Gmail Filters – How to Create a Filter to Remove a Label

gmail-filters

I've actually 2 questions.

The first one, simpler: is it still possible to create filter manually with a Boolean string or do we have to use the filter tool (the form it comes out when you create or modify a filter)?

Second one: I've a filter which puts all messages coming from work@mywork.com in a "work" folder. Let's call it "WORKFILTER". Great, it works!

I want to put some of them in a subfolder "work/subfolder1" but not to give them the "work" label (only "work/subfolder" label).

Is it possible to do that only with a second filter (let's call that "SUBFOLDERFILTER") in which I archive the message coming from subfolder@address.com with the label "work/subfolder1" but NOT with "work" label?

something like:

from:(subfolder@address.com) label:"work/subfolder1" AND NOT(label:"work")

Or do I have to modify the "WORKFILTER" specifying to label with "work" all the messages coming from "work@mywork.com" but not the ones coming from "subfolder@address.com"?

Best Answer

First part: yes you can start from the search box and then when you see the results use More/Create Filter.

Second Part: The problem is that that if you include the phrase "label" in the search string and try to make the filer you will get the forllowing warning.

Filter searches containing "label:", "in:", "is:", or stars criteria (i.e. "has:yellow-star") are not recommended as they will never match incoming mail.

Do you still wish to continue to the next step?**

I have seen nothing that allows you to order the filters, or tell it to stop processing other filters if this one is applied. These types of rules/actions are typically seen in other email systems. Remember the strength of the labels is the ability to file a conversation under multiple labels, so telling it to ignore other rules isn't an action that is needed very often.

The two filter method will work, If it comes from address 1 give it one label. If it comes from the second address then give it label 2. You can even use the not to make sure that only those from address 1 go to label 1.

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Gmail – Creating a filter in Gmail that applies more than one label

No, there is no way to do this.

But, you can use filter import/export feature in Gmail to clone a rule then change the applied label.

Create your filter
Go to Settings > Filters
Check the checkbox next to your new filter
Click Export at the bottom, this will create an xml file called mailFilters.xml
You should have a file that looks like this:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>`
<feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:apps='http://schemas.google.com/apps/2006'>
    <title>Mail Filters</title>
    <id>tag:mail.google.com,2008:filters:11344473557977</id>
    <updated>2010-07-14T20:24:10Z</updated>
    <author>
        <name>John Smith</name>
        <email>test@gmail.com</email>
    </author>
    <entry>
        <category term='filter'></category>
        <title>Mail Filter</title>
        <id>tag:mail.google.com,2008:filter:1131773557977</id>
        <updated>2010-07-14T20:24:10Z</updated>
        <content></content>
        <apps:property name='from' value='foo@example.com'/>
        <apps:property name='label' value='the_label'/>
    </entry>
</feed>

All you need to do is to carefully edit this XML file in an editor which can intelligently handle plaintext.

Copy the code from <entry> and paste it in immediately after the first one. I removed the <id> and <updated> sections and they still worked, so much of the stuff in there is optional. Copy and paste a few more times, and you've got the result you want.

This worked for me:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:apps='http://schemas.google.com/apps/2006'>
    <title>Mail Filters</title>
    <id>tag:mail.google.com,2008:filters:11344473557977</id>
    <updated>2010-07-14T20:24:10Z</updated>
    <author>
        <name>John Smith</name>
        <email>test@gmail.com</email>
    </author>
    <entry>
        <category term='filter'></category>
        <title>Mail Filter</title>
        <id>tag:mail.google.com,2008:filter:1131773557977</id>
        <updated>2010-07-14T20:24:10Z</updated>
        <content></content>
        <apps:property name='from' value='foo@example.com'/>
        <apps:property name='label' value='the_label'/>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <category term='filter'></category>
        <title>Mail Filter</title>
        <content></content>
        <apps:property name='from' value='bar@example.com'/>
        <apps:property name='label' value='another_label'/>
    </entry>
</feed>

Save your file then click Import filters on the same Settings > Filters page and you will have the option of which of the contained filters you want to add.

Gmail Label Error

If the skip inbox is checked, It should work ... it is working fine for me.

Maybe you should check the inbox setting

Is your priority inbox is enabled? I know that if it is enabled, it can show some mail not in the inbox as important.

Best Answer

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