Open Phone focuses the Google voice and video panel inside Gmail. For teams that use it, the shortcut opens the calling tools without leaving the inbox you are already in.
CMDK transforms your Gmail into a keyboard first experience, not just transforming existing Gmail keyboard shortcuts but also adding new ones for you to be 2x faster at email. CMDK also adds a command bar, natural language snooze, split inbox with Tabs, one-click email nuke, and easy account switching tools. It reduces your reliance on the mouse, getting you into a state of flow as you use Gmail everyday.
Open phone Gmail Shortcut Tutorial
To use the Gmail shortcut “Open phone,” follow these steps:
1. Open your Gmail account in a web browser on your computer.
2. Click on the gear icon in the top right corner of the Gmail homepage.
3. Select “See all settings” from the dropdown menu.
4. In the settings menu, click on the “Advanced” tab.
5. Scroll down to the “Keyboard shortcuts” section.
6. Click on the radio button next to “Keyboard shortcuts on.”
7. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Save Changes.”
8. Now that keyboard shortcuts are enabled, you can use the “Open phone” shortcut.
9. To execute the “Open phone” shortcut, simply press the key combination “g” followed by “p” on your keyboard when you are in your Gmail inbox.
10. This will immediately open the Google Voice interface in a new tab on your web browser, allowing you to make phone calls directly from your Gmail account.
If turning Gmail’s shortcuts on by hand feels fiddly, the CMDK extension switches them on for you the moment you install it, so Open Phone works right away with no setup.
Go beyond a single shortcut
The Open Phone shortcut is a small habit that pays off every day, and it is only a taste of what a keyboard-first inbox feels like. CMDK adds more than 80 shortcuts on top of the ones Gmail already has, plus a command bar that runs any action by name, natural-language snooze, a split inbox with tabs, one-click sender nuke, and instant account switching. Install CMDK and see how much faster email feels by the end of your first day.
Related Gmail keyboard shortcuts
CMDK adds these and 80+ more shortcuts to Gmail, along with a command bar and natural-language snooze. See how CMDK works or check CMDK pricing.