Gmail – How to Create Rules and Filters

gmailgmail-filters

In MS Outlook, you can create rules so different kinds of mail can go in different folders. Can you do the same thing in Gmail, so all your emails from a list go in a specific subfolder instead of your general inbox?

Best Answer

Yes. See the note on point 4 below.

Gmail's filters allow you to manage the flow of incoming messages. Using filters, you can automatically label, archive, delete, star, or forward your mail, even keep it out of Spam.

To create a filter

  1. Click the down arrow in your search box. A window that allows you to specify your search criteria will appear.
  2. Enter your search criteria. If you want to check that your search worked correctly, click the search button.
  3. Click Create filter with this search at the bottom of the search window. If you need to verify the search results, you can click the x to collapse the filter options. Clicking the down arrow again will bring the window back with the same search criteria you entered.

  4. Choose the action(s) you want the filter to take.

    To keep organized, many people like to have incoming messages automatically labeled and removed from their inbox until they can look at them later at a more convenient time. If you want to do this, make sure to select Skip the Inbox (Archive it) and Apply the label: when you create your filter.

  5. Click the Create filter button.

Also,

To use a particular message to create a filter

  1. Select the message in your message list.
  2. Click the More button, then Filter messages like these.
  3. Enter your filter criteria in the appropriate field(s).

From the Gmail help page on using filters.

Related Topic