Gmail for Seniors
Most popular email. Free. Powerful.
5 essential skills
- Compose + send email.
- Reply + forward.
- Add attachment (paperclip icon).
- Search emails (top of inbox).
- Delete + archive (trash + checkmark icons).
- Covers 90% of email needs.
Senior-friendly settings
- Settings → Display Density → Comfortable.
- Settings → Theme → larger fonts.
- Reading pane on (split screen).
- Mark as read after viewing.
- Smart compose helps with sentences.
- Conversation view groups messages.
Spam filter
- Gmail spam filter excellent.
- Most scams auto-filtered.
- Suspicious — Report Spam button.
- Spam folder auto-deletes after 30 days.
- Trust + Verify before clicking links.
- Banking emails — type URL directly.
Organize
- Stars — important emails.
- Labels — categorize (color codes).
- Filters — auto-sort emails.
- Archive vs delete (archive keeps, delete removes).
- Use search instead of folders.
- 15 GB free storage.
Senior security
- Strong unique password (12+ chars).
- 2-Step Verification ON (Settings).
- Recovery phone + email set.
- Don't click attachments from strangers.
- Verify sender before sending money.
- Phishing attempt — Report Phishing.
Other email options
Outlook — Microsoft. Use for Microsoft 365. Yahoo Mail — old but works. iCloud Mail — Apple users. ProtonMail — privacy. Gmail most popular but choose what you're comfortable with.