Stop Tabbing Around: Gmail's 'Go-To' Navigation With g then …

Most people click their way around Gmail — inbox to starred to drafts to sent — even though Gmail has a faster built-in navigation system.

It's called Go-To Shortcuts.

And it works like this: press g, then press another key. Two keys. Zero mouse.

This is the single best upgrade for anyone who wants to move through Gmail without losing flow.

1. What are "Go-To" shortcuts?

They're Gmail's hidden navigation system.

One tap to set the category. One tap to land there instantly.

Accelerator Keys can show these shortcut letters directly on your Gmail UI when you press Alt (Windows) / Option (Mac).

2. Turn shortcuts ON first

Go-To shortcuts won't work unless Gmail shortcuts are enabled.

Steps:

1. Gmail → Settings
2. See all settings
3. Scroll to Keyboard shortcuts
4. Turn ON

[Screenshot Placeholder: Gmail → Settings → Keyboard shortcuts ON]

3. The four Go-To shortcuts you'll use every day

g then i → Inbox

Your base of operations. Use this whenever you get lost inside a thread.

Micro-drill: Open any email → press g → i → back to inbox.

g then s → Starred

Your high-priority, time-sensitive work. Use when:

• You star emails you'll act on later
• You triage with "star now, handle later"

Micro-drill: From inbox → press g → s → return with g → i

g then t → Sent

Swiftly jump to your outbox. Use when:

• You want to review what you just sent
• You need to follow up or correct something

Micro-drill: Send a test email → press g → t

g then d → Drafts

Jump straight into unfinished thoughts. Use when:

• You keep multiple drafts open
• You use drafts as notes or placeholders

Micro-drill: Create a draft → press g → d

4. The "power moves" for intermediate users

g then a → All Mail

Your full Gmail archive. Great for searching outside the inbox.

g then l → Labels

Deep navigation — jump directly into any label with a few keystrokes.

[Screenshot Placeholder: Gmail label list]

Bonus tip: Once inside a label, combine with J/K to browse fast.

5. How to practice Go-To shortcuts (2 minutes)

Try this loop:

1. g → i (Inbox)
2. g → s (Starred)
3. g → t (Sent)
4. g → d (Drafts)
5. g → a (All Mail)
6. Back to g → i

Do this twice and you'll never click the sidebar again.

6. Learning this visually

Gmail won't show you where these shortcuts exist — but Accelerator Keys will.

Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and you'll see:

• Labels with shortcut letters
• Navigation items with hint bubbles
• Visual prompts for all Go-To destinations

You learn the map by seeing it, not memorizing it.

If you prefer learning visually, add Accelerator Keys to Chrome and try pressing Alt (Windows) / Option (Mac) inside Gmail.

Screenshot checklist for design

You can insert these once you have assets ready:

• Sidebar screenshot showing Inbox / Starred / Sent / Drafts
• "Keyboard shortcuts ON" settings screenshot
• Overlay screenshot with Accelerator Keys hint bubbles
• Keyboard visual for g then i
• Label list screenshot for g then l

From Eddie's desk…

Most people never discover Go-To shortcuts, yet they're the fastest way to move through Gmail. Once you use them, you stop clicking the sidebar entirely.

Turn shortcuts ON once. Practice the Go-To loop for two minutes.

And if you want to learn visually, press Alt (Windows) / Option (Mac) inside Gmail with Accelerator Keys installed.