The Best Gmail Extensions Everyone Should Be Using

Gmail has matured a lot over the years, so much so that you no longer need a third-party add-on for power-user features, such as scheduling emails. However, there is always room for more bells and whistles, particularly if your inbox serves as too much of a distraction, long email threads annoy you to no end, or you yearn for the ability to send GIFs more easily. For those features—and more—here are some of the best Gmail extensions we think you should check out.

Before we get started, a quick note on security: When adding a bunch of extensions, remember that there are privacy risks to be aware of. Some of these add-ons require access to Gmail, which means that your emails and other sensitive data may be accessed. While we’ve reviewed these extensions and deem them to be safe, it’s something to keep in mind. It’s a good general practice for all extensions you download: The safest option is to stick to extensions vetted by Google, but you can also do your own research and scour the privacy policies of other extensions to be sure they’re not misusing your data.

Checker Plus for Gmail

How about a Gmail extension that keeps you away from Gmail? One of the best Gmail extensions, Checker Plus, lets you access your inbox right from your toolbar, so you can check and answer email from any tab you’re in. If you think your team would benefit from that article you’re reading, or if that YouTube video reminded you of an email you haven’t responded to yet, you can pull up Checker Plus to jump back into your inbox right away, no need to head to mail.google.com.

Download Checker Plus for Gmail on Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Inbox When Ready

The internet is one giant rabbit hole of distractions, and your inbox itself is a solid example of that. Whenever you open Gmail to send an email, there’s a chance your inbox grabs your attention and distracts you away from the task at hand. If that sounds like you, Inbox When Ready might be the solution.

Its most useful option lets you hide all emails by default so you can hit the compose button and get your own messages sent out before you succumb to the messages of others. You can also use it to control how often you check your inbox and limit the time spent looking at emails.

Download Inbox When Ready on Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge.

Trimbox

If your inbox is like mine, it’s probably a mess. Most of that mess is probably junk mail you could unsubscribe from, but who has the patience to click that link on emails one-by-one? No one. That’s where Trimbox comes in: With this extension, you can mass unsubscribe from junk emails quickly, and clear them from your inbox. Trimbox even creates email filters going forward to make sure the same types of messages never float to the top of your inbox ever again.

Download Trimbox on Chrome.

Sortd for Gmail

If you’re a fan of kanban boards for organization, Sortd will be appealing to you. It turns your inbox into kanban-style lists that make it easier to sort your emails. It also makes it easier to track specific conversations that otherwise get lost in the abyss. This especially good to have if you depend on Gmail for work.

Download Sortd on Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Gmail Reverse Conversation

As you already know, when you reply to emails in Gmail, the newest messages are pushed to the bottom of the thread. That’s fine for a quick back and forth or two, but longer threads can become cumbersome to navigate. For those, you need Gmail Reverse Conversation to reverse the order so newest messages land up top. It’s a simple and effective tweak that saves you a lot of scrolling.

(The free tier sometimes plays annoying audio pop-ups, however, so depending on how often you find yourself lost in these longer threads, it may be worth it to upgrade to the premium tier, which removes pop-ups for $4.99 per month.)

Download Gmail Reverse Conversation on Chrome.

Trello for Gmail

For those who use Trello often, this integration is a godsend. It turns your emails into to-dos in Trello and removes a lot of the manual intervention the process would require.

That said, some users are currently having issues with the extension. If you can’t get it to work, or are having trouble with some of its features, there is a workaround, provided by a review left by Craig Krause: You should open an Incognito window, then head to Gmail to connect to Trello. You’ll be able to add cards here, and you should be able to access the extension when you switch back from Incognito.

Download Trello for Gmail on Chrome.

Todoist for Gmail

If you use Todoist as your GTD (get things done) app, then you must use this integration with Gmail. It lets you quickly add emails as tasks in Todoist and helps you set reminders for follow-ups.

Download Todoist for Gmail on Chrome.

Gfycat GIFs for Gmail

Why limit yourself to regular GIF-sending on messaging apps, when you could be sending them through email, too? Gfycat’s Gmail extension will help you add them smoothly, and smooth is what you’re going for with a well-timed GIF. Just get your GIFs in now while you can: The entire Gfycat service is shutting down Sept. 1.

Download Gfycat GIFs for Gmail on Chrome.

Mailtrack

Gmail doesn’t offer read receipts when sending emails, so you never really know whether your recipient opened your message—unless you install Mailtrack, that is. Mailtrack is a free solution that adds read receipts to all outgoing messages. You’ll be able to see whenever someone opens one of your emails, so you know whether their lack of response is because they haven’t seen the email yet, or because they’re ducking you.

If you use Mailtrack for free, your emails will send with a Mailtrack signature, so all recipients will know you’re using it. Of course, not everyone loves the idea of having their emails tracked, so use this one with care. Or, you can pay for Mailtrack, remove the signature, and gain other features like email scheduling, link tracking, or pay even more for email campaigns, mail merging, and more. The choice is yours.

Download Mailtrack on Chrome.