How to use Gmail offline [HTML5-powered web app]

Google - Gmail Offline mail

For some time now, Google has been testing Gmail offline functionality, and today there is not more waiting for many of you, the functionality is out and it works with a web app called Offline Google Mail.

Gmail Offline is a Google Chrome Web Store app that was designed to aid when you need to read or manage your emails without an Internet connection. This web app is based on the Gmail web app for tablets — if you remember in a previous article I showed you a trick to use the iPad version of Gmail in Google Chrome –.

The search giant is also rolling out offline access for Calendar and Docs, but they are not available just yet; Google Chrome users can use Gmail Offline right now, and here is how:

Google - Gmail Offline 

1.  Visit the Chrome Web Store and install the Offline Google Mail web app.

2.  Once that is done, open a new tab and you will be asked if you wish to Allow offline mail

Important: If you allow Gmail to offline mail, your inbox data will be downloaded and stored on the computer you are using right at that moment — so be careful and DO NOT allow offline mail storage on a public computer and pay attention on a shared computer. 

Make your choice and then click Continue. And this is pretty much what you have to do.

Gmail - Allow offline mail

Now, you can use Offline Google Mail app when you are online as well as with the traditional web access, but when you find yourself in a place without an Internet connection, just simply launch Google Chrome and open the new Gmail Offline web app. Then you will be able to compose, respond, read, star, apply labels, and archive messages. Once there is, once again, an internet connection the app will sync with Google’s servers to complete the tasks (e.g., send your offline emails).

Things to consider using this app:

  • Gmail Offline web app still in beta, which means that is not 100% completed, but this should not be a surprise from Google.
  • Depending on the amount of data in your inbox, this Google Chrome app will download and store about 3-7 days worth of emails and all starred emails. So make sure that if you need to work offline with specific emails, remember to star them.
  • If you wish to delete the locally stored inbox in the computer, do the following:

1.  Open Google Chrome and in the address bar type chrome://settings/cookies and press Enter.

2.  Do a search for mail.google.com, hover over all the search results and click X to delete them.

Tip: An easier way to access Gmail Offline (HMTL5 web app) is by going to the web app like you’d normally do. Once you are in your account bookmark the page and place the link in your bookmarks bar. Additionally you can edit the link to only show the icon, that way, it will look like a button. For more information refer to this previous article managing Google Chrome bookmarks.

Source The Official Gmail BlogAs I said above Gmail Offline HTML5 web app is available now, Calendar and Docs offline are on their way as Google has said in The Official Gmail Blog:” Google Calendar and Google Docs will be rolling out over the next week, starting today”

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.