Create labels to organize Gmail

You can create labels that store your emails. Add as many labels as you want to an email. 

Note: Labels are different from folders. If you delete a message, it will be erased from every label that it’s attached to and your entire inbox.

Add a label

Label messages in your inbox

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. Select the messages.
  3. At the top, click Labels Label.
  4. Select a label, or create a new one.

Label a message you're writing

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. Click Compose.
  3. In the bottom right, click More More.
  4. Click Label, then select labels you want to add.
  5. Click Apply.

Move a message to another label

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. Select the message.
  3. At the top, click Labels Label.
  4. Uncheck the current label, then select a new one.
  5. Click Apply.

Create, edit & delete labels

Note: Your labels only show in your inbox, not your recipient’s inbox.

Create a label

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. On the left, scroll down, then click More.
  3. Click Create new label.
  4. Name your label.
  5. Click Create.

Edit a label

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. On the left side of the page, move to the label's name.
  3. Click More More.
  4. Edit your label.

Delete a label

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. On the left side of the page, hover over the label's name.
  3. Click More More and then Remove label.

Show or hide labels

Choose whether or not your labels show up in the Menu list to the left of your inbox.

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. On the left side of the page, move to the label's name.
  3. Click More More.
  4. Under "In the label list," click Show or Hide.

See more than 500 labels

On the left side of the page, you can see up to 500 labels. You can have labels within other labels. 
Note: If you have more than 500 labels, the list may take longer to load. 

Your labels show up depending on whether conversation view is on or off.

  • If conversation view is off: Labels will only show on individual messages you labeled. If someone replies to that message, the label won't show up on the reply.
  • If conversation view is on: When you label an entire conversation, the label will only show on existing messages, not new ones.
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