Compose Enhancer for Gmail

What it does

• Drag to move

  Gmail pins compose to the bottom-right corner; the only stock way to move it is to pop it out into a separate browser window. Press the compose title bar and move — the window follows anywhere over Gmail. Each draft remembers where you left it.

• Tab Indent

  Press Tab with your cursor in the compose body to insert an indent. Tab still moves focus normally everywhere else: the To/Cc/Subject fields, the toolbar, all of it.

• Shift+Tab Outdent

  Removes one level of indent from your cursor position. Backspace can also delete a whole indent at once.

• Bold focus glow

  When Tab is walking compose's own controls, this draws a bold glow around whatever it lands on, so you never lose track of focus. Keyboard-only, and it follows Gmail's light and dark themes.

• Alt+Shift+T Toggle anywhere

  Turn Tab-to-indent on or off from any tab, or from the toolbar popup, or from the small pill button in each compose window's title bar. All three stay in sync instantly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move the Gmail compose window?

Yes. Gmail pins compose to the bottom-right corner and the only stock way to move it is to pop it out into a separate browser window. This extension makes the compose title bar a drag handle instead — press it and move the window anywhere over Gmail. Each draft remembers where you left it.

Why does Tab move focus instead of indenting in Gmail?

Gmail's compose box treats Tab as a browser accessibility control by default, moving keyboard focus to the next button in the toolbar rather than inserting an indent.

How do I make Tab indent text in Gmail?

Install the Compose Enhancer for Gmail extension. It intercepts Tab only while your cursor is inside the compose message body, inserting an indent instead of moving focus. Tab still works normally everywhere else in Gmail.

Does this extension read my emails?

No. It has no access to your email content, makes no network requests, and has no server. It stores your on/off settings in Chrome's synced storage and each draft's window position locally, and nothing else. Full details: privacy policy.

Can I turn Tab-to-indent off temporarily?

Yes, the shortcut, the popup switch, and the in-compose pill all toggle the same state, instantly, across every open Gmail tab.

How do I tab in Gmail without an extension?

Use the Indent more button under Formatting options in the compose toolbar, or press Ctrl+] (Cmd+] on Mac). Full walkthrough, including mobile.