The 5 Best Gmail Extensions for Productivity to Install Right Now

What do you get if you cross the world’s most popular web browser for computers with one of the world’s best email services? An ultra-powerful productivity service with incredible features, that’s what. Chrome and Gmail make an outstanding combination on any platform, whether you’re running a Mac, a Chromebook, Windows, or Linux. But installing the right extensions can see your productivity increase significantly. Here are the five best Chrome extensions for Gmail for increasing productivity that you can install right now. 

#1 Checker Plus

Checker Plus for Gmail lets you receive notifications and read or delete emails without opening Gmail, making it one of the best Gmail extensions for productivity in the Chrome Web Store. It comes packed with many useful features, such as alerting you to new emails via pop-up windows that appear in the bottom-left of your browser, even when you aren’t logged into Gmail. 

Once installed, you’ll see a red mail icon on the right-hand side of your Chrome address bar. Hover your mouse over this icon to see a drop-down list of your most recent emails. Checker Plus is regularly updated and supports Google Calendar, allowing you to manage events within the extension. You can play around with skins and themes, and, for a small donation, you can unlock a range of other customizable features.

#2 Mailtrack

Mailtrack is an easy-to-use email tracking extension for Gmail that lets you easily track emails and get a “read” receipt for emails you have opened. It works by adding simple, unintrusive check marks to your Gmail inbox. Once you get the hang of this extension, it can dramatically increase your productivity.

Mailtrack’s simple checkmark system works like this. One checkmark means that your email has been sent but not opened, while two checkmarks mean that your email has been opened. Email tracking is free forever, but you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro version to remove the Mailtrack signature and receive full email metrics, real-time notifications, click tracking, and email and phone support. 

#3 Dropbox

Dropbox for Gmail - Chrome extension

Like Batman and Robin, Dropbox’s Chrome extension and Gmail are a force to be reckoned with. If you’re a Gmail user and haven’t tried Dropbox yet, you’ll be astonished by how much it can increase your productivity. Dropbox’s innovative Gmail extension allows you to preview and send any file or link from your Dropbox account without even leaving your Gmail window. If you regularly share and review important files via email, the Dropbox extension will send your productivity into overdrive. 

Dropbox lets you save inbox space and seamlessly share large files by adding a Dropbox button to Gmail Compose. The extension comes with a supercharged Search tool that allows you quickly find the file you need and share it without having to attach it to the email manually. Dropbox makes sharing files a breeze as you can see previews of links shared in emails before you send them. The recipient can download the file(s) directly by clicking on the link(s) in the email. 

#4 Boomerang

Boomerang bills itself as the “ultimate productivity tool” because it solves two problems that you may not have realized you had. Firstly, it lets you schedule when you send emails and track replies to keep on top of which recipients replied. Secondly, it has a unique “Inbox Pause” feature that temporarily delays specific new messages from arriving in your inbox. If you’re suffering from an overwhelming number of notifications, Boomerang will help you stay productive and focused until you have time to reply or respond to new emails.

One of Boomerang’s most valuable features is an AI-powered assistant called “Respondable.” Every time you write an email, this bot will give you real-time input on the likelihood that the message you are writing will receive a response. It can help make suggestions for starting or continuing any conversation, making it extremely helpful for anyone who receives a vast number of emails daily. 

#5 ActiveInbox

Last but by no means least is ActiveInbox, the original Gmail plugin for task management around since 2006. ActiveInbox was one of the first Gmail extensions released to help time-pressed execs, managers, and founders who were overwhelmed by the number of emails they had to read and respond to daily. Years later, it’s still one of the best productivity extensions. Here’s how it works. 

ActiveInbox was designed to be “Getting Things Done-for email,” which refers to the blueprint for time management created by David Allen. In 2003, Allen published his seminal text, “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity,” and quickly established himself as one of the world’s most popular time-management gurus. “GTD,” as it became known, is a simple framework that helps anyone keep track of their tasks and work and has developed a cult-like following. 

According to Allen, GTD’s guiding principle is that “Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” The GTD system calls for information to pass through five distinct stages: “Capture, Process, Organize, Reflect and Engage.” This workflow helps anyone prioritize anything that comes into their lives, from emails to work assignments and events. ActiveInbox is based on GTD principles and works by organizing your emails into specific folders (known as “projects”) and then assigning them action and due dates, according to how important they are. 

After installing ActiveInbox, you’ll see a new top bar that will help you track your tasks for the current day. Emails and tasks can be prioritized as either high or low, depending on their importance. If you’re trying to reach the fabled “inbox zero,” ActiveInbox is one of the best Gmail extensions to install. 

Conclusion

These five Chrome extensions for Gmail will help completely transform your relationship with your inbox and boost your productivity. Whether you need help with email tracking, time management, or need a break from emails for a while, the extensions detailed above are sure to supercharge your productivity.

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