Change your Gmail inbox layout

Customize your inbox, including multiple inboxes.

Choose your inbox layout

1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
2. Click Settings .
3. Under "Inbox type," select:
   • Default
   • Important first
   • Unread first
   • Starred first
   • Priority Inbox
   • Multiple Inboxes

Learn about the inbox layout options

Some inbox styles have more settings and options you can change.

Default (categories or tabs)

If you choose "Default," your inbox will be split up into different tabs, like "Primary," "Social," "Promotions," and "Updates." When you have the "Default" inbox, your messages are automatically sorted into tabs, but you can move messages among categories if you want.

Learn more about inbox tabs & categories.

Important first

If you choose "Important first," your inbox will be separated into two sections: "Important" at the top, and "Everything else" at the bottom.

Learn more how Gmail decides which emails to mark as important.

Unread first

If you choose "Unread first," your inbox will be separated into two sections: "Unread" at the top and "Everything else" at the bottom.

Starred first

If you choose "Starred first," your inbox will be separated into two sections: "Starred" at the top, and "Everything else" at the bottom.

Multiple inboxes

If you choose "Multiple inboxes," Gmail will add additional sections to your inbox. You can use search operators or custom labels to create each section.

Priority Inbox

If you choose "Priority Inbox" your inbox will be separated into multiple sections. You can choose which sections you want to show, including "Important and unread," "Starred," "Everything else," or a label that you have made.

Hide or show list of inboxes & labels

You can find all your inboxes and labels in the left-hand menu. When the left-hand menu is hidden, you’ll have more space for your emails and can point to the menu for more options.

To hide the left-hand menu:

1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
2. At the top left, click Menu .

Tip: To show the menu again, click Menu  .