Google's New approach to email | New looks in Gmail | Google Mail | Gmail 2011

What's new in Gmail?

Preview Gmail's new look
Gmail is getting a cleaner, more modern look over the next few months. For a sneak peek at some of these changes, check out the “Preview” and “Preview (Dense)” themes on the Themes tab under Settings.
What's been keeping us busy...
New languages for Gmail on iPhone and Android
Now you can point your phone's browser to gmail.com and get Gmail in 44 languages, complete with label support, an outbox for messages composed while offline, the ability to mute messages, and more. Watch the video or learn more.
Get through your email faster with Priority Inbox
Email is great, except when there’s too much of it. Priority Inbox automatically identifies your important messages and separates them out from everything else, so you can focus on what really matters. Learn more
Make phone calls from Gmail
Call any phone in the US and Canada for free and at insanely low rates internationally — right from inside Gmail. Make sure you have the voice and video chat plugin, then click "Call phone" at the top of your chat roster. This feature is only available in the US at this time.
A new look for Gmail and updates to Contacts
We've pruned our pixels and made it easier to get to Contacts and Tasks. Once in Contacts, you can now sort by last name and add custom labels for phone numbers and other fields — two top requested features. Learn more
Google Buzz in Gmail
Share updates, photos, videos and more right inside of Gmail. Start conversations about the things you find interesting. Learn more at buzz.google.com or in the Help Center.
Gmail now even more secure: HTTPS by default
HTTPS encryption keeps your mail secure as it travels between your web browser and Gmail servers, so someone sharing your favorite coffee shop's public wifi can't maliciously read it. Banks and credit card companies use this same protocol to keep your online accounts safe. To protect your Gmail account, we've turned on the option to "always use HTTPS" for everyone. This added layer of security can make Gmail slower, so if you don't use unencrypted wireless connections, you can choose to disable this option in your account Settings. Even if you change this setting, Gmail will always encrypt the login page to protect your password. Learn more
More storage for less money
If you need more space for your email and photos, you can now buy 20 gigabytes of storage for only $5 a year. Extra storage is shared between Gmail and Picasa Web Albums and acts as an overflow if you use up your free storage. Learn more
New features for Gmail on iPhone and Android
Point your phone's browser to gmail.com and enjoy Gmail complete with full label support, an outbox for messages composed while offline, the ability to mute messages, and more. Learn more
New in Labs: "Got the wrong Bob?" and "Don't forget Bob"
Ever included Bob (your boss) instead of Bob (your friend) on an email by accident? Oops! Turn on "Got the wrong Bob?" and Gmail will check if you meant to include Bob Smith rather than Bob Jones based on the groups of people you email most often.
With "Don't forget Bob," you can start composing an email to a group of people, and Gmail will suggest other contacts you might want to include. Check out these experimental features and more on the Labs tab under Settings.
Four more themes
Make Gmail look like a calm patch of grass or an old school video game. Can't decide? Choose "Random" and cycle through a different theme each day. Check out all available themes from the Themes tab under Settings.
New in Labs: Message translation
Turn on "Message translation" from the Labs tab under Settings, and whenever you receive an email in a language other than your own, Gmail will automatically translate it into a language you can understand with just one click.
Tasks: the first graduate of Gmail Labs
Available in Gmail, Google Calendar, iGoogle and on your mobile phone, Tasks is the simple to-do list that's with you everywhere you go. Click "Tasks" above your chat list to get started (no need to turn it on from the Labs tab anymore). Learn more
Drag and drop labels
You can now drag labels onto messages and messages into labels, just like folders. The labels you use most often are easier to access right above your chat list. The rest are hidden but still accessible under "more." Customize which labels you see from the Labels tab under Settings. Learn more
New in Labs: YouTube, Picasa, Flickr, and Yelp previews
Instead of just links, see previews of photos, videos, and reviews right in your email. Turn on these and other experimental features from the Labs tab under Settings.
New in Labs: Undo send
Oops, hit "Send" too soon? Give yourself a grace period of a few seconds to cancel sending, then edit your message before sending again. Turn it on from the Labs tab under Settings.
Tasks mobile
Take your to-do list everywhere you go. Just go to gmail.com/tasks from your mobile browser.
New in Labs: Offline
Make Gmail work even when you're not connected to the internet. Turn on offline access from the Labs tab under Settings.
Labels: auto-complete and "move to"
The buttons and menus at the top of your inbox look a bit different: there's a new "Labels" button that makes labeling messages even easier. Turn on keyboard shortcuts and hit "L" to bring up your labels, and auto-complete will take it from there. Use the "Move to" button to label and archive in just one step -- just like you would with a folder. Learn more
Gmail stickers
Gmail is usually all about speedy electronic communication, but for a limited time we went old school with snail mail. If you sent in a self-addressed stamped envelope, we'd send you some free Gmail stickers. Free stickers are no longer available, but you can see what they looked like on the Gmail blog.
Fast PDF previews
Now you can preview PDFs right in your browser without waiting for them to download and open in another application. Just click the "View" link next to any .pdf attachments you receive.
New in Labs: Tasks
Keep track of what you need to do with a lightweight task list right inside of Gmail. Just click and type to add new tasks, convert emails into tasks, and (most satisfyingly) check them off as you're done. Once you turn on this Labs feature, look for the Tasks link to the left of your inbox under Contacts. Turn on tasks and more from the Labs tab under Settings. Learn more
New in Labs: Text Messaging in Chat
Send SMS text messages right from Gmail. You chat from your comfy computer and reach your friends on the go; they get your messages as texts and can peck out replies on their little keyboards. Turn on SMS text messaging and more from the Labs tab under Settings. Learn more
Spice up your inbox with Gmail Themes
From minimalist grays to dynamic mountain landscapes, choose from over 30 options to personalize the look and feel of your Gmail account. To get started, check out the Themes tab under Settings. Learn more
Talk face to face with Gmail voice and video chat
See and hear friends and family right from within Gmail. All you need is a webcam and a small download that takes seconds to install. Learn more
15 new Labs features to try out
There's a whole lot more to play with in Gmail Labs, our testing ground for experimental features. Google Calendar and Docs gadgets, a forgotten attachment detector, advanced IMAP controls, and canned responses are just a taste. Turn on these and more from the Labs tab under Settings. Learn more
Gmail on Android
Gmail is now available on the world's first Android-powered phone, the T-Mobile G1. All of the features you love about Gmail on your computer, plus real time push email so you never need to refresh your inbox. Learn more
Emoticons – they're not just for chat anymore
Express yourself with emoticons from to or even . Click the button when composing a message in "Rich formatting" mode, or choose the new emoticons tab in chat, and express yourself to your 's desire. Learn more
Gmail for mobile 2.0
Save multiple mobile drafts, compose and read recent email offline, use new shortcut keys and more. Download Gmail for mobile 2.0 for your BlackBerry or J2ME phone by going to m.google.com/mail in your mobile browser.
Gmail Labs: A testing ground for experimental new features
Try out features in development and let us know what you think. To get started with Labs, click the Labs tab under Settings. Learn more
Gmail has a new look on the iPhone browser
Now with auto-complete when composing, automatic refreshing, and faster load times when viewing email. Learn more
More friends are more fun. Gmail welcomes your AIM® friends.
Now you can talk to your AIM® friends using an integrated chat list right inside Gmail. Learn more

AOL and AIM are trademarks of AOL LLC
Colored labels
Better organize your email with new colored labels. Just click the color swatch next to each label to assign a color. Learn more
Group chat
Chat with multiple people without multiple windows. Invite your friends to a group discussion. To start a group chat, click 'Group chat' from the 'Options' menu when chatting. Learn more
New emoticons
Start sending richer expressions to your friends. Learn more
Free IMAP
Sync your inbox across devices instantly and automatically. Whether you read or write your email on your phone or on your desktop, changes you make to Gmail will be seen from anywhere you access your inbox. Another way to use Gmail on your iPhone is through the browser. By going to m.gmail.com you get the full Gmail experience including conversation view, search, and more. Learn how to set up IMAP on other devices.

Set up IMAP on your iPhone. Watch the video