How to Use Gmail Filters and Labels (Tutorial)

Using filters and labels in Gmail is a great way to reduce email in your inbox. By creating custom filters, you can have messages avoid your inbox altogether and make managing email so much simpler.

In this video, Scott Friesen shows you three different ways to apply filters in Gmail. He also gives you step-by-step instructions on how to set up filters and labels to help you be more efficient with your inbox.

00:00 Why Gmail filters & labels are important
00:39 Where to access Gmail filters
02:21 Gmail filter options & advanced search
03:39 How to filter a specific email address
05:19 Understanding Gmail filter choices
08:15 How to add Gmail labels to emails
11:11 How to change the color of Gmail labels

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Let's Connect!

Scott Friesen is a productivity specialist and founder of Simpletivity training and consulting. He is also a prolific public speaker, workshop leader, and time management coach.

[salmanchowdhury]

I implemented your tutorial today, after watching this video and I'm around 15 labels in and labelling has already organised so much of my Gmail Inbox. Thanks for this video! 😁👍

[davidwhite]

I'm shocked and stunned that I actually have watched a how to software video that is clearly spoken and understood. Thanks!

[ishaknadeem]

Absolutely brilliant tutorial in its simplicity. Goes at a steady space so is easy to follow, and having real world examples for the filters and labels made it easier to remember.

[avocaando]

THIS IS A GAME CHANGER THANK YOU. I no longer fear my inbox anymore, I could cry

[reinhardlanger]

Of all the tutorials about inbox labelling I’ve seen, this is the best one yet
Precise and to the point.
Excellent…well done

[lindalee]

ZOWIE! Thanks so much for creating the best video online for organizing your Gmail! I've spent an endless amount of time watching other videos as I tried to figure out how to move gmail to folders and how to use filters and folders. I FINALLY got all my answers in your easy-to-follow-and-apply video. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! ☺

[maryleverette]

I am a virtual teacher this year, and this is very helpful in sorting my students' assignmentsand filtering them directly to a label. Thank you!

[RestorationRanchHealing]

I am so thankful for your videos. I finally feel as though I have control over my gmail- well I'm on my way. I totally love the idea of colored labels. I color label everything paper, post its, calendar and now I can coordinate with my gmail. This is truly awesome. Thank you for such a clear and concise video. I have started a playlist with your videos for my clients.

[kirstendimaano]

This made my life easier. Thank you so much for the thorough explanation.

[kathithomas]

Thank you for your help. Being hearing impaired, I have a hard time understanding many of the "how to" videos. I love the way you spoke slower, clearly, easy to understand. Thank you again.

[LouHamptonSpeaks]

I’ve used filters and labels for years, but never noticed the option to use colors for the labels. What a fantastic revelation!!!

[finolaflynn]

I can't believe that I've found a tutorial that clearly explains all the features of Gmail - thank you so much! I used to be totally overwhelmed when I opened my Gmail, now I'm looking forward to getting all my emails in order.

[christelsoetekouw]

I use it all the time. I also have lables to tell myself the state of the recieved email. Take action, waiting on someone else, taken care of and I now also use snooze to skip it a few days to not constantly see what I don't need to see or do now, but what I need to get within a few days. I also have lables for with of my companies it is. Or whether it's about me or my daughters. I work with lables a lot and I can find everything very easy because of that. And yes, I also use lables and filters combined to replace it to another place for some things that I sometimes want to watch but doesn't need to be read every time something comes in. For example: newsletters and posts from some interesting companies. I really love working with labels. It improved my work in gmail a lot. And after a while, like now, I can easily decide what I want to do with emails with a certain label that I don't use anymore. My life has changed and so did my interesm in knowledge change. I can now easily clean up a complete label now. Awesome!

[edreiperez]

Great video... Saved me from deleting emails I received but haven't had time to open. Thanks!!!

[perfectcreditinc.]

BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO! THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST SPOKEN, MOST ORGANIZED, EXTREMELY DETAILED, EASY TO FOLLOW, EXPLAINED, "HOW TO" VIDEOS I HAVE EVER WATCHED AND ACTUALLY LEARNED SOMETHING!! WELL DONE MY FRIEND, WELL DONE!!

[ThePhilocypher]

Very helpful almost 3 years later. I work from home now (During the pandemic) and I'm not the most organized. Sifting through THOUSANDS of emails is incredibly daunting so thanks for this. Cheers.

[mrxhemalaj]

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - Leonardo da Vinci

[ildans]

Thank you so much! I recieve thousands of newsletters and I didn't want them completely gone, but still wanted them to be grouped somewhere. There are so many newsletter and ad emails, that I missed important ones from people. I just labeled them before, but didn't know that you can make them skip the inbox and make them go straight to the labeles

[atul]

Thanks. In times of distance learning and email bombardment, your tips have helped me unclutter my inbox! This is priceless, so, many thumbs up!

[zeyadsalty]

Man you so good. This is what I learned as lesson to me like school. I never knew this option before. I do everything in this video because I am suffering from Emails chunks. Now I learned. Thank you so much. 👍