Configure Gmail offline mail
Gmail users who wanted to access emails offline had two options up until now. They could use a third-party client like Thunderbird for that to gain offline access, or use a browser extension for the Chrome web browser which added offline capabilities to Google's mail service.
Offline access to your emails gave you access to them regardless of the state of the Internet connection. While offline access is certainly not something that all Gmail users need, some might want to have access to some or even emails all the time.
Google launched a redesign of the web version of Gmail in April 2018; while mostly cosmetic, the company did add some new features to Gmail such as confidential mode, and other new features such as direct access to attachments in mail listings.
Gmail offline use
One of the new features of the redesigned Gmail is that Gmail users may configure offline access directly on Gmail; a browser extension is no longer required for that.
The main requirement is that users need to run a recent version of Google Chrome as offline mail is not available for other browsers. I did not try and fake the user agent to see if that unlocks offline access in Chromium-based browsers such as Vivaldi or Opera, or even in Firefox or Microsoft Edge.
Here is how you enable offline mail
- Open the Gmail website.
- Click on the cogwheel icon and select Settings.
- Select offline from the available options on the Settings page.
- Tip: you can open https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/offline directly as well to open the offline page of the settings right away.
- Check the "enable offline mail" preference to unlock offline mail access.
Gmail lists all available preferences after you enable offline mail. It highlights how much storage space mails use on the device you use and lists the following configuration options:
- Change the storage period from 30 days to 7 or 90 days.
- Decide whether you want attachments to be downloaded as well so that they are accessible offline.
- Select the "after logging out" setting to decide whether to keep offline data on the computer or have it removed automatically.
The actual process that determines which emails become available offline is out of the user's control. Gmail does not get new options after enabling offline email that let you select emails, folders, or labels for offline access.
It seems that anything you look at gets added to the offline cache automatically, though.
Closing Words
A third-party email client is still the better option if you need offline access to Gmail emails as it is not time-limited. Gmail users who use the web interface exclusively and Google Chrome may find the new functionality useful, however.
Now You: Do you use email clients or web interfaces?
you didn’t mention that Google Chrome has Gears built right in. And it also provides speedier loading times for Google services when compared to other browsers, so Google Chrome + Gmail is a great combination here for both online and offline access.
I think I’ll stick with Thunderbird for now, but it’s interesting.
On another note, probably not related to this feature, but my GMail for domains account just got the new template that came when themes were added. No themes tab (yet) though… :-(
Gears is sort of the inverse of Microsoft’s much maligned lack of internet focus, especially pre-Live days. Both have potential in their own way. Even with my poor dsl I still don’t see much use for “which will be accessed whenever there is no Internet connection” but with more features and possibilities there is promise.
I also prefer Sylpheed.
I agree with your take, Martin.
This is much ado about almost nothing.
A desktop client offers more features without
having Google software installed locally
which as a rule I always avoid.
For machines where you can’t or don’t want to install an email client, you now have offline access to your emails in the same manner as a dedicated client. It’s another step to Google’s edging out the need for outside software and increasing dependence on browser-based software.
i’m assuming this works on Android, where it could *reall* be useful, particularly in areas of sparse or slow data coverage.
So, people are amazed by the fact that you can *read e-mails offline*? Come on, that was invented ages ago and is called POP3!
They are more amazed by the fact that they can now access Gmail in their web browser even if they are offline.
Oh, okay, but I don’t really encourage accessing your e-mail from within your browser.
Finally something to prevent that stupid Gmail message saying the page isn’t loaded.
Though, the real test comes on my stupid connection
open this gmail.com
It’s total ****. Seriously. How many Firefox and IE users are there combined that uses Google’s services. Far more than Chrome users. Of course it’s a push to get people to Chrome, but it’s also a push full a total monopoly on services. Search, docs, email, calendar, and so on.
They will find themselves in court more than MS ever was.
This just goes to show why Google is being investigated by the government for abusing monopoly power. It also seems to go against the mantra of “do no evil”. I still find their services useful but Google Chrome is just not quite my style. I would like to see these features offered to all browser users the same way Microsoft was forced to offer the browser ballot screen in Windows.
The lack of offline editing makes this pointless to me.
As for Chrome only that is typical of Google these days.
Pissing off users of other browsers is not good marketing.
I use Opera, so that’s no new for me. Gmail sometimes don’t work with Opera, WLmail works with opera but the other services from Live such the calendar, skydrive… doesn’t do.
That’s is the reason I don’t like Google.
You DO know that Live is from Microsoft, right? The wording of your post makes it look like you believe Live is from Google.
Well, I use Chrome mostly, anyways. But, I sometimes switch back and forth between Opera and Chrome, so it’s a pain when Docs and GMail won’t work properly. (Usually no problems with the latter, but syncing with Opera’s Mail server is sometimes finicky.)
As a heavy Gmail Offline user on FireFox, this change really angers me. I’ve been stuck using an outdated version of FireFox for months, since Google abandoned Gears. All the time waiting for some movement on the promised HTML5-compatible offline solution. And now, adding insult to injury, Google finally returns with a solution that won’t even work in the newer versions of other browsers? Thanks, Google, for wasting my time. This sucks.
This definitely sucks big time! Fortunately it is possible to install Thunderbird to access GMail and thus have an option to read GMail offline…
Google gears was amazing. I miss it. But progress I suppose.
This is nothing new. Any good IMAP client such as Thunderbird can do the same thing.
Wow. thats amazing. didnt know.
I am still using the “old” (“But still feeling pretty new!”) fashioned way the (installer) email client.
I am not an early user from the early 1960s but from the not so early 1908s.
And since then the (installer) email (The program settings configurations) client became over time, much friendlier to use.
I am still using an (installer) email client for a desktop because I have noticed that on even laptop but most even more surely on tablet and phone, I am getting not the best result.
With the best result, I am meaning that on both sides (being reading and writing) concentration wise, correction wise, structure building wise, clarity, etc. etc..
Not even a Magna Cum Laude result and never a Summa Cum Laude result for me, with something else than an email client I have noticed over the decades.
So still the old fashiond way for me and choces enough I schould say:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_email_clients
Martin,
While you are presented with : ‘Enable offline mail’, I get ‘Install Gmail Offline’.
Chrome Version 67.0.3396.40 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
Maybe it is being rolled out? Would not surprise me if that would be the case.
So, is this a disguised / proprietary version of IMAP?
Anyone know what’s under the kimono so to speak?
“I did not try and fake the user agent to see if that unlocks offline access in Chromium-based browsers such as Vivaldi or Opera, or even in Firefox or Microsoft Edge.”
Wow such a lazy article for tech review site. I read from other tech sites which said it’s because Chrome is using non web standard technology to read how pages are cached.
The scope of the article was not to test the new feature in other browsers.