Tired of ever newer updates to Gmail? Curious what a simpler version would look like? Concerned about security? Find out here how to open a basic HTML version of Gmail and enjoy its pure email experience no matter your browser.
First, Emoji on the Web in 1992
When Tim Berners-Lee had successfully invented HTML and the World Wide Web, he produced an example of what the new technology allowed one to do—say, include emoticons with your text.
Today, you will only see the somewhat robotic poker face if you look at the document’s source, of course. Ironic or not, if in turn you cannot see emoji and emails with Gmail’s standard view in your browser, you can open that very Gmail in a version more akin to the early web:
Note: Basic HTML Gmail is no longer available as of February 2024. As an alternative to the standard web-based version of Gmail you can use an email program on your device using Gmail IMAP (or POP) or forward messages from Gmail to another email account.
How to Open a Basic HTML Version of Gmail in Any Browser
Time needed: 1 minute
To load a basic version of Gmail using just vanilla HTML in any browser:
- Go to the Gmail basic HTML login in your browser.
Basic HTML Gmail link: The URL for Gmail’s basic version in full is https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/.
- Log in to Gmail if you are prompted.
- Click I’d like to use HTML Gmail if prompted.
Gmail Basic HTML bookmark: You can bookmark the link above to open simple Gmail.
This will open a version of Gmail that lets you read, file and reply to emails as well as set up filters, for example. This version
- does not rely on JavaScript or other advanced techniques and
- works in text-only browsers as well as
- speedily and reliably over even slow internet connections.
How to Open a Basic HTML Version of Gmail in Any Browser: FAQ
How can I switch back to normal Gmail?
If you open Gmail using https://mail.google.com/ in the same or any other browser, its fully featured version will open automatically—unless basic Gmail is your default view.
With basic HTML as your default,
- follow the Standard View link in Gmail’s bottom navigation bar
to return to the fully featured version.
Can I force Gmail to load in the normal, full version?
Yes, you can have Gmail disregard any qualms it may have about your browser.
To force-load the full view of Gmail:
- Open https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?nocheckbrowser in your browser.
Can I make basic HMTL Gmail version login the default?
No. You cannot have Gmail load its basic version by default. You can
- bookmark the basic HTML Gmail log-in as above, of course.
What is it that basic HTML Gmail cannot do?
Gmail’s standard version includes many a feature that the simple HTML interface lacks. These include:
- Sending messages from an email address other than your Gmail address.
- Using Gmail keyboard shortcuts.
- Composing messages using rich-text formatting and inline images. (You can include attachments.)
- Set up and use email templates.
- Swift composition with predictive text input.
- Scheduling emails to be sent later.
- Blocking emails using the blocked senders list.
- Access to extension and add-ons such as Gmail Tasks and Asana or Trello.
- Profiting from an automatically organized inbox with tabs (Primary, Social, etc.).
- Automatically prioritizing emails using the importance flag.
- Creating and sending a newsletter in Gmail.
- Keeping notes with Google Keep right in Gmail.
(How to open a basic HTML version of Gmail in any browser updated January 2024)