Google Mail Keyboard Shortcut for delete on Mac

Question

I use the Google Mail keyboard shortcuts a lot and I've just started working on a Mac. One shortcut I use a lot is delete, which Google Mail listens for the # key.

However, when I press the equivalent on the Mac keyboard (Alt+3) it doesn't work. I've tried pressing backspace and Fn+Backspace but no luck.

Anyone out there know the solution?

Answer 1

It is Shift+3 within a message for Mac.
It is the same in the inbox as well

1. You must move to the message with j/k
2. Select a message with x
3. Then press Shift+3

It could be that your keyboard layout is different.
Using a UK layout, it would be Option + 3 : ⌥ + 3, but this does not work (Not sure why).
You can also remap your keys with the Google Labs feature : Custom keyboard shortcuts

Answer 2

With a Spanish Macbook keyboard I could not make it work: typing a # with neither Cmd-3 nor Shift-3 nor Cmd-Shift 3 worked...

"Google Labs feature : Custom keyboard shortcuts" worked fine (but remember to RELOAD the Gmail page before using newly defined keys).

Answer 3

I am using MacBook Air M1 chip (2020) and clearly at this time of my posting this comment, using Safari browser, everything seems to work on Safari browser w.r.t. the Gmail keyboard shortcuts, except # to delete an email.

I have tried to edit Gmail keyboard shortcut to something else but keep getting error "One action per key!", which contradicts the pervious post here ^^ and the Gmail Documentation https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6594?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en#zippy=%2Cactions

Answer 4

Came to this question from 2011 in 2021, and was still not clear why this no longer works Out of the Box!

It turns out that Google changed the defaults. The Keyboard Shortcuts are now off by default. I found out because I'm now using a (new) GSuite account for work.

So to turn it on go to Settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts and set it to Keyboard shortcuts on:

After you have done so you can use Shift+3 a.k.a. # to delete messages at your leisure!

This also means you no longer have to use the Google Lab to modify the shortcuts.

Answer 5

What works for me (2022):

1. In gmail, click the setting icon and click "see all settings"
2. Go to the "Advanced" tab and enable "Custom keyboard shortcuts"
3. Refresh gmail. Now there should be a new tab called "Keyboard shortcuts"
4. Find the shortcut for "Delete", set it to whatever you like
5. I'd like to use d and got an error "One action per key!" This means d is already used. I find it's used by "Compose in a tab" which I never use, so I removed that. Then it works fine.