How to Create a Folder in Gmail (Using Labels)

If you've looked for a Create folder button in Gmail, you won't find one, and that confuses plenty of people who are used to Outlook. Gmail does the same job with labels. Once you get the idea, they're more flexible than folders, and a tidy set of them can turn a messy inbox into something you can run a business from.

Here's how to make one, put emails into it and sort things automatically, using Gmail's own help pages.

Why Gmail has labels instead of folders

Google is clear about the difference. Labels are different from folders: only you can see your labels, and the people you email don't get them. The practical effect is that one email can carry several labels, so a message from a client about a project can sit under both the client's name and Finance.

There's one catch to know about. Google says that when you delete an email, it's removed from every label and your inbox. A label is a tag, not a storage box, so deleting from one place deletes it everywhere.

Making a new Gmail label on a computer

1. Go to Gmail on your computer.
2. On the left, next to Labels, click Create new label.
3. Type a name for the label.
4. Optional: to place it inside another label, tick Nest label under and choose the parent.
5. Click Create.

Nesting is how you build something that feels like a folder tree: a main label called Clients with a nested label for each client underneath. Google says you can create up to 5,000 labels, which should cover even a busy business.

Creating a Gmail label in the Android app

1. Open the Gmail app and tap Menu at the top left.
2. Under All labels, tap Create label.
3. Enter a label name.
4. Tap Save.

I haven't included iPhone steps for creating a label because Google's page doesn't spell them out in the text I could check. Menus vary by app version, so look for Menu and a labels list in the iPhone app, or create labels on a computer and they'll appear on your phone.

Putting emails into your new Gmail folder

Making the label is half the job. You still need to apply it. On a computer:

1. Tick the box next to the email.
2. At the top, click Labels.
3. Select the label you want to apply.

On Android, touch and hold one or more emails, tap More, then choose Label as and tick the labels you want, finishing with OK. If you'd rather move an email than label it, tap More and then Move to, and pick the label.

Sorting new emails into a label automatically

Doing this by hand gets old quickly. Filters can apply a label to incoming mail, so every message from a client or about a particular project lands where it belongs. Google's filter help says filters can send email to a label, or archive, delete, star or forward it, and I walk through the steps in my own guide to making a filter. For the broader picture on organising your day around email, my tips for getting more from Gmail without extra apps are a good next stop.

Renaming, recolouring and removing a Gmail label

On a computer, move your cursor over the label's name on the left and click More. From there you can edit it, change its colour or remove it. Google says you can create custom colours for your labels, and that if a new custom colour doesn't save you may have reached that limit.

Removing a label doesn't delete the emails that carried it, so you can tidy up without losing anything.

A simple label set for a small business

• Clients, with a nested label for each one.
• Admin, for accounts, insurance and anything official.
• Waiting, for messages where you're waiting for someone else.
• Ideas, for newsletters and articles you want to come back to.

Keep it small. A dozen well-used labels beat fifty you forget about. My story of the system that saved my inbox shows how I think about it.

Naming your Gmail labels so you'll use them

A label only helps if you can find it at a glance. Short, plain names work best: a client's name, a project, or a job such as Waiting. If you want them to sit in a particular order in the list on the left, you could start each with a number or a letter, but keep it simple. Avoid creating a new label every time something turns up once, because labels you never open are just clutter.

It also helps to review them every few months. Merge the ones that overlap, remove those you've stopped using, and move related ones under a parent so the list stays short enough to scan.

Gmail labels vs folders: quick reference

Question	What Google says
Can the people I email see my labels?	No, only you can access them
Can one email have several labels?	Yes, labels aren't exclusive like folders
How many labels can I make?	Up to 5,000
What happens if I delete an email?	It's removed from every label and your inbox

If you can't find your Gmail label

1. On a computer, scroll down the left panel and click More if labels are hidden.
2. On Android, open Menu and look under All labels.
3. Check whether the label is nested under a parent that's collapsed.
4. Remember that with conversation view on, a label applies to existing messages, not new replies.
5. Search for a word from the email if you can't remember where you put it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a folder in Gmail?

Gmail uses labels instead of folders. On a computer, click Create new label next to Labels on the left, name it and click Create.

What's the difference between a Gmail label and a folder?

Google says only you can access your labels, the people you email don't get them, and one email can carry several labels.

How do I move an email into a Gmail label?

On a computer, tick the email, click Labels at the top and select the label. On Android, touch and hold the email, tap More, then Label as or Move to.

Is there a limit on how many Gmail labels I can make?

Google's help page says you can create up to 5,000 labels.

Does deleting an email remove its label?

Yes. Google says that when you delete an email it's removed from every label and your inbox.