Set Basic HTML as Default Gmail View

Friday, May 16, 2008

Set Basic HTML as Default Gmail View

Gmail Basic HTML View

If you use Gmail and you'd like a simplified interface that doesn't use AJAX, loads fast and works well in most browsers, try the basic HTML view. Gmail links to this version at the bottom of the page, but you can also access it if you go to http://mail.google.com/mail/h/.

Until recently, Gmail didn't have the option to set the basic HTML version as the default interface and you had to bookmark its URL or click on the link from Gmail's footer. Now there's an option to always go to the HTML version, every time you load Gmail.

Please keep in mind that the simplified version lacks many useful features:
* integration with Google Docs and Google Calendar
* keyboard shortcuts
* integrated chat
* composing options: spell checker, rich formatting, address auto-complete, custom From address
* ads (useful feature?), related pages, tracking packages and addresses
* contact management
* web clips.

Google recommends to use the basic HTML view for slow Internet connections, although you may find it useful when you use exotic browsers or when the standard version doesn't work. If you change your mind and you want to go back to the AJAX version, click on "Standard View". Apparently, the standard view loads much faster thanks to some aggressive optimization.

New Gmail loading screen

Labels: Gmail, Tips

18 comments ( Post a comment )

Philipp Lenssen said on May 16, 2008 4:19 PM PDT:

I'd like to have a basic HTML version but, as exception, with auto-complete...

TOMHTML said on May 16, 2008 4:55 PM PDT:

I read the same thing in Philipp's book, isn't it? ;)

igor marques said on May 16, 2008 5:48 PM PDT:

hi there!!

there is something new with gmail!!

when you hit instead of loading... now appears Loading xxxxx@gmail.com and a progress bar bellow (this at the left top)
bellow on the right corner appears Loading standard view | Load basic HTML (for slow connections)

has anyone else seen this or am i dreaming? :D

Swaroop said on May 16, 2008 6:22 PM PDT:

plus its buggy .. Itcant take actions (mark **, delete etc) on multi message selects. Very irritating, it only does that tlfor the first message in the queue

Adam Sadovsky said on May 16, 2008 7:19 PM PDT:

Multi-message select actions work fine for me in basic HTML view.

Oleg said on May 16, 2008 10:29 PM PDT:

I was just about to comment on the much improved loading speed when I got to the last sentence =)
It has become REALLY nice and great!

Ionut Alex Chitu said on May 17, 2008 12:29 AM PDT:

@TomHTML:
I don't think so.

@Igor:
I included a screenshot that shows what you describe.

EyeSoft said on May 17, 2008 2:52 AM PDT:

I think is better for users to go directly to the url...without any redirections.

Derpikus said on May 17, 2008 8:50 AM PDT:

Should be better in my opinion if Gmail made it able to use your own chosen .css file, so you can insert the functions just you want..

Cookie Lee said on May 17, 2008 7:08 PM PDT:

Derpikus:

CSS allow you to change a page's style only. (But it's still great if Gmail made it able to use your own chosen .css file!)

Amir said on May 18, 2008 2:03 AM PDT:

I'd like to have a way to set my GMail account to use the old AJAX version as the default.

Stu said on May 18, 2008 9:03 AM PDT:

igor marques...you're absolutely correct!

This "new" version is much slower than the old version and it was immediately noticeable. In fact, it's annoying me big time!

Is there a way to go back to the old, fast version?

Note to Google: NEVER, I repeat, NEVER, release an upgrade that slows things down! Yes, even at the expense of improved functionality, which I'm not getting.

AstroBoy1928 said on May 18, 2008 7:03 PM PDT:

help! I can't switch back to standard view... I enter http://mail.google.com/mail/h/, now I want to switch back, I clicked Switch to standard view on the top, but it just forward me back to the HTML view.. help..

Nate Nead said on May 19, 2008 8:22 AM PDT:

I have not problem with the new view. Great!

Anonymous said on July 8, 2008 11:24 PM PDT:

under the basic html view, do all the new features like chat and aim work as well?

Ionut Alex Chitu said on July 10, 2008 8:14 AM PDT:

@Anonymous:
No, obviously not. Gmail Chat heavily replies on JavaScript to maintain state, to receive and send messages.

Anonymous said on July 11, 2008 2:30 PM PDT:

So if I want to check my child's e-mail, how can I sign on his account without all of the chat features automatically starting up, so his friends don't message "him" while I'm on his account?

Ionut Alex Chitu said on July 11, 2008 2:33 PM PDT:

You can use the basic HTML version ( http://mail.google.com/mail/h/ ) or you can turn off chat at the bottom of the page.

What do you think?