GoKawiil
Tech News
A tool has emerged that helps users manage or free up Gmail storage without subscribing to Google's paid cloud storage tiers. The approach targets users who repeatedly hit storage limits and are prompted to upgrade to a paid Google One plan.
Code strings found in Gmail app version 2026.09.28 point to a new feature letting users assign AI Inbox action items directly to Gemini, which would then work through tasks such as drafting replies. The strings suggest statuses like 'In progress' and 'Needs your input' would appear, with Gemini pausing to ask for user confirmation before sending emails or marking tasks complete. The discovery was first flagged publicly by X user Abhishek Yadav and corroborated by Android Authority's own review of the app's code.
A longtime Gmail user who had relied on the service for about 15 years switched to Mozilla's Thunderbird email client earlier this year, using it on Windows and Android for roughly seven months. The user cites frustration with Gmail's promotional smart features, ads and AI-heavy interface, contrasting it with Thunderbird's local storage, which allows offline access to emails without an internet connection.
A CNET writer connected Google's Gemini chatbot directly to a Gmail account containing more than 192,000 unread messages, including over 93,000 in the Promotions folder. Gemini generated targeted Gmail search queries, such as filtering Nextdoor alerts about lost or dead animals, which the writer then ran manually in Gmail's search bar to locate and bulk-delete unwanted threads.
Tuck is a free browser extension that lets users temporarily close tabs and have them reopen automatically at a chosen later time, similar to snoozing an email in Gmail. It works across Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, Brave, Arc, Vivaldi and other major browsers without requiring an account. The tool also auto-closes idle tabs after a set period and stores them so users can reopen them later.
Throughout 2026, Google added several new features to Google Wallet beyond payment cards, including a full interface redesign. New additions include package order tracking (requiring Gmail tracking to be enabled) and a June partnership with the TSA making Wallet the first digital wallet compatible with PreCheck Touchless ID at 65 US airports. Android Authority has reported the app may also come to iOS soon.
Google confirmed via the official Gmail account on X that it changed the default color of Gmail's star and 'Important' label markers from yellow to blue on the web, citing accessibility and contrast standards. The redesign uses an identical saturated blue for both markers, which previously used different shades to distinguish user-starred messages from algorithmically flagged important ones.
Google is rolling out a new 'Copy code' shortcut in Gmail that appears beneath the subject line of verification emails, letting users copy a 2FA code straight to their clipboard without opening the message. The feature is live on Gmail for Android version 2026.09.07.x and iOS version 6.0.260907, though it hasn't reached the web version yet.
Pangram, an AI-detection service, has released a new integration for Gmail that scans incoming messages and flags those it believes were written by artificial intelligence. The tool aims to help users quickly identify AI-generated 'slop' mixed in with genuine human correspondence.
A Warsaw-based user reports that on September 1, 2026, Google shut down a Gmail account they had held since 2011, citing spam without identifying any offending message. Despite five appeals, three registered letters, complaints to three public authorities and a visit to Google's Polish office, the company gave no explanation, while the user notes Google Poland is not party to any agreement covering the account.
Meta debuted Muse, its first AI productivity agent, which connects to accounts like Gmail and Amazon to handle tasks such as deleting emails, sorting messages, and completing online purchases. A Verge reporter tested the tool, noting it worked reasonably well but required granting broad access to personal accounts and data. The reviewer described feeling uneasy about the amount of personal information Muse could gather while performing these autonomous actions.
Google's storage warnings push many users toward paid upgrades, but much of the used space in Gmail, Drive, and Photos can be reclaimed by clearing out large attachments, duplicate files, and unnecessary backups. A few targeted cleanup steps can free up meaningful space across the shared 15GB storage pool in minutes.