Archive Gmail messages

If you don’t want to delete old messages, you can archive them. When you archive a message, it no longer appears in your inbox, but you can still find it under the “All mail” label.

Archive a message

Important: If someone replies to a message you archive, it returns to your inbox.

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Gmail app .
2. Touch and hold a message or multiple messages.
3. At the top, tap Archive .

Find archived messages

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Gmail app .
2. At the top left, tap Menu All mail.

Tip: To search for archived messages:

1. At the top of Gmail, tap the search bar.
2. Enter: in:archive

Move an archived message to your inbox

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Gmail app .
2. Find the archived message.
3. Touch and hold the message.
4. At the top right, tap More Move to Inbox.

Add "Archive" as a swipe action

To quickly archive messages in your inbox with a swipe to the left or right, you can add “Archive” as a swipe action.

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Gmail app .
2. At the top left, tap Menu Settings.
3. Tap General settings Swipe actions.
4. Next to “Right swipe” or “Left swipe,” tap Change.
5. Tap Archive.

Related resources

• Mute Gmail messages
• Search in Gmail
• Search operators you can use with Gmail