Toolbar
The row of buttons above an open email is fully yours to arrange. Put the actions you use most front and centre, tuck the rest into a menu, and leave out what you never touch.
Customize it in Settings → Toolbar.
Primary vs. overflow
The editor has three sections:
| Section | What it is |
|---|---|
| Add Actions | Every action you can add. Drag one into Primary Actions or Overflow Menu. |
| Primary Actions | Buttons shown directly on the toolbar |
| Overflow Menu | Tucked into the "more" (⋯) menu |
Drag actions between these sections to build the toolbar you want. To rearrange the order, drag a button up or down within its section. To take an action off the toolbar, remove it from its section — it stays available under Add Actions.
Changes only apply after you click Save Changes. Restore Defaults returns the toolbar to its original layout.
Dynamic overflow
You don't have to guess how many buttons will fit. The toolbar measures its own width and automatically moves primary buttons into the overflow menu when the panel gets narrow — for example on a small screen, or when the reading pane is squeezed beside the list. Widen it again and the buttons come back out. Nothing is ever lost; it just moves.
Icon vs. icon + text
Each button has a display mode you can set per action:
| Mode | Shows |
|---|---|
| Icon + Text | The icon and its label (e.g. a reply arrow + "Reply") |
| Icon Only | Just the icon — more buttons fit in the same space |
| Text Only | Just the label, no icon |
Split-button dropdowns
Some actions carry related options in a small dropdown arrow. For example, Reply All can hold Reply, Reply in Gmail, and Reply All in Gmail behind its chevron. You choose which actions appear inside each dropdown right in the toolbar editor.
Actions you can add
The editor offers the full set of email actions — reply, forward, archive, star, delete, mark read/unread, mark important, open in Gmail, response-tracking states, labels, nudges, Test Rules, Reprocess, and more. It also has:
- Email Details and Thread Details — open the full details page for the email or its conversation.
- Divider — a separator to group buttons visually.
Set State…, the standalone Remind Me, Mark as…, Clear Labels, and Custom can be placed on the toolbar, but in the Inbox they currently show "That action isn't available here yet". See Email actions.
Not sure where to begin? Leave the default layout in place, then move just the one or two actions you reach for constantly into Primary Actions. Hit Restore Defaults any time to start over.
Shortcuts live next door
The Toolbar settings cover which buttons appear and how they look. To attach a keyboard shortcut to an action, head to Quick Actions.
→ Related: Keyboard Shortcuts · Quick Actions