Gmail FAQ: Answers To 15 Most Asked Questions About Gmail

Although Gmail is really easy to use for day-to-day emailing, being a comprehensive email service you do need some extra help to fully take advantage of Gmail. You can check out Gmail’s official help page to get answers to the most common questions. However, there are still many questions about Gmail that the help page doesn’t answer.

Therefore in this post, I am going to answer 15 of the most asked questions about Gmail that Google didn’t answer. Just go through this list and many of your doubts regarding Gmail will be cleared.

Are Gmail addresses case-sensitive?

No, the complete Gmail address is case-insensitive. Therefore, if you write “rEcipIEnt@gMaiL.com” it will be taken as “recipient@gmail.com”. Note that this is only true for Gmail addresses. Usually, the domain part is case-sensitive for other email services.

Are Gmail emails encrypted?

All the content of a Gmail email is end-to-end encrypted, including attachments (here’s how to check). However, the information can still be accessed by Google, and sending emails to insecure email services could affect encryption. You’ll need a third-party encryption service to fully encrypt emails with a password and ensure even Google can’t access it.

Can Gmail be hacked?

Of course, like any other online account, Gmail accounts can also be hacked. Although Google offers multiple ways to secure your account and there are many options to recover your hacked Gmail account.

Can I sort emails in Gmail?

Unfortunately, Gmail doesn’t offer an official way to sort emails. However, there are alternative ways to sort Gmail by size, labels, subject, and sender.

Can I block emails in Gmail?

Yes, Gmail makes it easy to both block senders and unsubscribe from annoying newsletters. We also have an article on how to block annoying senders in Gmail, you can refer to it for instructions.

Can Gmail send scheduled emails?

Yes, when you are done composing an email, click on the Schedule send button instead of Send to schedule it. There is also a Google script that can help you easily schedule emails in Gmail for free, but it’s not needed anymore.

Do Gmail accounts expire?

No, Gmail accounts do not expire over time. Google still reserves the right to disable or delete your account, but it won’t delete it due to inactivity or usage over a particular period.

Does Gmail work in China?

Like other Google services, Gmail is also banned in China. You also can’t use a VPN to access Gmail as China is cracking down on them as well. Although, you can forward Gmail emails to a supported email service like Yahoo or Outlook and manage Gmail from there.

Does Gmail compress photos?

No, Gmail doesn’t compress photos or any other attachments. As long as you can adhere to the 25MB maximum attachment size limit, you can send photos in the original size.

Does Gmail have read receipt?

Gmail only offers read receipt for work and school accounts, the free personal Gmail account doesn’t have read receipt. You can use a third-party service to incorporate read receipts in the free Gmail account.

Does Gmail delete old emails?

No, all the emails in Gmail stay forever unless you delete them on purpose. Even then, the deleted emails stay in the Trash folder for 30 days before being deleted forever. If you have accidentally deleted an email, you may still be able to recover it.

Is Gmail HIPAA compliant?

As emails are sent in plain text and Google also scans the email content, Gmail is not HIPAA compliant. Although if necessary, you can use third-party tools to encrypt Gmail emails with a personal password. That way email will be HIPAA compliant as the email will only be read by the recipient with the password and Google can’t scan it.

Can I download Gmail emails?

Yes, you can download Gmail emails using the Google Takeout service. Afterward, you can either upload them to a different email address or view them offline using a third-party viewer.

What does archive mean in Gmail?

When you archive an email in Gmail, it is removed from your Inbox and sent to the “All Mail” folder. To keep your inbox clean, you should archive emails that you don’t need now but may need in the future. The emails in the archive are never deleted and can be accessed any time later.

Are multiple Gmail accounts allowed?

Yes, you can make as many accounts as you like as long as you adhere to Google’s Terms and Policies. Your first account will be the default and you can easily switch between accounts right from the Gmail interface.

To conclude

So these were some of the most asked questions about Gmail. I know there are many other questions concerning Gmail, but I particularly focused on the ones that Google didn’t answer. If you have any other questions regarding Gmail, let us know in the comments.