How to Create a Label in Gmail

Gmail sorts mail with labels rather than folders. You will create a label, attach it to emails, and decide whether it shows in the left sidebar.

Open the label creator

In the left sidebar, scroll down and click More, then Create new label. You can also click the + to the right of the Labels heading in the sidebar. A small dialog opens.

Name the label

Type a name in the box. To place it inside an existing label, check Nest label under and pick the parent from the dropdown. Click Create. The new label appears in the sidebar right away.

Apply the label to an email

Open an email, click the label icon (a tag shape) in the toolbar above the message, check the label, and click Apply. From the inbox, you can also check one or more emails and use the same icon, or drag an email from the list onto the label in the sidebar. Dragging the label onto an email works too.

Show or hide it in the sidebar

Click Settings (gear icon), See all settings, Labels. Next to each label, click show, hide, or show if unread. Hidden labels stay attached to your mail and still appear in search results and in the label menu.

Rename or delete it later

Hover over the label in the sidebar, click the three-dot menu that appears, then Edit to rename it or Remove label to delete it. Removing a label does not delete the emails under it; they stay in All Mail.

Labels are not folders. One email can carry several labels at the same time, and taking a label off does not move or delete the message. To label mail automatically, click the search options icon in the search box, set criteria such as a sender or subject, click Create filter, check Apply the label, choose the label, and click Create filter again.

In the Gmail app. Tap the menu icon, scroll to the bottom of the label list, and tap Create new. To apply a label, open an email, tap the three-dot menu, then Label.