Create a label in three steps

A label in Gmail is a tag you attach to messages so you can find them later. Unlike folders in other email programs, one message can have multiple labels at the same time. To create a new label, open Gmail on your computer, click the three-line menu on the left side, scroll to the bottom, and click "Create new label." Type the name you want, then click "Create." That's it — the label now appears in your sidebar and you can start using it immediately.

Labels work best when you give them names that match how you actually think about your mail. If you're organizing work email, you might create labels like "Client: Johnson" or "Project: Website Redesign" rather than generic names like "Work" or "Important." The more specific your label names, the easier it is to find what you need later.

You can also create a label while you're reading a message. Open any email, click the label icon (it looks like a tag), and select "Create new label" from the dropdown. This is faster if you want to create a label and apply it to a message in one action.

Key Takeaways

  • Labels are tags you add to messages; one message can have multiple labels at the same time, unlike folders.
  • Create a label by clicking the three-line menu, scrolling to the bottom, and selecting "Create new label."
  • Specific label names like "Client: Johnson" work better than generic ones because they match how you actually search for mail.
  • You can create and apply a label to a message at the same time by opening the email and clicking the label icon.

Organize labels into groups with nested labels

If you plan to create many labels, you can organize them into groups using nested labels (also called sublabels). A nested label sits under a parent label in your sidebar, which keeps your list shorter and easier to scan. To create a nested label, go to the three-line menu, scroll to the bottom, and click "Create new label." In the name field, type the parent label name, then a forward slash, then the sublabel name — for example, "Clients/Johnson" or "Projects/Website Redesign."

When you create a nested label this way, Gmail automatically creates the parent label if it doesn't exist yet. In your sidebar, you'll see "Clients" with a small arrow next to it. Click the arrow to expand and see all the sublabels underneath. This structure works well if you have many related labels — for instance, one parent label called "Invoices" with sublabels for each year or vendor.

You can nest labels up to three levels deep. Going deeper than that usually makes them harder to find, so most people stop at two levels (parent and child).

Apply labels to messages and set up automatic labeling

Once you've created labels, you can add them to messages in two ways. The first is manual: open a message, click the label icon, and check the boxes next to the labels you want. The second is automatic: use Gmail's filters to label messages based on who sent them, what words appear in the subject line, or other rules you set up.

To create a filter, click the search box at the top of Gmail, then click the three-line menu icon inside the search box and select "Create filter." Set your conditions — for example, "From: boss@company.com" or "Subject contains: invoice" — then click "Create filter." On the next screen, check the box next to "Apply the label" and choose which label to use. From that point on, every message matching your rule gets that label automatically.

Automatic labeling saves time if you receive a lot of similar messages. You might create a filter that labels all invoices, all messages from your manager, or all newsletters. The label still appears in your sidebar, and you can click it anytime to see all matching messages.

Rename, delete, or hide labels you no longer need

If you create a label and later want to change its name, right-click the label in your sidebar and select "Edit label." Type the new name and click "Save." If you delete a label, the messages themselves stay in your inbox — only the label tag is removed. To delete a label, right-click it and select "Delete label," then confirm.

You can also hide labels from your sidebar without deleting them. Right-click the label and select "Hide." The label still exists and still applies to your messages, but it won't clutter your sidebar. You can unhide it the same way if you need it again later.

Be careful when renaming a nested label. If you change "Clients/Johnson" to "Clients/Smith," Gmail treats it as a new label and the old one remains. It's usually safer to delete the old label and create a new one if you need to change a nested label's structure.

Use labels on your phone or tablet

The Gmail app on Android and iPhone works with labels the same way the website does. Open a message, tap the three-dot menu at the top right, and select "Add label." Check the boxes next to the labels you want, then tap the back arrow. On your phone, labels appear in the sidebar just like they do on a computer — tap the three-line menu to see them.

Creating a new label on your phone is also possible but slower than doing it on a computer. Open the three-line menu, scroll down, and look for "Create new label" at the very bottom. Most people find it easier to create labels on their computer first, then use them on their phone.

Combine labels with Gmail's search to find messages faster

Once you've labeled your messages, you can search for them using the search box. Type "label:Clients" to see all messages with the Clients label, or "label:Clients/Johnson" to see only messages labeled with Johnson. You can also combine label searches with other search terms — for example, "label:Invoices from:vendor@company.com" finds invoices from a specific sender.

Gmail also lets you search by multiple labels at once. Type "label:Invoices label:2024" to find messages that have both the Invoices label and the 2024 label. This is useful if you've organized your labels into a nested structure and want to narrow down your results.

If you use labels consistently, you'll rarely need to scroll through your inbox looking for something. A quick search with the label name gets you there in seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same label on multiple messages at once?

Yes. Select multiple messages by clicking the checkbox next to each one, then click the label icon and choose which labels to add. This is much faster than labeling messages one at a time, especially if you're organizing old mail or setting up a new system.

What's the difference between labels and Gmail's star feature?

Stars mark individual messages as important, but they don't organize them into categories. Labels let you group related messages together so you can find them all at once. Most people use both — stars for urgent messages and labels for organization.

If I label a message, does it stay in my inbox?

Yes. Labels don't move messages out of your inbox; they just tag them. If you want messages to skip your inbox and go straight to a label, you need to create a filter and check the box that says "Skip the inbox."

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

Yes. Right-click a label in your sidebar and select "Label color." Choose from Gmail's preset colors or pick a custom color. Colored labels are easier to spot when you're scanning your sidebar or reading a message with multiple labels.

What happens to my messages if I delete a label?

The messages stay in your inbox and in any other labels you've applied to them. Only the label tag itself is removed. You can't undo a label deletion, so if you're unsure, hide the label instead of deleting it.