How to Add New Labels (Folders) in Gmail: Step-By-Step Guide

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Learn how to use Gmail labels to sort and organize your email

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: April 15, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using Mobile

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Using Desktop

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Q&A

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Tips

While Gmail refers to its folders as "labels", the concept is the same. You can create a new label using both the desktop version of Gmail and the Gmail app for iOS; Android users can't create a new label from within the app. Once you've created a label, you can use it to categorize emails on any version of Gmail. Here's how to create a new folder in Gmail using a computer, iPhone, iPad, or Android.

Making Labels for Emails in Gmail

Open the Gmail app.
Tap ☰ in the top-left corner.
Scroll down to Labels and tap Create new.
Enter a label name.
Tap Save.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Mobile

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1
Open the Gmail app. This looks like a multi-colored M with a white background.
- If you aren't logged into your email address, select your account, or enter your email address and password when prompted.
- You can only create labels on iPhone or iPad. On Android, you can only add emails to existing labels or view the labels' contents.^{[1]
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It's in the top-left corner of the screen. A pop-out menu will appear on the left side of the screen.

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You can find this under the Labels header.
4
Enter a label name. This could be work, school, etc.
- Unlike Gmail on a desktop, you cannot create a new label inside of an existing label in the Gmail app.
It's in the top-right corner of the menu. This will create your new label.
6
Add emails to your label. To add other emails to your label, do the following:
- Tap the profile picture of the email to select it.
- Tap ⋯ (iPhone) or ⋮ (Android).
- Tap Label.
- Tap the label(s) you want to use.
- Tap the check mark in the top-right corner of the screen.
7
View your labels. To see a list of your available labels, tap ☰ in the top-left corner of the screen, then scroll down to the "Labels" section.
- Tapping a label will open it to display any emails stored in it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Desktop

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1
Log into https://www.gmail.com in your computer's web browser. This will open your Gmail inbox.
- If needed, you can reset your password.
- Gmail uses labels instead of folders. Instead of moving messages into folders, you'll apply labels to messages.
2
Click + next to "Labels". This is on the left side of the page.
- A pop-up window will open.
3
Enter a name for your label. This could be work, school, etc.
- If you want your label to be placed inside of an existing label, check the "Nest label under" box. Select the "Please select a parent..." drop-down box and click the label in which you want to place your new label.
  - This is the Gmail equivalent of placing a folder inside another folder.
It's at the bottom of the pop-up window. Your label will be created.
5
Add emails to your label. Once you've created a label, you can start adding emails to the label by doing the following:
- Check the box to the left of an email or multiple emails.
- Click the Labels icon at the top.
- Select the label.
- Click Apply.
In the left panel, you'll see a list of all created labels. Click a label to navigate to a new page with all emails tagged with that label.

Community Q&A

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Question

How do you create a subfolder in Gmail?

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Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

On desktop, when creating a new label, check the box that says, "Nest label under:" and then select the label which you want your sublabel to be under and click "Create".

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Question

How do I make certain emails go directly into a folder in Gmail?

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Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

On desktop, drag and drop the e-mail into the folder of your choice, then future e-mails from that sender will show up in the folder. On mobile, tap and hold the e-mail you want to move, tap the 3 dots icon in the upper right corner, tap "Move to" and then tap the folder you want it in. This method isn't always completely effective if the sender is using more than one e-mail address (like if you are receiving e-mails from multiple people at one company).

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Question

Why are the filtered messages with labels still in my inbox?

Community Answer

Probably because a label is like a named flag rather than an actual folder. Highlight the message(s) in question and drag them from the message list (right) onto the label in the Inbox list (left). There are also various apps and 3rd party options that do not allow this, so taking items with labels, searching/filtering, then drawing in a full browser is sometimes the only way.

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Tips

The process of adding labels to Gmail is different than creating a folder in Google Inbox.

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By default, emails you've added to a label will still display in your inbox (as well as in the label). You can remove the emails from your inbox by archiving them; this will cause the emails to disappear from your inbox without being removed from their respective label(s).

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