How to Open an Email in Its Own Window in Gmail

Open Emails in Separate Windows Without Distracting Elements

Businesswoman working at laptop
Sam Edwards/Caiaimage/Getty Images
by Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated September 29, 2018

Gmail lets you open messages and conversations in separate browser tabs or windows. That does not mean you have to limit Google Gmail to showing just one message at a time, however. You can open as many emails in new windows or tabs as your browser allows.

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, and you can continue reading even after you have technically deleted the email or archived it.

Open an Email in Its Own Window in Gmail

To open a message in a separate browser window with Gmail, you just hold down Shift while clicking a message. Conversation view must be disabled for this to work properly

How to Disable Conversation View

To open individual messages in separate windows instead of conversations, first make sure Conversation View is disabled in Gmail:

  1. Click the Settings gear icon.

  2. Select Settings from the menu that appears.

  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 use print view to open individual emails in separate browser windows or tabs.

Open Email in Its Own Window With the Keyboard or Mouse Only

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.

If you have a pop-up blocker enabled, you may have to disable it to open Gmail emails in individual windows.

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 to open it.

  2. Now click the In new window button. You can find this button in the conversation or message's header area. It is located in the line that also shows the subject and the printer icon.

Use Print View to Open Individual Emails (Even From Conversations) in Separate Windows

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

  1. Open the message or conversation that contains the message.

  2. Expand the message.

  3. If you see a Show trimmed content ellipsis button (…), click it. 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 appears.

  6. Cancel your browser's printing dialog when it appears.

This leaves the email in a separate window.