Techstravaganza

Techstravaganza for Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025

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Gmail keyboard shortcuts and navigation

Siena demonstrated how to access and use keyboard shortcuts in Gmail on the web.

  • Details
    • Siena: Showed how to access keyboard shortcuts by pressing question mark (shift+slash)
    • Siena: Explained that keyboard shortcuts work differently on PC and Mac – on PC use Control instead of Command
    • Siena: Demonstrated navigation shortcuts including G+I (go to inbox), G+T (go to sent messages)
    • Hans: Asked for clarification about using star+A to select all conversations
    • Siena: Clarified that you press the keys sequentially, not simultaneously
    • Palmer: Asked about using delete key vs. # (number sign) for deleting messages
    • Siena: Showed that Gmail uses # for deletion rather than the delete key
    • Conclusion
      • Keyboard shortcuts make Gmail navigation more efficient
      • Users can always access the shortcuts list by pressing ? (question mark)
      • Most common shortcuts: C (compose), R (reply), A (reply all), F (forward), # (delete)
        • Virtual PC cursor in Windows screen readers

        Siena explained the importance of toggling the virtual PC cursor when using JAWS with Gmail.

        • Details
          • Siena: Demonstrated using Insert+Z to toggle virtual PC cursor on/off in JAWS
          • Siena: Explained that virtual cursor needs to be off when navigating message lists and using keyboard shortcuts
          • Siena: Showed that virtual cursor needs to be on when reading message content
          • Jackie: Asked for clarification about constantly toggling the virtual PC cursor
          • Siena: Confirmed this is necessary as JAWS can interpret Gmail shortcuts as JAWS commands when virtual cursor is on
          • Conclusion
            • Windows screen reader users need to toggle virtual PC cursor on/off frequently
            • Virtual cursor off: for navigating message lists and using Gmail shortcuts
            • Virtual cursor on: for reading message content
            • Mac VoiceOver users don’t need to worry about this as it’s handled natively
              • Reading and managing email threads

              Siena demonstrated how to navigate through email threads and perform actions on messages.

              • Details
                • Siena: Showed how to open conversations with Enter or O key
                • Siena: Demonstrated using semicolon to expand threads and colon to collapse them
                • Siena: Showed using N to move to next message and P to move to previous message in a thread
                • Ali: Asked if P and N move between messages in a thread
                • Siena: Confirmed and demonstrated this functionality
                • Siena: Showed how to delete entire threads with # (Shift+3)
                • Conclusion
                  • N and P keys navigate between messages in a thread
                  • Semicolon expands threads, colon collapses them
                  • (Shift+3) deletes messages or entire threads
                  • Users can select multiple messages with X key before deleting
                    • Composing emails

                    Siena demonstrated how to compose new emails and use various composition features.

                    • Details
                      • Siena: Showed using C to compose or D to compose in a new tab
                      • Ali: Noted that Shift+C also works for composing
                      • Siena: Demonstrated adding recipients, subject, and message body
                      • Siena: Showed additional options like attaching files, inserting emojis, and scheduling sends
                      • Siena: Demonstrated adding CC/BCC recipients with Command/Ctrl+Shift+C and Command/Ctrl+Shift+B
                      • Siena: Showed sending a message with Command/Ctrl+Enter
                      • Conclusion
                        • C, D, or Shift+C can be used to compose new messages
                        • Command/Ctrl+Enter sends the composed message
                        • Gmail offers many composition features accessible via keyboard shortcuts
                          • Mac vs. Windows differences

                          Discussion about the differences between using Gmail on Mac and Windows.

                          • Details
                            • Siena: Explained that Mac uses Command key where Windows uses Control key
                            • Siena: Noted that Mac VoiceOver handles navigation natively without toggling virtual cursor
                            • Palmer: Asked if Gmail web navigation is similar between Mac and Windows
                            • Siena: Confirmed the shortcuts are the same, with the main difference being Command vs. Control
                            • Conclusion
                              • Gmail keyboard shortcuts are consistent across platforms with Command/Control key difference
                              • Mac users have a smoother experience without needing to toggle virtual cursor
                              • Web interface is consistent across platforms
                                • Apple Mail app issues

                                Discussion about issues with the Apple Mail app.

                                • Details
                                  • Palmer: Described how Apple Mail organizes messages by letter rather than date
                                  • Palmer: Explained issues with the archive folder behavior
                                  • Liz: Asked about dealing with 570 draft emails that were created automatically
                                  • Siena: Explained that Mail app saves drafts automatically when composing is interrupted
                                  • Siena: Suggested manually selecting and deleting drafts
                                  • Conclusion
                                    • Apple Mail has some organizational quirks compared to Gmail
                                    • The app automatically creates drafts even for incomplete compositions
                                    • There’s no easy way to bulk delete drafts in the native Mail app
                                      • Coming Up Next Week

                                      Join us for changing Voiceover pronounciations on Dec, 3. Also, check out the rest of the December lineup at the following link.

                                      (Updated), What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza for November and December 2025

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                                      TechstravaganzaBy Ali Moosa, Macara Slobodian, and Siena Trigiani