Gmail is the leading webmail client, but desktop email clients remain a thing. They're appealing because you can store your emails locally and access them any time. What if Gmail could act more like a desktop client without dropping any of its killer features?

Google doesn't offer an official Gmail desktop app. But let us show you how you can set up Gmail to behave more like a desktop email client.

1. Create a Gmail Desktop App Shortcut

Seasoned Windows users will appreciate Chrome's ability to create application shortcuts. Open Gmail in your Chrome browser, open the Chrome menu (three vertical dots) and go to More tools > Add to desktop...

Create Gmail desktop shortcut from within Chrome.

This will create a Gmail desktop shortcut, which you can now pin to the Taskbar or the Windows 10 Start Menu. Just right-click the shortcut and choose the respective option from the menu. If you checked Open as window, the Gmail browser window opened through this shortcut will look a bit like a Windows app because it won't show browser toolbars.

When you click on an email address hyperlink, it will open your default desktop email client, with the address field already filled in. This type of hyperlink starts with mailto:, rather than https://, telling your computer to open an email client, rather than a website. But you can associate the Mailto link with Gmail.

In Chrome, open Gmail and click the Protocol Handler icon (two overlapping squares) in the address bar. Select Allow when asked to Allow mail.google.com to open all email links.

Enable or Disable Chrome email protocol Handlers from within Gmail.

If you can't see the icon, click the Chrome menu (three vertical dots) and go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Additional permissions (under Permissions). Click Handlers and make sure the Allow sites to ask to become default handlers for protocols (recommended) slider is in the "on" position.

Allow sites to ask to become default handlers for protocols in Gmail.

If mail.google.com isn't yet listed under mailto, you should see the icon in the address bar in your Gmail tab now. Otherwise, remove the application that is currently listed under mailto, so you can associate mailto links with Gmail.

3. Use Gmail Offline

Gmail offers offline support through its Chrome app. Under (not Chrome, but) Gmail Settings > See all settings > Offline in the web client, you'll find an option to Enable offline mail. More options become available when you check the box.

Enable offline mail from within Gmail's settings.

Once enabled and after all your messages have downloaded, you will be able to view your email in Chrome, even when you're offline. You can even compose new messages, which send the next time you are online. Your Chrome browser will behave just like a desktop email client.

4. Check Multiple Email Accounts in Gmail

If your main reason to use a desktop email client is that it lets you manage multiple email accounts and inboxes, then you're in for a treat. Gmail has built-in support to access external email accounts. This is especially useful in situations where you would like to access your work email or other accounts inside Gmail.

To configure multiple accounts, go to Gmail Settings > See all settings > Accounts and Import. Here you can configure Send mail as and Check mail from other accounts, which allows you to add multiple accounts.

Add and import accounts into Gmail to send mail as or check mail from another account.

The setup of additional accounts is almost identical to a desktop email client. And with almost no effort at all, you can check different accounts for new mail using any configured email address from within Gmail.

Related: How to Change Your Email Name and Address in Gmail

5. Use Gmail Filters and Labels to Replace Folders

Folders, as they are commonly known in various email clients, are another desktop client stronghold. They let you sort your email for easy access and an organized inbox. Gmail doesn't have folders. Instead, you get labels.

To manage labels, head to Gmail Settings > See all settings > Labels. You can also click the Label icon when you're viewing an email and check existing labels or click Create new at the bottom to add a label. You'll see a Manage labels shortcut at the bottom of the list of labels.

Open labels menu in Gmail with list of labels and manage labels option.

Labels are similar to folders, only better because you can have a message with more than one label. You can quickly jump to a label or use labels with a filter to automate tasks.

In fact, filters and labels combined give you near-magical powers that can greatly reduce your daily email workload. You can automatically sort incoming mail into labels (which can function as folders if you want), archive emails automatically, or delete them if you want.

You can even create custom replies using templates that Gmail will mail to the sender if their message fulfills certain criteria mentioned in the filter.

6. Enable Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts

If you like the ease of use and speed you gain by using keyboard shortcuts, then you just cannot ignore Gmail.

There is hardly anything that you cannot achieve via keyboard shortcuts inside Gmail. Select conversations, apply labels, navigate forward and back, star, delete, archive, and more.

You name it and it can most certainly be accomplished with a keyboard shortcut or two.

You can enable keyboard shortcuts under Gmail Settings > See all settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts. To get a quick overview of all the shortcuts, type ? in Gmail or visit the keyboard shortcuts for Gmail site.

An overlay window showing Gmail shortcuts, which comes up when you type ? anywhere in the Gmail interface.

Have trouble remembering shortcuts? Bookmark our Gmail shortcuts overview or download the PDF.

7. Get Email Desktop Notifications

Almost every desktop email client offers notifications when a new mail arrives. So does Gmail.

Head to Gmail Settings > See all settings > General > Desktop Notifications and enable your preferred setting. You can choose between receiving notifications for New mail or Important mail. The default is off.

Enable or disable new or important mail desktop notifications for Gmail.

Do You Still Need a Desktop Email Client?

After seeing all the features hidden under Gmail's hood, it's certainly hard to dismiss it as a desktop email client replacement. Especially now you know how to turn Gmail into a desktop-like email app.

The only thing holding you back might be a slow internet connection or security and privacy concerns. In which case, you might as well stick with a desktop email client.