Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts and Hypertasks Keyboard Shortcuts Are Very Similar

Keyboard shortcuts are the secret sauce of productivity geeks. They turn digital workflows from point-and-click into lightning fast. This post compares Gmail's shortcuts to Hypertasks' to show how mastering these commands can turbo charge your email and project management tasks.

1. The Magic of Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts have many benefits across all platforms:

Speed: Eliminating mouse movement saves seconds per action, which adds up to a lot of time.
Efficiency: With practice, shortcuts become muscle memory so workflow is seamless.
Reduced Physical Strain: Minimizing mouse use prevents repetitive strain injuries.
Focus: Keeping hands on the keyboard keeps you in flow state and reduces distractions.
Accessibility: Shortcuts make software more accessible for users with mobility impairments.
Precision: Keyboard commands are often more precise than mouse based interfaces.
Cross Platform Consistency: Many shortcuts are universal so work is easier across different apps.

2. Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts

Gmail's keyboard shortcuts turn managing your Gmail inbox into a rapid fire process. Consider a typical email workflow:

Open an email
Read its contents
Reply or forward
Archive or delete
Move to the next email

Without shortcuts each action requires multiple mouse movements. With shortcuts the whole process can be done in seconds with just a few keystrokes. This adds up to hours a week.

Top Gmail Shortcuts

Here's the full list of Gmail keyboard shortcuts:

Navigation

j / k: Previous/next conversation
n / p: Next/previous message
o or Enter: Open conversation
u: Go back to conversation list
g then i: Go to Inbox
g then s: Go to Starred conversations
g then t: Go to Sent messages folder
g then d: Go to Drafts
/: Search mail

Actions

c: Compose
r: Reply
a: Reply all
f: Forward
#: Delete
e: Archive
!: Report as spam
z: Undo last action
⌘/Ctrl + Shift + c: Add CC recipients
⌘/Ctrl + Shift + b: Add BCC recipients

Composing

Enter: Send
.: Next window

Additionally, utilizing custom keyboard shortcuts can significantly enhance productivity by allowing users to tailor their composing experience to fit their individual workflows.

Formatting

Ctrl + b: Bold
Ctrl + i: Italic
Ctrl + u: Underline
Ctrl + Shift + 7: Numbered list
Ctrl + Shift + 5: Font keyboard shortcut
Ctrl + Shift + 9: Next font keyboard shortcut
Ctrl + Shift + 8: Previous font keyboard shortcut

3. Hypertasks: Built for Keyboard Speed

At Hypertasks we recognized the power of keyboard shortcuts and made them a core part of our design philosophy. We wanted to create a project management tool that's as fast and fluid as Gmail is for email.

Here's how we achieved this:

Full Shortcut Coverage: Every major action in Hypertasks can be done via a shortcut.
Intuitive Design: Our shortcuts are logical and easy to remember and follow familiar patterns where possible.
Familiar Patterns: We've borrowed shortcuts from other tools to make it easier for new users to get up and running.
Speed Optimized Interface: Our interface is fast, low latency and quick to load.
Keyboard First Navigation: You can navigate entire projects without ever leaving the keyboard.
Hypertasks Command Center (HTC): Accessible via Ctrl+K or Cmd+K, the HTC lets you search and execute any action.
Contextual Shortcuts: Different shortcuts are available depending on where you are in the app.
Shortcut Discovery: Our hover-to-reveal system helps users discover and learn new commands organically.

4. Overlapping Shortcuts: From Gmail to Hypertasks

Many Gmail shortcuts are the same or similar in Hypertasks, so if you're familiar with any Gmail shortcut, the transition will be seamless:

Navigation

j / k: Up/down (emails in Gmail, tasks in Hypertasks)
o or Enter: Open an email (Gmail) or task (Hypertasks)
g then i: Go to Inbox in both
/: Use the search bar to search in both

Actions

c: Compose an email (Gmail) or new task at top of column (Hypertasks)
e: Archive in both

Composing/Editing

Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Cmd + Enter (Mac): Send an email (Gmail) or save changes (Hypertasks)

Formatting

Ctrl + b: Bold in both
Ctrl + i: Italic in both
Ctrl + u: Underline in both

5. More Hypertasks Custom Keyboard Shortcuts

While many shortcuts overlap, Hypertasks has some additional keyboard commands for project management:

Shift + C: New task at bottom of column
A: Assign
P: Priority
S: Size
T: Tags
Shift + D: Due date
Ctrl + K (Windows) or Cmd + K (Mac): Hypertasks Command Center

For a complete list, check out our Hypertasks Keyboard Shortcuts guide.

6. Mastering Shortcuts: Tips

To really get the most out of keyboard shortcuts in both Gmail and Hypertasks:

Start Small: Begin with a few key shortcuts and gradually add more.
Practice Regularly: Consciously use shortcuts in your daily workflow to build muscle memory.
Use Cheat Sheets: Keep a list of shortcuts nearby until they become second nature. In Gmail, you can use the open keyboard shortcut by holding Shift and the ? key to bring up a shortcut cheat sheet. This is especially useful for finding help with keyboard shortcuts.
Customize When You Can: In Gmail you can create custom shortcuts. Take advantage of this to optimize your workflow.
Chain Shortcuts: Learn to combine shortcuts for even more efficiency.
Teach Others: Share your knowledge and reinforce your own learning and team productivity.
Stay Up to Date: Both Gmail and Hypertasks will introduce new shortcuts from time to time. Keep an eye out for them.

Learn more about efficient task management in our guide on How to Reach Inbox Zero with Hypertasks.

7. The Future of Keyboard-Driven Interfaces

As software design becomes more efficient and accessible, keyboard-driven interfaces will become more common. Tools like Gmail and Hypertasks are leading the way with more speed and control.

The future may bring:

Natural Language Commands: Type what you want to do and the software will do it.
AI Shortcuts: Keyboard Shortcuts for AI are becoming more common.
Cross-Application Consistency: Standardized shortcuts across applications in a workspace.

By learning shortcuts today, you're not just optimizing your current workflow — you're preparing for the future of productivity.

For more on how Hypertasks is shaping the future of project management, read our article on Hypertasks' Approach to Solving the Communication Conundrum.

8. Wrap up

If you're a Gmail power user, you're already set up to use Hypertasks. Our keyboard-driven interface builds on top of Gmail shortcuts and adds project management commands to supercharge your productivity. By using shortcuts, you're not just saving time — you're working more efficiently, more focused and more ergonomically.

Ready to apply your shortcut skills to project management? Click the "Get Hypertasks free" button on any page, sign in with your Google Account and start managing your tasks with the speed and efficiency you're used to in Gmail. Try the future of keyboard-driven project management with Hypertasks.

Keep going!