In Summary
- Gmail is the go-to email service provider for many people.
- Although it’s quite capable and includes several features to offer a better email experience, it still can’t do many things.
- Here’s where Gmail add-ons come into play; they extend the platform’s functionality to make it even more useful and help you do various operations without leaving Gmail.
Gmail is the go-to email service provider for many people. It’s free, integrates well with other Google products, and offers SSO options for various services on the internet to enable quick and easy access.
If you’re reading this, Gmail is very likely at the core of your daily workflow. And although it’s got some useful features, which can help you with various operations, it still can’t do many things. For instance, there’s no easy way in Gmail to sign documents.
This is where Gmail add ons come in; they extend the platform’s functionality to make it even more useful. Let’s dive in to learn more about Gmail add-ons and check out some of the best add-ons that can benefit you in everyday use.
Table of Contents
What Are Gmail Add Ons? Are they same as Gmail Extensions?
Gmail add-ons are tiny programs that enhance the functionality of Gmail. They can help you perform various tasks, like signing documents, zipping/unzipping files, and managing your to-dos, among other things—that aren’t possible natively—right from Gmail.
As a result, you don’t have to jump back and forth between Gmail and other apps to get things done. Add-ons are available on the Google workspace Marketplace, and they’re pretty easy to install and use.
It’s important to note that Gmail add-ons aren’t the same as Gmail extensions. Extensions are available on the Chrome Web Store and are installed directly in the browser. Meanwhile, add-ons install directly in your workspace and are contextual, meaning they generally appear based on the content of the email you’ve opened on your screen. You will come across many articles that use Gmail Add-ons and Gmail Extensions interchangeably, but you now know the difference.
How to Install a Gmail Add-On?
Installing a Gmail add-on is easy, and you can do this using these steps:
- Go to Google Workspace Marketplace.
- Click the search box at the top and enter an extension name to look it up.
- Click the All Filters button under the search bar and check off the checkbox for Gmail.
- Click on the add-on you want to install from the results.
- Click the Install button.
- Log in to your account when prompted and accept the permissions.
Once an add-on is installed, refresh the page, and it’ll appear in the sidebar on the right edge of the screen. You can tap on the add-on to view all the available actions. Or you can also open an email, and if that add-on is applicable, it’ll automatically show the available actions.
Best Gmail Add-Ons You Must Start Using
Below is a list of all the Gmail add-ons you should add to your workspace to improve your productivity.
- Mailtrack & Mail Merge for Gmail
- TickTick
- Asana for Gmail
- Evernote
- Dropbox
- Zoom
- DocuSign
- DocHub for Gmail
- Slack for Gmail
- ZIP Extractor
- Translate Pro
Mailtrack & Mail Merge for Gmail: Gmail Inbox Open Extension
If all your communications take place over email, Mailtrack & Mail Merge for Gmail is one of the first add-ons you must add to your workspace. It allows you to track and find out if/when the receiver has opened your email. Plus, the add-on even sends you follow-up alerts on its status to keep you updated.
Mailtrack & Mail Merge for Gmail also comes in handy in determining when links in your emails have been clicked. If you’re sending someone an invoice or resume, this feature can be very useful, not to mention it’s equally effective for someone running newsletters or email marketing campaigns.
Besides, the add-on simplifies sending personalized emails too. For Mailtrack & Mail Merge to work effectively, you must also install the Mailtrack extension from the Chrome Web Store.
TickTick: Task Management Add-on for Gmail
TickTick is a popular task management app. And it, too, offers a Gmail add-on, which can make keeping up with your daily tasks easy. With this, whenever there’s a new task/meeting notification in an email, you’ll see an option to add it to your TickTick account.
Once you do this, TickTick will send reminders to remind you of the task. You can also view other things on your agenda for the day in the calendar. Later, you can follow up on that task if required or mark it as done when it’s done.
All the tasks you add to your inbox are synced across all your devices, and you can manage them from any device.
Download TickTick Gmail add-on
Asana for Gmail: Project Management for Teams
Managing your personal tasks is one thing and easily manageable with TickTick. However, for tasks at work, Asana works better. And if it’s the preferred tool at your workplace, you need the Asana for Gmail add-on.
Asana for Gmail allows you to turn emails into actionable tasks. You can do this to assign a new task to yourself or a teammate and set due dates to ensure you don’t miss it.
The add-on works nicely and manages to sync the changes made by you or anyone on your team, so you don’t have to open its app separately. Similarly, you can also search for tasks and mark them as complete right from the Gmail workspace.
Evernote: Gmail add-on for Note Taking
Taking notes is as essential as keeping track of your daily tasks. Evernote makes doing this easy and offers a Gmail add-on that enables you to quickly and easily attach anything you receive in an email that you think you might want to revisit later to your Evernote notebook.
Once added, you can add more text or insert images to the note for better content. Similarly, you can also tag a note to keep it organized.
Alternatively, suppose you’ve got some pointers for replying to an email in Evernote. In that case, you can view them directly in your Gmail workspace while composing the email to ensure you don’t miss anything important.
Download Evernote add-on for Gmail
Dropbox: File management made easy
If you use Dropbox, you must integrate the Dropbox for Gmail add-on into your workspace. Doing so will allow you to save files (photos, videos, documents, etc.) you receive in your emails directly to your Dropbox account without leaving Gmail.
Similarly, it will also give you the ability to attach files from your Dropbox account to your emails. When you do this, Dropbox ensures to always point the link to the latest version of the file in your account.
Download Dropbox for Gmail Add-on
Zoom: Video Conferencing within Gmail
Zoom for Gmail is a powerful Gmail add-on for teams. It enables quick video conferencing and gives you the ability to escalate an ongoing conversation in Gmail into a quick video call without having to open a new tab or the Zoom app.
Using the Zoom for Gmail add-on, you can also schedule a meeting, start a meeting, and view scheduled/upcoming meetings in one place and act accordingly.
Download Zoom for Gmail add-on
DocuSign: E-sign within Gmail
DocuSign is an electronic agreement solution that simplifies virtual agreements. It provides add-ons for a few Google services, including Gmail, which lets you collect signatures from others or sign agreements right from Google workspace.
Besides Gmail, DocuSign also works with Drive and Docs. So, you can share your agreements stored in either place and send them for collecting signatures over Gmail.
DocHub for Gmail
If your work involves dealing with a lot of PDF documents, then DocHub is a must-have Gmail add-on in your workspace. With it, you can open any attachment in your email and edit it instantly without leaving Gmail.
Supported actions include inserting text, drawing, highlighting, commenting, inserting images, and more. Plus, you even get the option to manage pages in the document.
Similar to DocuSign, DocHub can also help you send documents via Gmail to others to get them signed and sign the ones received in your emails.
Also Read: 10 Best Gmail Alternatives
Slack for Gmail
Slack is the most popular team communication platform. If you and your team use Slack at work, then the Slack for Gmail add-on can significantly improve your communication experience.
For instance, it can help you share emails/email content with your teammates over Slack from within Gmail, so you don’t have to jump back and forth between Gmail and Slack.
Besides, the add-on also surfaces a few other options when you invoke it for an email, depending on its content, to help you communicate and multitask better.
ZIP Extractor: Unarchive Within Gmail
When you receive an archive file in your email, you typically download it to your device and unarchive it using an unarchiving tool to view its content. Although this works fine, it involves a few extra steps.
ZIP Extractor is a file extractor add-on for Gmail that simplifies this process significantly. With it, whenever you receive an archive file in an email, you’ll see an overlay asking you to unarchive it. Clicking it will unarchive the ZIP file and show you its content right inside Gmail.
Download ZIP Extractor add-on for Gmail
Translate Pro
Last but not least, we suggest integrating the Translate Pro add-on into your Gmail workspace if you need to communicate with people all around the world. It supports all popular languages, like Dutch, German, Russian, and even Hindi, and offers quick copy-pasting functionality to help you write/respond to emails easily.
Translate Pro keeps a record of your last ten translations. In addition, it also remembers your last-used translation settings, so you don’t have to change the settings every single time for the same translations.
Download Translate Pro for Gmail
Do More In Gmail With Add-Ons
The Gmail add-ons listed above can help you in your daily workflow and save you time. Some of these add-ons also have alternatives, as we’ve mentioned suitably, which you can use instead if you’re already a user of that service.
Additionally, you can also explore the Google Workspace Marketplace to explore more Gmail add-ons and integrate them into your workspace to boost your productivity.
FAQs about Gmail Add-ons
Can I use Gmail add-ons on my mobile device?
Yes, you can use Gmail add-ons on your mobile device. However, the availability of add-ons may depend on the operating system and version of the Gmail app you are using.
Are there any security risks associated with using Gmail add-ons?
Like any third-party software, there may be potential security risks associated with using Gmail add-ons. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Check the permissions: If an add-on is asking for access to sensitive information or features that it doesn't need to function, that could be a red flag.
- Stick to trusted sources: Only install add-ons from trusted sources, such as the Google Workspace Marketplace or other reputable app stores. Be cautious of third-party websites or downloads that may contain malware or other security threats.
- Remove unused add-ons: If you're no longer using an add-on, it's a good idea to remove it from your account to reduce the risk of any potential security vulnerabilities.
Do Gmail add-ons work with other email clients or only with Gmail?
Gmail add-ons are specifically designed to work with the Gmail platform and may not be compatible with other email clients. That being said, some third-party applications may have their own add-ons or integrations that can be used with other email clients. For example, an application like Slack or DocuSign may have a Gmail add-on that works specifically with Gmail but also has integrations with other email clients like Outlook or Apple Mail.