Add-ons are a great tool to increase the power of any software that you are using. Whether you are using extensions on Chrome, power-ups in Trello or any other such tools, add-ons add power to the software while providing flexibility to users. Not only users can pick and choose from the features that they want, this also allows the core software to be pretty petite and basic, so the new users (or the users who don’t need that many features) can navigate the software without being lost in the sea of options. I love add-ons and use them on a daily basis to improve my workflow. That’s why I was so glad when Google announced that it is including add-on support inside Gmail. In this article, we are going to look at the same and learn how to use Gmail add-ons to become more productive:
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Install Gmail Add-ons
Adding Gmail add-ons is pretty easy. However, before we get started, you should one thing that since the service has just launched, there are not many add-ons available for users right now. However, since Gmail has such a large user base, developers will jump on this opportunity and soon you will have very powerful built-in tools inside your Gmail. That said, let’s see how you can add and access add-ons.
1. To use add-ons, just log in to your Gmail account on your browser (desktop) and click on the gear icon which is just above your emails in the top-right corner. Here, from the drop-down menu, click on the Get add-ons option.
2. Here you will see a list of all the add-ons that are available right now. Let’s try to add Trello, as I use it extensively for my project management. To add, click on the Trello icon.
3. Now, here you can see all that Trello add-on can do. You can explore that for you, right now we will just hit install and then click on “Continue”.
4. Next, you will be asked to choose the Gmail account you want to use this add-on with. Just log in with your credentials and give Trello required permissions. That’s it, after a few moments the Trello add-on will be installed on your account. Similarly, you can install any other add-on that you want to.
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Use Gmail Add-ons
We got the first step right and installed the Trello add-on, but we still need to learn how to use it. It’s pretty easy so let’s just get on with it.
1. Open any email on your browser and you will find your add-ons at the right-hand side of your email (as shown in the picture). Click on the add-on icon.
2. Here, you can see that now Trello is asking you to log in with your Trello account. Go ahead and do that.
3. Now, as you can see, I can directly add that email to any of my Trello boards from right within the Gmail without having to switch the apps.
4. What’s make this really useful is that after you have set up your add-ons, you can also use them from your mobile Gmail app. Just open the email on your Gmail app and scroll down the email to find your add-on. Now, tap on it.
5. Now select your preferences and scroll down till you find the add button and then hit “ADD” to add the email to your Trello board.
As you can see, once you take time to set up your add-ons, they will make it very easy for you to go through your emails. You won’t have to switch between your apps to transfer data from one app to another. For me, now I can send any email to my tasks list in Trello and find it there for me, all without even opening the Trello app. All that is good, but what really makes it useful is the ability to use add-ons even from the mobile Gmail app. This is a game changer for how I and you will from now on tackle our emails.
SEE ALSO: 12 Cool Gmail Tricks You Did Not Know About
Use Gmail Add-ons to Increase Your Productivity
If you spend even a little amount of time on your emails, you are going to love this feature. Add-ons will turn Gmail from an email application to a truly productive application. However, considering the service has just launched, it’s still in its nascent stage. As more and more add-ons are introduced, users will find this feature more useful than it is right now. Regardless, I can’t tell you happy I am with this development. But, what about you? Do you care about Gmail add-ons at all, or are you already using a third-party client which offers you these features? Let us know your views on the subject in the comments section below.
