Problem with Gmail Display

[Hermitkrab]

In my G mail inbox, the little squares where you can select individual emails or the whole group, are entirely invisible. I've tried adjusting my general computer display brightness to no avail. I suspect that it's something inherent to G mail since my other email clients behave normally (AOL, Yahoo, GMX, etc.) Is there anything that can be done to fix my G mail issue? Thanks in advance.

 

[ChatGPT]

That’s an odd one, Ed! Gmail’s display quirks like this are usually tied to browser issues, theme settings, or sometimes even certain Chrome/Edge extensions (ironically, like dark mode!).
Let’s walk through some steps to troubleshoot and (hopefully) fix the missing selection checkboxes:

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1. Check Gmail’s Theme Settings​

Gmail’s default theme or dark mode occasionally causes visibility issues for icons like the selection checkboxes:

• Open Gmail and click the gear icon (top-right corner).
• Under "Quick Settings," scroll down to Themes.
• Try switching to a simple, high-contrast, or default theme and see if the checkboxes reappear.
• Dark mode users (if Gmail’s dark mode is enabled): Flip to light mode temporarily and check if the issue resolves. A dark theme can sometimes clash with certain extensions like your dark mode browser extension.

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2. Browser Cache and Cookies​

Sometimes, weird UI glitches occur due to a corrupted cache or outdated cookies:

• Clear your browser’s cache and cookies:
  • In Chrome/Edge, go to Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear browsing data.
  • Check “Cached images and files” and “Cookies and site data” (you’ll need to re-login to websites afterward).
• Reload the Gmail page and check if the squares return.

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3. Disable Browser Extensions​

Extensions like your dark mode extension, or even ad blockers like uBlock Origin, can interfere with Gmail’s UI rendering. To test:

• Temporarily disable your extensions.
  • Chrome/Edge: Go to Extensions (from the menu or chrome://extensions/).
• Reload Gmail and see if the issue persists.
• If disabling extensions helps, re-enable them one by one to identify the culprit.

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4. Browser Compatibility or Updates​

Gmail is notoriously finicky with outdated browsers or certain browser settings:

• Ensure your browser is up-to-date.
• If the issue persists, try accessing Gmail in a different browser (e.g., Firefox, Edge, etc.) to see if the checkboxes work there.

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5. Zoom or Display Scaling in Browser​

Your Gmail issue may also stem from zoom levels or display scaling:

• Reset browser zoom levels to 100%: Press Ctrl + 0.
• If you use a high-DPI or zoomed display (e.g., >150% scaling in Windows), try adjusting it temporarily and see if Gmail behaves better.

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6. Fallback – Basic HTML View​

If you’re still stuck, Gmail offers a Basic HTML view that strips away fancy visuals and uses a simpler interface:

• Go to Gmail Basic View to see if the checkboxes are visible there.

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Let me know which of these steps works or if the issue persists! It may be a Gmail-side bug, but fingers crossed it’s something tweakable. Always here to help refine things further, Ed!

 

[Neemobeer]

Which browser are you using? Do you use any extensions? I setting or extension blocking content is the most likely culprit.

 

[Hermitkrab]

Thank you for the help (both of you). Using my Edge Browser, I logged into G mail. I disabled my ad blocker (U block origin) and Gmail appeared in dark mode and the little boxes were visible again.

Using Fiefox , all I did was clear cache and G mail showed up in dark mode with little squares visible. I didn't need to disable the ad block (UbO). Do, all OK now, thanks to your help!

 

[Hermitkrab]

Which browser are you using? Do you use any extensions? I setting or extension blocking content is the most likely culprit.

Nemobeer, I just thanked both you and ChatGPT for your assistance. As I said in my reply to Chat GPT, disabling my ad blocker (UbO) temporsrily for G mail has worked. Thanks again. Oh, to answer your question, my browser is Microsoft Edge (I also use Firefox).

 

[ChatGPT]

Great follow-up question, Ed! Knowing which browser you’re using and whether any extensions are active is key to solving display issues like this in Gmail. If you have uBlock Origin or your dark mode extension active, they could be interfering with Gmail’s rendering of those checkbox icons.

To add to your observation:

• Extensions: As you suggested, some extensions (especially content blockers or style-modifying ones) can block certain elements. Disabling them temporarily, as discussed earlier, would reveal if that’s the culprit.
• Browser Differences: Gmail behaves slightly differently across browsers. If switching browsers (e.g., from Edge to Chrome) resolves the issue, it could point to a browser-specific quirk or a cache-related problem.

Let me know if you manage to identify anything further! Between the two of us, we’ll get those checkboxes visible again.

 

[Hermitkrab]

Great follow-up question, Ed! Knowing which browser you’re using and whether any extensions are active is key to solving display issues like this in Gmail. If you have uBlock Origin or your dark mode extension active, they could be interfering with Gmail’s rendering of those checkbox icons.

To add to your observation:

• Extensions: As you suggested, some extensions (especially content blockers or style-modifying ones) can block certain elements. Disabling them temporarily, as discussed earlier, would reveal if that’s the culprit.
• Browser Differences: Gmail behaves slightly differently across browsers. If switching browsers (e.g., from Edge to Chrome) resolves the issue, it could point to a browser-specific quirk or a cache-related problem.

Let me know if you manage to identify anything further! Between the two of us, we’ll get those check boxes visible again.

UPDATE: I noticed, today, my G Mail on Edge browser is again "hiding" the squares even with ad blocker turned off. However, if I open G mail in Firefox it opens in dark mode and everything is visible. That being the case, I'll simply just use Firefox when using G mail. and be done messing around. Other than that, I find Edge to be a good browser, and it displays my other email clients satisfactorily. It's only G mail that has the issue.Thanks again for your assistance.

 

[Hermitkrab]

Another Update: As an experiment, I re-installed Brave browser (I had experimented with Brave not long ago). Upon installation, I was pleasantly surprised that the browser appeared exactly as when I uninstalled it; my settings and favorites were as before.

Now, I tried my G mail on Brave and it worked perfectly. It was in dark mode with squares easily visible.

There's a good chance I may start using Brave in place of Edge, even though I still have high regard for Edge, regardless of negative reports i often find on the Internet.