Why Is Gmail So Slow and What You Can Do About It.
Most people rely on their Gmail account for their daily dose of newsletters, company emails, and other official communications. Imagine launching Gmail only to realize that it is slower and slower than a snail. What do you do when Gmail is slow and you can’t open one email without cursing Google 10 times?
Why is Gmail so slow
There are ways to fix the slow Gmail issue, and we’re going to list them all here. Please note that the reason for the slow performance of Gmail may be due to a slow Internet connection. It can also be slow due to a bug or glitch on the Gmail side. This has happened before, and therefore it is quite possible that it will happen again. You can check if Gmail is here.
Let’s start.
Also Read: How to Remove the Meet Tab from Gmail on Android and iOS
1. Fix browser problems
I would recommend that you start with a different browser. If you are using Chrome, which is known to be slow, try Edge Chromium or Brave. Clear your browser cache and delete cookies and sign in to your Gmail account again. You can also delete old temporary files on your computer. Check Gmail on your smartphone to make sure it only happens on your computer. Try incognito mode or disable browser extensions to eliminate the possibility of an unknown conflict. Are you using the latest version of your browser? You should notice the ability to view Gmail in HTML mode. The option only appears when Gmail is slow or you can click on the link I just shared. Click on it to cut down on load times and check your email before going back to troubleshooting.
These solutions will help narrow the possibilities, allowing us to move on to other solutions.
Also read: How to quickly check your Gmail mail
2. Check out stickers and filters
The more labels and filters you apply, the slower your Gmail experience becomes, and there is a simple explanation for this. You use labels to classify or sort emails into different categories. They work like folders in Gmail. You then use filters to further search and sort the emails, trying to find the one that you probably got a few months ago and that you need now. Using labels and filters requires Gmail to search and retrieve old emails, which slows down the retrieval process. Make sure you don’t select any shortcuts or filters if you don’t want to.
Did you know that Gmail has a limit on the number of labels and filters? Yeah, there is a limit. You can’t just create new ones forever. The upper limit for labels is 500, it also includes nested labels, and the same limit applies to filters.
READ ALSO: 9 Best Gmail Addons for Better Email Management
3. Avoid batch operations
Deleting too many emails from the Trash at one time or working with hundreds of thousands of emails at once can slow down Gmail. This also has nothing to do with your internet connection. These operations take time, slowing down Gmail. Google recommends keeping the number below 1000 at a time when deleting emails. I would recommend using this number as a general guideline for other operations as well.
4. The number of emails per page
How many emails do you have on one page? The default is 50 emails per page, which should be enough for most Gmail users. However, some users overdo it and change this number to a higher number, increasing the Gmail load time. Because now Gmail needs to receive more emails. You can control this value by going to Settings View All Settings General Adjust Maximum Page Size.
Here you can select the maximum number of conversations (as well as reply emails). I believe the default is 50, but it felt like I once changed it to 100. Works great for me.
5. Attach files
I probably don’t need to let you know, but the size of the attachment you want to download in Gmail, combined with your internet speed, will determine how fast or slow Gmail is for you. But there are times when attaching files in Gmail is slow.
I would recommend using a cloud storage site like Google Drive or Dropbox to upload files. Not only can you improve loading times, but you can also bypass Gmail’s 25MB limitation, which is pretty low for media.
6. Malware and viruses
Use Windows Defender or your favorite antivirus application to scan your computer for viruses and other threats. I would also recommend Malwarebytes (the free version is good enough) for scanning for malware, as antivirus is often not enough in this regard. Quarantine all detected threats and restart your computer. Make sure Gmail is slow or normal again.
7. Close or disable Hangouts and Meet
Close the Hangouts and Meet chat pop-ups in Gmail as they can consume a lot of resources. This is another reason why Gmail is so slow on your computer. You should also disable Hangouts and Meet in the sidebar if you are not actively using them. Many users prefer to use dedicated apps instead. You can try them to speed up your Gmail.
Go to Settings View All Settings Chat & Appointment and there you will find options to turn off both of them.
Also Read: How to Get Archived Emails in Gmail
8. The number of tabs
Users most often see three tabs: “General”, “Social Networks”, “Promotions” and “Updates”. You will notice more depending on your individual preferences and settings. The more tabs you have, the longer it will take to load Gmail. Open Preferences and click Customize under the selected Inbox type.
From here, you can quickly turn tabs on and off on the fly without opening the full settings menu.
9. The default subject
Are you using a different theme or wallpaper? Using the default theme can speed up the process as it is lightweight and loads quickly. The option to change the theme is in the same menu as above.
10. Use Ad-Blocker
Advertising is Google’s bread and butter. This is how they make most of their money. Unfortunately, this same ad is responsible for installing trackers and other scripts that slow down Gmail. Using an ad blocker like uBlock Origin can fix this problem and dramatically improve loading times for not only Gmail, but all sites.
Conclusion: why is Gmail so slow
Gmail works flawlessly for the most part. More often than not, Gmail loads slowly due to the fact that we changed the settings or something is wrong with our Internet and computer. However, on rare occasions, Gmail is slow because there is a server issue like it just happened today. Check everything until you fix the problem. If you’ve found another way to speed up Gmail, share with us in the comments below.