All display settings live in Settings > Account (Cmd+,). Changes take effect immediately.
Theme
| Theme | Description |
|---|
| Light | Bright backgrounds, dark text. Best in well-lit environments. |
| Dark | Dark backgrounds, light text. Reduces glare in low light. |
| System | Follows your OS appearance setting automatically. |
High Contrast Mode
Increases visual distinction between UI elements — sharper text, more visible borders, clearer interactive elements. Toggle in Settings > Account.
Compose Mode
| Mode | Description |
|---|
| Full-screen | Editor takes over the main area. One email at a time (default). |
| Pop-up | Floating window. Multiple drafts, inbox visible behind. Toggle per-draft with Cmd+Shift+P. |
Thread Display
| Mode | Description |
|---|
| Full page | Thread takes over main area with expanded messages |
| Compact | Condensed view alongside the thread list |
Default View
| View | Description |
|---|
| Inbox | Only emails in your inbox (default) |
| All Mail | All emails regardless of archive status |
Top Section Grouping
Pin certain emails to the top of your inbox list:
| Mode | Description |
|---|
| None | Single chronological list |
| Unread | Unread emails grouped at top |
| Starred | Starred emails grouped at top |
Emails move between sections in real time as you read, star, or unstar them.
Other Options
- Show unread counts — sidebar shows unread thread count per label instead of total count
- Show spam folder — makes the Spam entry visible in the sidebar (Gmail still handles filtering)
All Settings at a Glance
| Setting | Options | Default |
|---|
| Theme | Light, Dark, System | System |
| High contrast | On / Off | Off |
| Compose mode | Full-screen, Pop-up | Full-screen |
| Thread display | Full page, Compact | Full page |
| Default view | Inbox, All Mail | Inbox |
| Show unread counts | On / Off | Off |
| Top section grouping | None, Unread, Starred | None |
| Show spam folder | On / Off | Off |
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Open display settings | Cmd+, > Account |
| Toggle sidebar | Cmd+B |
| Pop out compose | Cmd+Shift+P |
| Switch to All Mail | g a |
| Filter unread | Shift+U |
| Filter starred | Shift+S |
Keyboard Shortcuts
Navigate Slashy at full speed
Composing Emails
Rich text editor and compose modes
