Revisiting Gmail on the Web Using the Mac, Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Session Introduction and Workshop Format

Ali formally opened the Techstravaganza workshop and outlined the session structure and ground rules.

• Details
  • Ali: Introduced the session for Wednesday, June 24, 2026, noting it was being recorded and would be available as a podcast afterward.
  • Ali: Outlined the two-part tutorial: (1) Gmail on the web using a Mac, and (2) threaded/conversation view in the Gmail iPhone app.
  • Ali: Explained the format — 5-minute tutorial segments followed by a pause for questions.
  • Ali: Reminded participants to speak one at a time and raise hands using Option+Y (Mac), Alt+Y (PC), or via the Reactions/More menu on mobile.
  • Siena: Assisted with co-host assignment, countdown for recording, and screen share setup.
• Conclusion
  • Session structure established; recording resumed after setup.

Gmail on the Web (Mac) — Navigating the Inbox and Selecting Messages

Ali demonstrated how to navigate through the Gmail inbox and select/deselect messages using keyboard commands in Chrome on a Mac with VoiceOver.

• Details
  • Ali: Explained that Gmail on the web has its own set of keyboard shortcuts distinct from VoiceOver-specific commands, and that Chrome provides the best experience for Gmail on the web (Safari works but is less optimal).
  • Ali: Demonstrated using the Up and Down Arrow keys to move between messages in the inbox table.
  • Ali: Demonstrated using the letter X to select and deselect individual messages, with VoiceOver announcing the selection count.
  • Siena: Added that Gmail shows 20 messages per page by default, and users can navigate to the next set via a “See more messages” option.
  • Ivy: Asked why multiple messages would be selected simultaneously and what the benefit was beyond deletion.
  • Ali: Clarified that selecting multiple messages allows bulk actions such as deleting, moving, and archiving, and that opening messages would be covered in the next section.
  • Siena: Confirmed that bulk selection can be used to move, archive, or delete multiple messages at once.
  • Jeroo: Asked about a prompt in Safari suggesting she switch to Chrome, and whether doing so would affect all applications.
  • Ali: Noted that the question was somewhat beyond the scope of the session and that he was unsure of the exact impact, especially given Jeroo’s older Mac.
  • Siena: Clarified that if Chrome is already installed, the prompt would simply open Gmail in Chrome; if not, it would direct to the Chrome installation page. She also confirmed that Gmail works in Safari and the prompt can be ignored.
• Conclusion
  • Up/Down Arrow navigates between messages; X selects/deselects messages for bulk actions.
  • Chrome is recommended for the best Gmail web experience, but Safari is functional.

Gmail on the Web (Mac) — Deleting, Opening, and Reading a Message

Ali demonstrated how to delete selected messages and open and read a single email, including navigating the message thread.

• Details
  • Ali: Demonstrated deleting selected messages using Shift+3 (the # key).
  • Ali: Opened a Techstravaganza reminder email by pressing Enter on the highlighted message.
  • Ali: Used the semicolon key to expand all threads within the message.
  • Ali: Used the letter P to navigate to the first message in the thread, and Control+Option+Right Arrow (VoiceOver next item) to read through the message content.
  • Ali: Read through the email content, which included workshop join details, a special announcement about the upcoming move to Google Meet, and upcoming session information.
  • Ali: Demonstrated using G then I (in quick succession) to return to the inbox from an open message.
• Conclusion
  • Enter opens a message; semicolon expands threads; Control+Option+Right Arrow reads through content; G+I returns to inbox.

Gmail on the Web (Mac) — Moving Messages to Labels

Ali demonstrated how to move selected messages to a specific Gmail label (folder/mailbox).

• Details
  • Ali: Selected multiple Techstravaganza-related messages using X, then pressed the letter V to open the Move To menu.
  • Ali: Typed “Textravaganza” in the menu to filter labels, then pressed Enter to move the messages.
  • Ali: Clarified that Gmail uses the term “labels,” while other email clients may call them “mailboxes” or “folders” — all referring to the same concept.
• Conclusion
  • V opens the Move To menu; type the label name and press Enter to move selected messages.

Gmail on the Web (Mac) — Composing and Sending a Message with an Attachment

Ali demonstrated how to compose a new email, address it, write a body, attach a file, and send it.

• Details
  • Ali: Pressed the letter C to open the Compose window.
  • Ali: Typed a recipient name (Siena) and navigated the autocomplete suggestions using the Down Arrow, selecting the correct address and pressing Enter.
  • Ali: Tabbed to the Subject field and typed a subject, then tabbed to the message body.
  • Ali: Noted that a pre-existing signature appeared in the body automatically (not covered in this tutorial).
  • Ali: Demonstrated attaching a file by copying a file from Finder (using Command+C) and pasting it into the compose window, with VoiceOver confirming the attachment was added.
  • Ali: Sent the message using Command+Enter.
  • Siena: Noted that attaching files is an important skill to cover and confirmed it was demonstrated.
• Conclusion
  • C opens Compose; Down Arrow navigates autocomplete; Command+Enter sends; files can be attached by copying and pasting from Finder.

Gmail on the Web (Mac) — Reading a Message with an Attachment and Replying (Siena’s Demonstration)

Siena took over screen sharing to demonstrate reading an email with an attachment, downloading it, and replying.

• Details
  • Siena: Opened the Gmail web interface on the Techstravaganza account and navigated to Ali’s email.
  • Siena: Noted that the inbox listing announces “has attachment” for emails containing attachments.
  • Siena: Opened the email, navigated through the message body using Control+Option+Right Arrow, and located the attachment section.
  • Siena: Explained that Gmail scans attachments for malware and advises users to only download from trusted senders.
  • Siena: Demonstrated two options for attachments — Preview and Download — and downloaded the file to the Downloads folder, then opened it in LibreOffice.
  • Siena: Demonstrated replying using Shift+R (reply in a new window) versus R (reply in the same window).
  • Lily: Asked about the benefit of replying in a new window (Shift+R) versus the same window (R).
  • Siena: Explained it was a personal habit developed to avoid losing her place in the thread; acknowledged it may not be necessary for everyone.
  • Ali: Noted he typically uses R (same window) and finds it sufficient.
  • Siena: Demonstrated returning to the inbox using G+I after replying.
• Conclusion
  • Attachments can be previewed or downloaded directly from the message; R replies in the same window, Shift+R in a new window — both are valid workflows.

Gmail on the Web (Mac) — Navigating Threaded/Conversation View

Ali demonstrated how to navigate between messages within a thread (conversation view) in Gmail on the web.

• Details
  • Ali: Opened a multi-message thread from a mailing list (LISP group), pressed the semicolon to expand all messages, and used P to go to the first message.
  • Ali: Explained that N moves to the next message in the thread and P moves to the previous, and that this is important to ensure focus is on the correct message before replying.
  • Ali: Read through two messages in the thread (from Yamuna Jivanada and Scott Cheeseworth) using Control+Option+Right Arrow.
  • Ali: Demonstrated pressing R to open a reply on the focused message, then discarded the draft using the Discard Draft button (Command+Shift+D).
  • Ali: Used N again to navigate to a third message in the thread (another reply from Yamuna Jivanada).
  • Ali: Returned to the inbox using G+I.
• Conclusion
  • N and P navigate between messages within a thread; always confirm focus is on the correct message before replying.

Gmail on the Web (Mac) — Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

Ali demonstrated how to access Gmail’s built-in keyboard shortcuts reference.

• Details
  • Ali: Pressed Shift+/ (the question mark key) to open the keyboard shortcuts overlay.
  • Ali: Navigated through the shortcuts table using Control+Option+Right and Left Arrow, reading out various commands including Shift+Escape (compose/chat side panel), Escape (focus main window), Command+Enter (send), and Command+Shift+E (add CC recipients).
  • Ali: Noted that Google Chat (within Gmail/Workspace) was not covered in this session but expressed interest in exploring it in a future tutorial, as it could be useful for internal communication.
• Conclusion
  • Pressing ? (Shift+/) opens the Gmail keyboard shortcuts reference at any time.

Gmail iPhone App — Navigating Threaded View (Brief Overview)

Ali provided a brief demonstration of navigating threaded messages in the Gmail iPhone app.

• Details
  • Ali: Connected his iPhone and opened the Gmail app, navigating to a mailing list thread.
  • Ali: Noted that on the iPhone, flicking left/right navigates messages, and VoiceOver announces “collapsed message from [name]”; double-tapping expands the message.
  • Ali: Was stopped by Lily at the 20-minute mark before completing a full demonstration.
  • Ali: Provided a verbal summary of the key interaction: flick to navigate, double-tap to expand a collapsed message.
• Conclusion
  • On the iPhone Gmail app, collapsed thread messages are announced by VoiceOver; double-tap to expand. A more detailed demonstration was deferred.

Announcement: Permanent Move from Zoom to Google Meet

The team formally announced that all Techstravaganza workshops will permanently transition from Zoom to Google Meet starting September 2026.

• Details
  • Ali: Explained that Zoom has recurring backend issues including unreliable screen sharing, audio setup problems, recording difficulties, and complex host controls that make session management difficult.
  • Siena: Confirmed the change is permanent and that Google Meet has undergone significant accessibility improvements.
  • Siena: Noted that Google Meet is browser-based (no installation required), whereas Zoom requires an app install.
  • Ivy: Asked whether the process for joining Google Meet would differ from Zoom; Siena confirmed it is similar — click a link, adjust camera/microphone on the pre-join screen, then click Join.
  • Siena: Announced that virtual office hours (group and individual) will be offered throughout the three months leading up to September to help participants transition.
• Conclusion
  • Techstravaganza will move permanently to Google Meet in September 2026; office hours will support the transition.

Office Hours Planning: Google Meet Onboarding (June 25, 2026)

The team discussed logistics for the first group office hours session scheduled for the following day.

• Details
  • Lily: Announced that office hours are open the next day (Thursday, June 25) for anyone needing help with Google Meet.
  • Ali and Siena: Agreed to split the team across two platforms — Ali, Lily, and Ashlyn in the Google Meet studio; Siena and Macara in the Zoom studio — so participants having trouble with Meet can start in Zoom and be assisted to transition.
  • Makara: Agreed to the arrangement, noting it would make it easier to monitor both platforms.
  • Siena: Confirmed that the Zoom studio link and Google Meet studio link would both be included in that evening’s newsletter.
• Conclusion
  • Office hours: Thursday, June 25, 2026, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM Eastern. Ali/Lily/Ashlyn in Meet studio; Siena/Macara in Zoom studio.

Upcoming Session Schedule and Naming Changes

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Siena provided updates on the upcoming session schedule and announced a rebranding of session names.

• Details
  • Siena: Noted that the next session would be on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2026, from 1:00–3:00 PM Eastern, shifted by one day due to Canada Day (July 1st).
  • Siena: Confirmed the regular Wednesday afternoon schedule resumes on July 8th.
  • Siena: Announced a naming change: “Textravaganza Afternoons” for the weekly Wednesday workshops, and “Textravaganza Evenings” for the monthly Thursday evening workshop (second Thursday of the month), with the next evening session on July 9th.
• Conclusion
  • Next session: July 2nd, 2026, 1:00–3:00 PM Eastern. Regular schedule resumes July 8th. New naming convention introduced.