update: You may have come here because you heard that Google is “killing Gmail” this year, as per a hoax that is spreading rapidly online. The hoax claims to show an email from Google that says, “Your Gmail journey is coming to an end.” Here's one version I found on Twitter/X.
rest assured. That doesn't mean Gmail won't go anywhere, but there is one way to access it, as explained below. In most cases, the “new” Gmail view was set by default a long time ago, so nothing needs to be changed unless you specifically requested the “basic HTML” view.
Another day, another Google product going to the grave. Starting in January 2024, the company will retire Gmail's basic HTML view, which allows users to view emails in a stripped-down manner.
The company has updated its support page to reflect that Gmail will automatically switch to standard view after the deadline. A user on Hacker News posted that he received an email from Google informing him of the feature's end.
“We would like to inform you that the Gmail Basic HTML view on desktop and mobile web will be disabled starting in early January 2024. version and does not include the full functionality of Gmail,” the email states.
Even now, when you try to access the HTML version, Google displays a message saying that this version is designed for “slow connections and legacy browsers” and asks you to confirm that you don't want to use the standard version.
Image credits: Screenshot by TechCrunch
The HTML version lacks many features such as chat, spell checker, search filters, keyboard shortcuts, and rich formatting. However, it can be useful if you're in an area with low connectivity or just want to check your email without any extra features. It's unclear whether Google plans to add a low connectivity mode.
Google is currently focusing on building AI-powered features into its products, such as Gmail. Last month, the company released his Duet AI feature, which helps users compose emails. Last week, the Bard chatbot became available for integration with your Google account, allowing you to ask questions about your email history.
We have updated this post to reflect the development of this change in February 2024 and any misinformation we believe is associated with it.