Gmail's basic HTML view will disappear in January 2024
If you prefer viewing your Gmail account in basic HTML, you'll soon be out of luck. Google is removing Gmail's Basic HTML view and replacing it with the Standard view across the board in January 2024.
Since Google is deprecating the Basic HTML view, users have reported it's become harder to find, according to The Register. When you open Gmail, you'll typically see a loading page with a link to view your inbox in Basic HTML view "for slow connections." However, it's likely that the link will appear so briefly that you'll miss it.
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The standard view, a visually richer format that Gmail wears as a default right now, was launched to replace the Basic HTML view over 10 years ago. Since then, Google has added new features and functionalities to Gmail. The company told The Register that the Basic HTML view doesn't have the full Gmail feature functionality found in its Standard view.
Beyond that, some users claim that Basic HTML gave disabled users -- including the visually impaired -- an easy and accessible way to hear their emails chronologically.
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Since the launch of Standard View, Google has retained Gmail's Basic HTML view as an alternative that loads faster and is better suited for users with slow browsers or slower connections. However, Google did away with the option at the top of the screen that allowed users to "Set basic HTML as default view," though it's unclear exactly when the change happened.