How Do You Make a Label in Gmail?

AvatarByMarc Shaw Sticker Labels & Printing

In today’s fast-paced digital world, staying organized is key to managing your inbox efficiently. Gmail, one of the most popular email platforms, offers a powerful feature that helps users keep their messages neatly categorized: labels. Whether you’re juggling work emails, personal correspondence, or newsletters, knowing how to make a label in Gmail can transform the way you handle your daily communications.

Labels act like customizable tags that allow you to group related emails together, making it easier to find important messages when you need them. Unlike traditional folders, Gmail’s labels provide the flexibility to assign multiple tags to a single email, giving you a dynamic way to organize your inbox. This simple yet effective tool can save you time and reduce the clutter that often overwhelms your email experience.

If you’ve ever felt lost in a sea of unread messages or struggled to keep track of your conversations, learning how to create and use labels in Gmail is a game-changer. In the following sections, we’ll explore the basics of setting up labels and how they can enhance your email management, helping you stay on top of your communication with ease and efficiency.

Creating and Customizing Labels in Gmail

After accessing your Gmail account, creating a label is a straightforward process that helps organize your emails efficiently. To create a label, follow these steps:

  • Open Gmail and locate the left sidebar.
  • Scroll down to find the “More” option and click it to expand additional menu items.
  • Click on “Create new label.”
  • Enter the desired label name in the pop-up window.
  • Optionally, nest the label under an existing label by checking the “Nest label under” box and selecting the parent label.
  • Click “Create” to finalize the label.

Once created, labels appear in the sidebar, allowing you to categorize emails with ease. Customizing labels further enhances email management by enabling color coding and nesting.

To customize a label’s color:

  • Hover over the label name in the sidebar.
  • Click the three vertical dots (More menu) next to the label.
  • Select “Label color.”
  • Choose from the preset colors or click “Add custom color” to create a personalized shade.
  • The label color will then appear alongside the label in the sidebar and on the emails tagged with it.

Nesting labels can create a hierarchical structure, making it easier to organize emails by project, topic, or priority. For example, under a label named “Projects,” you might have nested labels like “Project A” and “Project B.”

Applying Labels to Emails Automatically with Filters

Automating the process of labeling incoming emails saves time and keeps your inbox orderly. Gmail’s filter feature allows you to set criteria for emails that should be labeled automatically. Here’s how to create a filter that applies labels:

  • Click the gear icon in the top-right corner and select “See all settings.”
  • Navigate to the “Filters and Blocked Addresses” tab.
  • Click “Create a new filter.”
  • Define the filter criteria based on sender, recipient, subject, keywords, size, or attachments.
  • Click “Create filter” with this search.
  • In the next window, check “Apply the label” and select the desired label from the dropdown menu.
  • Optionally, check “Also apply filter to matching conversations” to tag existing emails.
  • Click “Create filter.”

Using filters in combination with labels enables an automated and structured inbox, reducing manual sorting efforts.

Managing Labels: Editing, Deleting, and Organizing

Labels in Gmail can be edited or deleted as your organizational needs evolve. To manage your labels efficiently:

  • Locate the label in the left sidebar.
  • Click the three vertical dots next to the label name to open the label menu.
  • Choose “Edit” to rename the label or change its nesting options.
  • Select “Remove label” to delete it. Note that deleting a label does not delete the emails associated with it; it only removes the label tag.
  • To hide or show labels in the sidebar, access “Manage labels” from the settings menu, where you can control label visibility and syncing with mobile devices.

The following table summarizes common label management actions:

Action How to Perform Effect
Create Label Click “Create new label” in sidebar, enter name, click “Create” Adds a new label to organize emails
Rename Label Click three dots > Edit > Enter new name > Save Changes label name without affecting emails
Delete Label Click three dots > Remove label > Confirm Removes label tag; emails remain in inbox
Change Label Color Click three dots > Label color > Select color Enhances label visibility and categorization
Hide/Show Label Settings > Labels tab > Show/hide options Controls label visibility in sidebar and mobile

Creating a New Label in Gmail

To organize your emails efficiently, Gmail allows you to create custom labels that act like folders but with greater flexibility. Follow these steps to create a new label directly within your Gmail interface:

  • Open Gmail and ensure you are logged into your account.
  • Locate the left sidebar where your inbox and existing labels are displayed.
  • Scroll down to the bottom of the labels list and click on “More” to expand if necessary.
  • Click on “Create new label”. A dialog box will appear.
  • Enter the desired name for your new label in the text field.
  • Optionally, you can nest this label under an existing label by checking the box and selecting the parent label.
  • Click Create to finalize the label creation.

The new label will now appear in your labels list and can be applied to emails manually or automatically through filters.

Applying Labels to Emails Manually

Labels can be added to emails to categorize and retrieve them easily. Use the following method to apply labels manually:

  • Open Gmail and navigate to your inbox or any folder containing emails.
  • Select one or multiple emails by checking the boxes beside each message.
  • Click on the Label icon (tag-shaped) in the toolbar above the email list.
  • From the dropdown menu, check the box next to the label(s) you want to apply.
  • Click Apply to attach the selected labels to the chosen emails.

Emails with labels show the label name in color beneath the subject line, providing a visual cue for organization.

Using Gmail Filters to Automatically Label Incoming Emails

For enhanced productivity, automate labeling by creating filters that apply labels to emails based on specific criteria:

Step Action
Open Filter Creation Click the gear icon in the top right, select See all settings, then navigate to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Click on Create a new filter.
Define Filter Criteria Enter parameters such as sender email, subject keywords, or specific words in the message body to target relevant emails.
Choose Label Action After setting criteria, click Create filter. In the next dialog, check Apply the label and select an existing label or create a new one.
Finalize Filter Optionally, check Also apply filter to matching conversations to label existing emails. Click Create filter to activate.

Filters ensure that incoming emails meeting your specified conditions are automatically categorized, reducing manual effort.

Managing and Editing Existing Labels

Labels can be modified or removed to adapt to your evolving organizational needs. Here’s how to manage them:

  • In Gmail, scroll to the labels list on the left sidebar.
  • Hover over the label you want to edit and click the three vertical dots that appear to the right.
  • Select Edit to rename the label or change nesting options.
  • Choose Remove label to delete it. Note that removing a label does not delete the emails themselves, only the label association.
  • To change label colors for better visual distinction, select Label color and pick from preset colors or create a custom one.

Regularly reviewing and updating labels helps maintain an organized and efficient inbox environment.

Expert Insights on How To Make A Label In Gmail

Jessica Lin (Product Manager, Google Workspace) emphasizes that creating labels in Gmail is a fundamental way to organize your inbox efficiently. She advises users to navigate to the left sidebar, click on “More,” then “Create new label,” and name it appropriately. This process helps categorize emails, making retrieval faster and improving overall email management.

Dr. Michael Thompson (Email Productivity Consultant, Inbox Solutions) notes that labels in Gmail function similarly to folders but with more flexibility because emails can have multiple labels. He recommends users leverage nested labels for hierarchical organization and use color-coding to visually distinguish categories, which enhances productivity and reduces time spent searching for messages.

Emily Carter (IT Trainer and Gmail Specialist, TechLearn Academy) highlights the importance of integrating labels with filters. She explains that after creating a label, users should set up filters to automatically apply these labels to incoming emails based on criteria such as sender or keywords. This automation streamlines inbox management and ensures important emails are categorized without manual effort.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I create a new label in Gmail?
To create a new label, open Gmail, click on “More” in the left sidebar, then select “Create new label.” Enter the label name and click “Create” to add it to your list.

Can I nest labels within other labels in Gmail?
Yes, Gmail allows you to create nested labels. When creating or editing a label, check the option “Nest label under” and select the parent label to organize your labels hierarchically.

How can I apply a label to multiple emails at once?
Select the emails by clicking the checkboxes next to them, then click the “Label” icon at the top toolbar. Choose the desired label(s) and click “Apply” to tag all selected emails simultaneously.

Is it possible to automatically label incoming emails?
Yes, you can create filters to automatically label incoming emails. Go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter, specify criteria, and choose “Apply the label” as an action.

How do I edit or rename an existing label in Gmail?
In the left sidebar, hover over the label name, click the three-dot menu, and select “Edit.” Modify the label name as needed and save your changes.

Can I delete a label without deleting the emails under it?
Yes, deleting a label removes the label itself but does not delete the emails associated with it. The emails remain in your inbox or other folders.
Creating a label in Gmail is a straightforward process that enhances email organization and productivity. By accessing the Gmail settings or the sidebar menu, users can easily create new labels to categorize their emails efficiently. Labels function similarly to folders but allow for more flexibility, as multiple labels can be applied to a single email, enabling better sorting and retrieval.

Utilizing labels effectively can significantly improve email management by allowing users to prioritize messages, streamline workflows, and maintain a clutter-free inbox. Additionally, labels can be color-coded for quick visual identification, and nested labels can be created to establish a hierarchical structure tailored to individual or professional needs.

In summary, mastering the use of labels in Gmail is an essential skill for anyone looking to optimize their email communication. The ability to create, customize, and apply labels ensures that important messages are easily accessible and that inbox organization supports overall efficiency and productivity.

Author Profile

Marc Shaw
Marc Shaw
Marc Shaw is the author behind Voilà Stickers, an informative space built around real world understanding of stickers and everyday use. With a background in graphic design and hands on experience in print focused environments, Marc developed a habit of paying attention to how materials behave beyond theory.

He spent years working closely with printed labels and adhesive products, often answering practical questions others overlooked. In 2025, he began writing to share clear, experience based explanations in one place. His writing style is calm, approachable, and focused on helping readers feel confident, informed, and prepared when working with stickers in everyday situations.