Often times, I find myself reading my emails (Gmail) then I want to delete it and go directly to the next one. Unfortunately this is not possible in Gmail. So I have to delete the email, and Gmail would take me back to my Inbox and from there I have to click on the next email to read the contents.
I believe this usability problem could be avoided by just introducing one more button “delete and next” inside the email page. When pressed it would delete the current email and go directly to the next, without going back to Inbox.
Did you notice this usability issue with your Gmail? Or is there a workaround for this that I don’t know? Please let me know if there is.
Lifehacker (lifehacker.com) has a “Better Gmail” extension that uses a bunch of Greasemonkey scripts to add functionality to Gmail. I’m not sure if this functionality is in there but it seems like it’s something that could be added. Email the Lifehacker team and see what they can do…
I use Lifhacker’s Better Gmail add-on, but it does not have this feature. I will try to keep in touch with Lifehacker.
I frequently used Hotmail before I got started with GMail. I found it annoying when the next email automatically loaded after I deleted the current one. Obviously, your solution is to provide both options, but more buttons == more clutter, in my mind.
You could say that Josh. But I think there is enough clutter in the Gmail already, and one more button would not be that much of problem considering the benefit of it.
I just started using gmail alongside MSN livemail and the new Yahoo, and this is the biggest problem I have. The other 2 services solve it my using separate panes (like a split-screen): The list of emails is at the top while the content of the email you’re looking at in on the bottom.
When you delete an email, the focus moves to the next one, which shows up in the content pane.
But yeah, I’d settle for just adding a button to delete and move on.
I think it’s better to go back to the inbox. I know it’s an extra step but i think it’s convenient in a way, but i guess it depends on the user.
This is a necssary feature. This must be in gmail to make it BEST.
This is DESPERATELY needed. I as a new user to gmail I am surprised that gmail has become this popular without that feature. Thinking of converting back to my old mail program….
oh how I miss pine.
Most email systems nowadays (at least Outlook) allows the email screen to be split so that when a directory email is clicked or lighted, its contents show-up in the other “split screen” or other screen pane. I cannot find how to set this feature on my Gmail and thus I only get the full screen of directly inbox items which I hate, as opposed to having a split screen on the bottom that I can see contents without opening and thus I can delete quickly if appropriate. Thank you.
gordon, you can try using pop3 to view your gmail in your outlook. otherwise splitting is not possible in gmail itself.
Ugh. I’ve been trying to figure out how to do this for ages. There’s gotta be a solution, a script that will allow you to do it.
arias, so far there is no solution, as far as i know…
I’ve been looking in google for a solution, but nope… I even posted some time ago this request in the google group, I’d love to see at least a shortcut to do this… well, # + o
Use the [ key on your keyboard.
It’s shortcut to “Delete and Next”
(The deleted message is sent to the “All Mail” folder)
Larry, that’s not really delete and next, it’s more like archive and next. It’s good for normal emails but if you want to delete an email let’s say spam, then [ is not a good option since it will keep it in All Mails.
I just want a delete key that does delete and next, not a button. How hard can it be to make the delete key do this? Yahoo does it.
Ades,
If you use the [ key while in the Inbox folder it deletes it from the Inbox and moves it to the All Mail folder.
If you use the [ key while in the Spam folder it deletes that message forever.
Since Gmail holds a huge amount of mail, you can visit your All Mail Folder anytime, and if you wish, select all and delete.
While a delete/next button would be nice, it’s not currently available, so the [ key is a good option, actually the only option, other than delete and back to Inbox.
I always found it annoying that I couldn’t Delete and see the next email in my inbox. I wish gmail could have a setting for it so it could serve everyone’s preference. A setting would mean that there wouldn’t have to be an extra delete+next button and both camps (delete->inbox and delete->next) can be happy.
Yahoo has a feature where you can change this in the ‘settings’. You can actually choose whether you want yahoo mail to show you the next message after you delete or to take you back to the inbox. Can’t Google offer the choice in settings?
Fixed in Google Labs!
http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-in-labs-auto-advance-to-next.html
I love GMail but I absolutely hate its limitations that up to this point did not permit a delete-then-next key function. However, what I hate most about GMail is that it does not allow me to see a split screen that other major email services provide as a basic standard. If only the Google folks responsible for Gmail could/would provide this “split screen” function so a person can actually see the content of a mesage without actually opening followed by deleting it and automatically moving to the next email message, then Google GMail would be my choice and would, in my opinion and method of use, live up to its hype that currently represents a huge gap between the “rhetoric and reality” of GMail in its current limited offering.
Gordon