Explained: Gmail now works without an internet connection, albeit with limited functionalities. Here’s how- Technology News, Firstpost

FP ExplainersJun 28, 2022 11:11:30 IST

Google’s Gmail is one of the most used email services on the planet, and for good reasons. There probably isn’t anyone with a smartphone who does not have a Gmail account.

Sure, if you have an Android device, you need to have a Google account and thereby Gmail, but even on the other side of the aisle, you will find plenty of people who prefer using Gmail, over anything that Apple or Microsoft provide.

One of the biggest pet peeves that Gmail users had to put up with is the fact that the service simply stops working the moment your internet gets interrupted or a weak signal. In order to counter that, Google has now added the ability to use Gmail without an active internet connection.

Here’s how it works and what all users can do with Gmail when they have a weak connection.

Email services like Gmail or any other service require an active internet connection to enable users to check their mail inbox, get new mails, and respond to them. 

However, with the offline mail mode enabled for Gmail, users will be able to access more or less every feature of Google’s email service without any internet. 

They will be able to check their inbox, open up unread emails, and even send new emails to recipients.  

So, if you want to use the offline mode for Gmail, follow the steps below to get started right away.

• Open your Gmail account on a PC and navigate to the in-app settings menu. This will be under Settings>See All Settings.
• From there, go to the “Offline” tab at the top of the navigation bar.
• Here, check the box for “Enable offline mail” to switch on the offline mode for Gmail. If you want to, you can tinker around with the options and settings for the feature.
• Once you’re done, just click on “Save Changes,” at the bottom, and you’re good to go.

When the offline mode is turned on, Gmail will automatically sync your latest emails for offline access and keep them for a certain period, ranging from 7 days to 90 days.

When you send someone an email in offline mode, it will not actually send the mail to the recipient but will save it in an Outbox folder.

The moment your system has an active internet connection, no matter how unstable it is, Gmail will send all your emails in the Outbox and download a light version of your incoming email. Do keep in mind that it won’t download any attachments, for that, you will need an active and stable connection.