com.
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I love tabs myself. I don’t use gmail all that much. But now that I know about this feature I will be sure to use it. If gmail had a toggle type switch where it throws out a warning window when an attempt to close is executed it would be good too. The reason I say toggle is some people just want to close immediately.
For me upon the rare occasion I don’t set aside 5 min to close all of my tabs before closing the application.
[…] Quick Gmail Tip: Compose in a New Window - from: GoogleTutor If you send a good bit of Email directly through Gmail then this handy little tip will probably save you some time and require less open tabs. […]
I use the “compose mail in sidebar” hack. It works wonders.
Cool tip, thank you. It also works when replying or forwarding a mail.
no problem Al! nice to know you are a reader, i’ve been reading your blog since day 1
[…] time, our quick Gmail tip was about composing messages in a new window with a handy quick keyboard/mouse shortcut, the Shift-Click. While we’re at it, why […]
Wow, this is a very cool tip.. Thanks!