How to Open an Email in Its Own Window in Gmail

Gmail lets you open messages and conversations in separate browser tabs or windows.

Concentrating on Email One Message (or Conversation) at a Time

Every email has its time, they say.

That does not mean you have to limit Google Gmail to showing just one message at a time, however. You can keep open as many emails as your browser will bear new windows or tabs.

The benefits of opening emails in separate windows with Gmail are manifold: not only can you read multiple messages, you get to see them without extra lists and gimmicks to their left and right, too; not only can you continue reading even after you have technically deleted the email but the same works with archiving, too.

Open an Email in Its Own Window in Gmail

To open a conversation or message in a separate browser window with Gmail:

1. Hold down Shift while clicking the message.
   • ​To open individual messages in separate windows instead of conversations, make sure conversation view is disabled in Gmail:
     1. ​Click the Settings gear icon.
     2. Select Settings from the menu that has appeared.
     3. Go to the General tab.
     4. Make sure Conversation view off is selected under Conversation View:.
     5. Click Save Changes.
   • As an alternative to disabling conversation view, you can also use print view to open individual emails in separate browser windows or tabs; see below.

To use the keyboard alone to open an email in its own window:

1. Make sure Gmail keyboard shortcuts are enabled.
2. Position Gmail's message cursor in front of the desired message using the j and k keys.
3. Press Shift-O.

To open a conversation or message in a separate window or tab with the mouse alone:

1. Click the desired message in the message list.
2. Now click the In new window button.
   • You can find this button in the conversation or message's header area, in the line that also shows the subject.

Open Individual Emails (Even from Conversations) in Separate Browser Windows with Gmail Print View

To use Gmail's email printing view for opening any individual email in its own browser window or tab:

1. Open the message you want to open in a separate window, or open the conversation that contains the message.
2. Make sure the message you want to open is expanded.
3. Now make sure all the message's text is shown:
   1. If you see a Show trimmed content ellipsis button (…), click it.
   2. Optionally, also click Display images below to show any images in the message currently not shown.
4. Click the More down arrow next to the individual email's reply button.
   • ​Do not click More in the general Gmail toolbar on top of the entire conversation.
5. Select Print from the menu that has shown.
6. Cancel your browser's printing dialog if it is automatically displayed.

(Updated March 2016)