Top Greasemonkey Scripts for GMail & Google Reader

One of the mos useful Firefox extensions has to be the Greasemonkey extension. This extension lets you download scripts from userscripts.org or write your own to change different aspects of a website.

I use GMail & Google Reader the most and I find these Greasemonkey scripts a life saver! I am listing them here so it will be a helpful reference for me and hopefully you as well.

Update: This list started out to be a Top 15 but I keep adding useful ones here so it helps everyone out in finding some of the best ones out there.

Gmail Scripts

1. Gmail Macros: This script provides extra customizable keyboard shortcuts and macros. It is one of the popular scripts loved by GMail users.
2. Gmail Air Skin: Provides a cleaner GMail layout that is easy on our eyes and other little modifications.
3. Gmail Conversation Preview Mod: This is such a time saver for me. You can right click on an email and read it from the main page. It does act a little quirky sometimes but useful nonetheless.
4. Gmail – Insert HTML Signature: I use my Feedburner banner as my email signature and I get quite a number of hits through that. But, Gmail doesn’t support HTML signatures and hence this script. This script even lets you have multiple HTML signatures. My new favorite way of adding HTML signature in GMail is with the Black Canvas Gmail Signatures Firefox extension. It is feature rich and provides the most easy to use HTML signature options for the power GMail user. (updated 8/19/08)
5. Gmail Full Width: As the name implies, it removes the advertisements in the Gmail window and makes the email messages full width. Improves readability a ton.
6. Gmail Signature Float: Ever been annoyed by the fact that your signature gets attached all the way at the bottom of all previous messages instead of your current message? This script fixes it. Also, it enables HTML signature and in fact I have started preferring this over the other especially if you just use one.
7. Gmail with different attachment icons: I love to see the kind of attachment in a mail even without opening it. Works well with the Conversation Preview script.
8. GMail Contact List: Gmail should have this to start with. It adds a contact list by the To field.
9. Gmail Box for Google Reader: Adds a Google Reader subscription box with individual feed counts to your Gmail inbox.
10. Gmail Sublabels: Now you can have sub-labels in Gmail by adding a subfolder separator ::
    Folders4Gmail: This one is much better! (Thanks to Ryan) You can organize labels into subfolder like hierarchy. Create a parent label like Home and then create sublabels like Home\Bills, Home\Receipts, etc.
11. GMailAgenda: GMailAgenda adds Google Calendar in the right side of your Gmail view making it easy to keep track of your appointments. A very promising script with new features coming soon. (updated 8/19/08)

(updated 02/10/09) Gmail 2.0 is here. So, don’t forget to check out the updated Gmail 2.o Greasemonkey Scripts. Also, find out how you can easily pimp your Gmail.

Google Reader Scripts

1. Google Reader Preview Enhanced: You can now replace the Gmail article summary with a frame containing the original blog item. There is a button to toggle back and forth between two views.
2. Google Reader for wider screens: Widescreen LCDs are the norm these days. I don’t have one at home but I do at work and this script really helps to utilize the extra real estate you have.
3. Google Reader + del.icio.us: You can feed items to del.icio.us online bookmarking service from within Google Reader.
4. Auto Add Feed to Google Reader: Instead of jumping through hoops every time you want add a feed to Google Reader, this script lets you add directly.
5. Google Reader Print Button: For those of us who sometimes prefer to print articles to read on the road or keep as a reference, you can add a print button to your Google Reader to facilitate this.
6. One-Click Unsubscribe: It adds a quick one-click unsubscribe button to the Google Reader interface. Easy to clean up your overloaded Google Reader feeds. (added 02/28/08)
7. Google Reader Filter: A great script for regex (regular expression) users to filter out or highlight keywords with grey or lime accents. (added 03/13/08)
8. Auto Add Feed to Google Reader: As the name suggests this script lets you add the feed you just clicked on directly to Google reader without having to jump through hoops. A must have. (added 03/13/08)
9. Mark Until Current as Read: Shift-Y to mark all entries above the current entry as read. Shift-I to mark all entries below the current entry as read. (updated 10/22/08)
10. Remember the Milk Cow in Google Reader: Adds a RTM cow icon in entries so you can easily add a url to RTM task for later action. (updated 10/22/08)
11. Google Reader + Delicious: Lets you tag and post to your delicious account right from your Google Reader account! (updated 11/12/08)
12. AddTo Google Reader: Great for sharing non-feed pages in your Google Shared items. Just press F4 to get the share window with notes. (updated 02/10/09)
13. Mark Until Current As Read: If you have a long list of unread items and you want to come back later, just do a Shift-Y to make until the current items as read! Very handy! (updated (03/19/09)
14. Google Reader Favicon ++: Adds Favicons to feeds and entries in Google Reader making it so easy to spot the feeds of interest. (updated (03/19/09)

Of course, there is the Better GReader Firefox extension fron Lifehacker.com that combines some of the best Greasemonkey scripts for Google Reader into one Firefox extension.

Bonus!

Everyone loves a nice free bonus in a list of 15, right? Well, I just happen to have one for you.

• Google Reader – Read by Mouse: Some people prefer keyboard shortcuts but there are actually a few people who prefer the mouse. You get to add a button to Google reader that toggles to mouse mode. Left-click goes to next item, right-click goes to previous item and middle click gives you other options. Nifty.

Hope you enjoyed this list and found some scripts that you can use. Visit userscripts.org to find more Greasemonkey scripts not just for these 2 apps but for a wide variety of web applications.

Don’t forget to tell us your favorite Greasemonkey script(s). In a list like this one, more often than not it’s the comment section that adds value when readers contribute more scripts that aren’t in the list. So, what are you waiting for?

Update: If you’d like to learn how to use Greasemonkey Firefox extension and how to find and add Greasemonkey scripts, Internet Duct Tape has an extensive guide with lots of illustrative pictures.