Create a label by naming it and assigning it to messages

A label in Gmail works like a folder, except one message can have multiple labels at once. To create a new label, open Gmail and click the three-line menu icon on the left side. Scroll down to "Labels" and click the plus sign next to it. Type a name for your label — something specific like "Receipts", "Work Projects", or "Suspicious Emails" — then click "Create".

Once the label exists, you can add it to any message by opening the message, clicking the three-dot menu at the top, and selecting "Add label". Check the box next to your new label and the message will be tagged with it. You can also drag messages onto a label in your left sidebar if you have the label visible there.

Labels stay with a message even if you archive it or move it out of your inbox. This means you can search for all messages with a particular label later, or filter incoming mail to label it automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a label through the menu icon, then the Labels section, by clicking the plus sign and typing a name.
  • Add a label to a message by opening it, clicking the three-dot menu, and selecting "Add label".
  • One message can have multiple labels, so a receipt can be both "Receipts" and "2024 Taxes" at the same time.
  • Use labels to organize messages by type, sender, or purpose rather than moving them into separate folders.
  • Set up automatic labeling rules so incoming mail from certain senders or with certain words gets labeled without you doing it manually.

Organize labels into groups with nested labels

If you create many labels, you can organize them into groups using a forward slash in the label name. For example, if you type "Finance/Receipts" as your label name, Gmail will automatically nest "Receipts" under a parent label called "Finance". When you look at your left sidebar, you will see "Finance" with a small arrow next to it, and clicking that arrow shows all the labels underneath it.

This structure keeps your sidebar clean and makes it easier to find related labels. You could create "Finance/Receipts", "Finance/Invoices", and "Finance/Tax Documents" all at once, and they will all collapse under one "Finance" heading. The same approach works for work projects, personal categories, or any other grouping that makes sense for your messages.

Set up automatic labeling with filters

Rather than labeling messages one at a time, you can tell Gmail to label messages automatically based on who sent them or what words they contain. Open Gmail, click the search box at the top, then click the three-line menu icon inside the search box. This opens the advanced search menu. Fill in the fields for what you want to match — for example, "From: amazon.com" to catch all messages from Amazon, or "Subject: receipt" to catch messages with that word in the subject line.

Once you have entered your search terms, click "Create filter" at the bottom right. A new window will appear asking what you want to do with messages that match. Check the box next to "explore label" and select the label you want to use. You can also check "Skip the Inbox" if you want matching messages to bypass your inbox and go straight to the label, which is useful for receipts or newsletters you want to keep but not see every day.

Click "Create filter" and Gmail will explore the label to all future messages that match your criteria. Existing messages will not be labeled automatically — the filter only works on new mail going forward.

Label messages from senders you want to watch

If you are trying to spot scams, create a label like "Verify Sender" or "Check This" for messages that look suspicious but you are not sure about yet. When you receive an email that seems off — a request for money from someone you do not recognize, a message claiming to be from your bank but with a strange sender address, or anything that makes you pause — add this label to it.

Later, you can review all messages with this label in one place and decide whether to report them as spam or phishing. You can also use a filter to automatically label messages from domains that look like they are pretending to be legitimate companies. For example, if you see an email claiming to be from "paypa1.com" (with a number one instead of the letter L), create a filter for "From: paypa1.com" and label it "Suspicious" so you catch similar attempts in the future.

Remove or rename labels you no longer need

To delete a label, click the three-line menu, find the label in the Labels section, hover over it, and click the three-dot menu that appears. Select "Delete label". Gmail will ask whether you want to delete the label but keep the messages, or delete the label and the messages together. Choose "Delete label only" unless you actually want to remove the messages themselves.

To rename a label instead of deleting it, use the same three-dot menu and select "Edit label". Type the new name and click "Save". Any messages that already have the old label will automatically get the new label name instead.

Show or hide labels in your sidebar

By default, Gmail shows your most-used labels in the left sidebar. If you have a label you use often but it is not showing, hover over the label name in the full Labels list and click the three-dot menu. Select "Show in label list" and it will appear in your sidebar. If a label is cluttering your sidebar and you rarely use it, select "Hide" instead.

You can also reorder your labels by dragging them up or down in the sidebar. This is useful if you want your most important labels at the top where you see them first. The order you set in the sidebar does not affect how Gmail searches or filters — it is purely for your convenience.

Use labels alongside archive to keep your inbox clean

Labels work best when combined with archiving. Rather than leaving every message in your inbox, label it and then archive it by clicking the archive icon (a box with a down arrow) at the top of the message. The message disappears from your inbox but stays in Gmail and keeps its label. When you need to find it later, you can search for the label or search for specific words in the message.

This approach keeps your inbox focused on messages that need action right now, while your labels organize everything else by type or sender. For example, you might label a receipt "Receipts", archive it, and then later search for "label:Receipts" to find all your receipts in one place without them taking up inbox space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the color of a label to make it stand out?

Yes. Hover over a label in your sidebar, click the three-dot menu, and select "Label color". Choose from the color palette to make that label stand out visually. This is useful for urgent labels like "Verify Sender" or important work categories.

What happens if I label a message and then delete it?

The message goes to Trash, and the label goes with it. If you recover the message from Trash later, the label is still attached. If you permanently delete the message, the label remains in your label list but has no messages in it.

Can I add the same label to multiple messages at once?

Yes. Click the checkbox next to each message you want to label, then click the label icon at the top of your inbox. Select the label you want to add and it will be applied to all selected messages at once.

Do labels work the same way on Gmail mobile apps?

Mostly yes, but the interface is different. Open a message, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Add label". The labels you create on desktop will show up on mobile, and labels you add on mobile will appear on desktop.

What is the difference between a label and a folder?

A message can only be in one folder, but it can have multiple labels. Labels are also searchable and filterable in ways folders are not. If you are used to folders in other email programs, think of labels as a more flexible version that lets you organize the same message in multiple ways at once.