If you use different email clients like Outlook, Thunderbird, or others, you are probably used to having a reading pane that allows you to instantly view your emails. By clicking on an email, it opens in the reading pane next to or below the list of emails. This feature is super practical because it greatly facilitates the management and sorting of messages. But in Gmail, this option is not enabled by default. Indeed, Google has thought of everything and it is of course possible to display a reading pane in Gmail!
As always, before you begin, be sure to check out these other articles to master Gmail:
- Find the creation date of your Gmail account
- 6 essential keyboard shortcuts for using Gmail properly
- Recover your forgotten Gmail password
- Have infinite email addresses with just one Gmail account
- Print multiple Gmail messages at once
Now that you know all this, it's time to explain how to activate this famous reading pane in Gmail.
Show the Reading Pane in Gmail
This manipulation is possible on the desktop version of Gmail. The Gmail smartphone application is designed differently and the space available on a mobile screen does not allow this display of a reading pane.
Step 1: Go to your computer and open your browser. Log in to your Gmail account.
Step 2: Once in your email account, look at the top right to find the gear icon (settings). Click on it to access the settings of Quick setup.
Step 3: In this quick settings bar, scroll down to the section Reading pane. In this section Gmail offers you three options;
- No separation
- To the right of the inbox
- Below Inbox
Normally, the No Separation option should be selected (if it is not and you do not have a Reading Pane, go to the next section).
Click the radio button to the left of the option you prefer (on the right or below the inbox). Once you've done this, you may see a window appear to reload Gmail. Click the blue Refresh button to do so.
If you don't see this Reading Pane option, there is another solution. In the Quick Settings settings, click at the very top on See all settings.
Step 4: You will arrive at the main settings screen. Now, look at the tabs under Settings at the top. Click on the option Mailbox. On this screen, scroll down until you see Reading pane. Under this section, click on Enable Reading Pane and below you will see the three options you saw previously and, as before, click on the option of your choice. Then at the very bottom on Save Changes.
Step 5: You will now see the preview pane to the right of your emails. Or if you chose the bottom option, then you will see it at the bottom of your page.
Quickly hide or show the reading pane in Gmail
Once you have enabled the Reading Pane option on Gmail, a new icon will appear at the top of the Gmail interface, on the right side. This icon symbolizes the reading pane and will therefore take a different shape depending on the choice of the position of the reading pane.
So it's via This icon allows you to quickly modify the display of the reading pane in Gmail.
A simple click on it will allow you to show/hide the reading pane.
A click on the small triangle will allow you to define the position of the reading pane: vertically or horizontally!
Now you know how to do this on your Gmail account. Feel free to share your knowledge with others.
