Google Workspace Training / User / Gmail

Organize email

Archive or delete email

Archive Alt text messages you’re not using now but might need later. Archiving moves email out of your inbox. You can find them later in All Mail or through Gmail search.

Delete Alt text messages you no longer need. Deleted email are moved to Trash and then permanently deleted after 30 days.

Note: If you don’t see All Mail or Trash, scroll to the bottom of the left sidebar and click More.

Alt text

Search

At the top of your inbox, search for one or more keywords that appear anywhere in the email—in the subject, body, or sender name.

If you’re looking for something specific, click the Down arrow Alt text to use advanced search.

Example: Search for:

  • Senders — Example: From:([email protected])
  • Date ranges — Example: after:2019/3/29 before:2019/4/5
  • Keywords — Example: Company confidential
  • Message attributes, such as attachments — Example: has:attachment

Alt text

Labels with colors

Give messages one or more descriptive labels, such as Project X.

  1. Check the box next to one or more email messages.
  2. At the top, click the Labels icon Alt text.
  3. Choose one of the following:
    • To make new labels, click Create new. Type the name of your label and click Create.
    • To select an existing label, click it in the list.

In the left sidebar, click a label to see messages with that label. Click the More icon Alt text > Label color to change its color.

Alt text

Stars and importance markers

Click the Star icon Alt text or Important icon Alt text to mark an important message.

You can find messages with stars and importance markers in the Starred and Important sections of your inbox.

Alt text

Mark email you send as important

To mark a sent email as important, add a red exclamation mark to the subject line.

Alt text

Tip: Open a new browser tab and search for red exclamation point to find a mark to paste.

Filters

Gmail uses Filters to perform workflow functions that other platforms (including Outlook) define as Rules.

  1. Open Gmail.
  2. In the search box at the top, click the Down arrow Alt text.
  3. Enter your search criteria. If you want to check that your search worked correctly, see what emails show up by clicking Search.
  4. At the bottom of the search window, click Create filter.
  5. Choose what you’d like the filter to do.
  6. Click Create filter.

Alt text