Gmail uses labels instead of traditional folders
Gmail does not have folders in the way other email services do. Instead, it uses a system called labels that work similarly but with one key difference: a single email can have multiple labels at once, while a traditional folder holds a message in only one place. When you create a label in Gmail, it appears in your sidebar as a clickable category, and you can assign emails to it just as you would move them into a folder.
This matters because you might want to tag an email with both "Project Alpha" and "Urgent" at the same time. In a folder system, you would have to choose one or the other. With labels, the email lives in both places simultaneously, and you can search or filter by either label to find it.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail labels work like folders but allow one email to have multiple labels at the same time.
- You create a new label by clicking the "Create new label" option in the left sidebar, below your existing labels.
- After creating a label, you assign emails to it by opening the message, clicking the label icon, and checking the box next to the label name.
- You can also drag and drop emails directly onto a label in the sidebar, or use the checkbox method to label multiple emails at once.
- Nested labels (labels within labels) help organize related categories, such as "Work" containing "Work > Clients" and "Work > Projects".
Creating a new label from the sidebar
Open Gmail and look at the left sidebar where you see Inbox, Starred, Sent Mail, and Drafts. Scroll down past these default sections until you see a "More" option or your existing labels. At the bottom of the label list, click the plus sign or the text that says "Create new label." A small window will pop up asking you to name the label.
Type the name you want for your label — for example, "Receipts," "Client Emails," or "To Review." Keep the name short and clear so you recognize it quickly when scanning your sidebar. Click "Create" and the label will appear in your sidebar immediately. You can now start assigning emails to it.
Assigning emails to a label
Open any email in Gmail. In the toolbar at the top of the message, you will see several icons. Click the label icon — it looks like a tag or sticker. A dropdown menu will appear showing all your existing labels. Check the box next to any label you want to assign to that email. You can select multiple labels for a single email. When you are done, click outside the menu or press Enter, and the labels will be applied.
If you want to label multiple emails at once, go to your inbox or any folder view. Click the checkbox next to the first email, then hold Shift and click the checkbox next to the last email in a group to select them all at once. Then click the label icon in the toolbar above the email list, and choose which label to apply to all selected messages.
Using nested labels to organize by category
Nested labels are labels within labels, and they help you create a hierarchy. For example, you might create a label called "Work" and then create labels called "Work > Clients" and "Work > Projects" underneath it. When you create the nested label, type the parent label name, then a forward slash, then the child label name: "Work/Clients."
In your sidebar, the parent label "Work" will appear with a small arrow next to it. Click the arrow to expand or collapse the nested labels below it. This keeps your sidebar organized and prevents it from becoming a long, overwhelming list. Nested labels are purely for organization — Gmail still treats them as individual labels, so an email can belong to "Work/Clients" without belonging to "Work" itself.
Removing labels and managing your label list
To remove a label from an email, open the message and click the label icon again. Uncheck the box next to the label you want to remove. The label will disappear from that email immediately. The label itself stays in your sidebar and can still be used for other emails.
To delete a label entirely, right-click on it in the sidebar and select "Delete label," or click the three-dot menu next to the label name and choose delete. Gmail will ask whether you want to delete the label and all emails in it, or just the label itself while keeping the emails. If you choose to keep the emails, they will remain in your inbox but will no longer have that label attached. Deleted labels cannot be recovered, so be certain before you confirm.
Using label colors and filters to find emails faster
Gmail lets you assign a color to each label, making it easier to spot labeled emails at a glance. Right-click on a label in the sidebar and select "Label color," then choose from the available colors. The label will now appear in that color both in your sidebar and next to emails that have it. This is especially useful if you have many labels and want to quickly identify which category an email belongs to.
You can also create filters that automatically apply labels to incoming emails. Click the settings gear icon in the top right of Gmail, select "See all settings," then go to the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Click "Create a new filter" and set conditions — such as emails from a specific sender or containing certain words. In the next step, choose "Apply the label" and select which label to assign automatically. From that point forward, any email matching those conditions will be labeled without you having to do it manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move an email from one label to another?
Gmail does not move emails between labels the way you would move files between folders. Instead, you remove one label and add a different one. Open the email, click the label icon, uncheck the old label, and check the new one. The email will now appear under the new label instead.
What happens to emails if I delete a label?
When you delete a label, Gmail asks whether you want to delete the emails too or keep them. If you choose to keep the emails, they stay in your inbox but lose that label. If you choose to delete the label and its emails, the messages are moved to Trash and can be recovered for 30 days.
Can I rename a label after I create it?
Yes. Right-click the label in your sidebar and select "Edit label," or click the three-dot menu next to it. Type the new name and click "Save." Any emails already assigned to that label will keep it under the new name.
Do labels take up storage space in Gmail?
No. Labels are just organizational tags — they do not create copies of emails or use extra storage. Your Gmail storage limit is based on the total size of all your emails, not the number of labels you have.