Best Gmail Settings to Change on a New Phone for a Faster, Cleaner & Smarter Email Experience

Gmail usually tends to be one of the first applications I open whenever I set up a new phone, and over these years, I've realized something important: default settings are not for everyone. Between tabs, categories, unnecessary clutter, smart suggestions, and the notifications, Gmail more often than not feels bloated straight out of the box.

But the secret is that most of Gmail's best features are buried deep inside Settings, and few users ever touch them.

Now, every time I get a new phone, I take a few minutes to tweak Gmail in some pretty impactful ways, making it faster, cleaner, and more predictable. Here are the most impactful changes you should make.

Remove the Meet Tab

One of the first things I disable is always the Google Meet tab in the bottom navigation bar. Google tries to make Gmail double as a video-calling hub, but let's be realistic: most people never open Meet from Gmail on purpose. And that incidental tap? That slows everything down for no reason. Take it away, and that clutter is greatly reduced. The bottom bar shrinks to just Mail, making Gmail clean and focused.

How to disable it:

Go to Menu → Settings → Select your account → Uncheck “Show the Meet tab for video calling.”

Once it’s gone, Gmail feels lighter and less busy exactly how an email app should feel.

Turn On Auto-Advance for Faster Inbox Cleanup

If you are someone who clears emails swiftly, auto-advance is among the best hidden features of Gmail.

By default, once an email is archived or deleted, Gmail throws you back to the inbox. That breaks the flow of processing messages. With auto-advance enabled, Gmail automatically opens the next email, letting you clean your inbox without interruption.

Enable it from:

Settings → General settings → Auto-advance → Select “Newer.”

It’s a small tweak, but it dramatically speeds up inbox cleanup and makes email triaging almost effortless.

Set a Simple Mobile Signature for Professional Emails

Most people forget about Gmail’s mobile signature, but it matters.

Without a proper sign-off, mobile emails can feel abrupt or unfinished. I always set a simple signature just my name. It adds personality and keeps my messages professional.

To set it:

Settings → Select your account → Mobile signature.

Every email you send from your phone will automatically include this neat sign-off.

Turn Off Smart Reply & Smart Compose for More Natural Emails

Smart Reply and Smart Compose aim to help, but in reality, they often make your emails sound robotic.

The suggestions rarely match your tone, and the ghost-text predictions end up being more distracting than helpful.

I prefer to type naturally without Gmail guessing what I want to say.

Disable them from:

Settings → Select account → Turn off Smart Reply & Smart Compose.

Once turned off, your replies will finally start sounding like you again.

Disable Social & Promotions Tabs

Gmail’s category tabs were designed to organize messages automatically, but they often hide important emails under sections like Promotions, Social, or Updates.

Multiple times, a password reset or important alert landed in the wrong tab.

Now, I disable everything and keep only the Primary tab.

Go to:

Settings → Select account → Inbox categories → Uncheck everything except Primary.

This makes the inbox predictable. You see every new message the moment it arrives, no tab-switching, no hidden surprises.

And if something unimportant shows up? Archive it instantly and move on.

This method actually reduces mental load especially on mobile.

The Small Tweaks That Make Gmail Feel Faster

These changes take only a few minutes, but the difference is noticeable:

• A cleaner bottom bar without Meet

• No unnecessary smart suggestions

• Faster email cleanup with Auto-advance

• A professional mobile signature

• A single, predictable inbox

No single tweak is dramatic on its own, but together they make Gmail feel faster, cleaner, and more controlled exactly how it should feel on a new phone.

FAQs

1. Why should I remove the Meet tab from Gmail?

It reduces clutter and makes the Gmail interface simpler and faster to navigate, especially on mobile.

2. Is Auto-advance really useful?

Yes. It speeds up inbox cleanup by opening the next email automatically after you delete or archive one.

3. Should I disable Promotions and Social tabs?

If you miss important emails or prefer a single unified inbox, disabling these tabs is the best option.

4. Do Smart Reply and Smart Compose help?

They work for some users, but many find them unnatural. Turning them off gives you full control over your writing tone.

5. How long do these Gmail tweaks take?

Less than 10 minutes, but they significantly improve your Gmail experience.