Using the Gmail Density Feature to adjust your view of your Inbox
The Gmail Density feature can help you change the amount of information and amount of whitespace displayed in your Inbox.
In prior posts, I have discussed how I like to keep only a limited number of fields available in the Inbox. This allows me to have more “screen space” for performing my Inbox processing and triage.
Depending upon the size of your display (e.g.: a small laptop screen vs a large wide-screen monitor), as well as your own personal preferences, you may wish to change the amount of information displayed in your Gmail Inbox.
For example, on a small monitor such as a laptop, I will eliminate excess fields and reduce whitespace. This allows me to view “more” of my Inbox on each screen and reduce unnecessary scrolling.
But if I am using a wide-screen monitor, then I will display more fields and increase their spacing. This allows me to still triage my Email while also allowing for a bit of “easier viewing”.
In Microsoft Outlook, you can use the “View” settings to customize your folder views. You can even create a view for each Folder (including your “Inbox”) and customize it to specify each field, its layout, and sort order.
Although Gmail doesn’t have this level of flexibility, it does have a helpful but often forgotten feature called “Inbox Density”.
This feature allows you to quickly customize the amount of information displayed in your Gmail Inbox. It also adjusts the amount of “whitespace” between the Inbox elements.
The Gmail “Density” feature offers three simple options for viewing your Email Folders:
Default
Comfortable
Compact
To Access the Gmail Inbox Density Feature:
Select the “Gear” (“Settings”) Icon at the top of your Inbox next to your Profile Picture.
This will launch the “Quick Settings” menu.
The three Inbox “Density” options are the first items displayed in the “Quick Settings” windows.
“Default” Density:
The “Default” setting displays a moderate amount of “whitespace” between the Inbox screen elements.
It will also display a “second line” for any Email containing attachments, showing a list of all the attachments. This allows you to quickly view and open the attachments without needing to open the Email itself.
Here is an example of my Inbox in the “Default” Density:
“Comfortable” Density:
The “Comfortable” setting is almost identical to the “Default” setting, except that it does NOT display the second line for any Emails with attachments. It also displays just a bit less white-space between the Inbox screen elements.
Here is the same example of my Inbox, but now in the “Comfortable” Density:
“Compact” Density:
The “Compact” setting has only one line per Email in the Inbox, similar to the “Comfortable”, but it also greatly reduces the “whitespace” between the lines of the Email and the different Inbox Elements. This makes your Inbox much more “compact” and allows you to see many more Emails on each screen.
This can be especially helpful when performing Email Triage on a large Inbox or when using a small screen (such as a Laptop) where screen-space is at a premium.
Here is the same example of my Inbox, but now in the “Comfortable” Density:
NOTE: A nice feature of the “Density” function is that when you select the different options in the “Quick Settings”, you can immediately see the changes - this way, you can decide which setting you like best depending upon your circumstances and choose that one.
Which Density Option to Use?
For me, on my big screen monitor at home, I use the “Comfortable” setting since I like only one line per Email and don’t usually worry about attachments unless I decide to actually “Open” the Email.
But when traveling and using my laptop, I switch to the “Compact” setting so I can view more Emails on my much smaller screen.
Final Thoughts:
Although the Inbox “Density” feature doesn’t have the amount of flexibility and options as Outlook View, it is still a very helpful feature that can improve your Inbox processing and is also quick and easy to use.