Gmail doesn't have a separate mailing list feature, so you build one as a label in Google Contacts. Click Create label, name it, add your contacts with Manage labels and Apply. Then open Compose in Gmail, type the label's name in the To field and select it from the list.
These are the controls you'll use, split between Google Contacts and Gmail.
| Control | Where it lives | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Create label | On the left in Google Contacts, next to Labels | Starts a new group and lets you name it |
| Manage labels | At the top, once you've checked some contacts | Puts the checked contacts into the group you pick |
| Compose | In Gmail | Opens a new message to send to the group |
| To field | Inside the Compose window | Finds the group when you start typing its name |
| Label | Inside the group, once you've checked contacts | Takes people out when you uncheck the group name |
Building the group and sending to it
- Click Create label on the left in Contacts.
- Type a name for the group.
- Click Save.
- Check the box next to each contact you want in the group.
- At the top, click Manage labels.
- Click the group label you want.
- Click Apply.
- Open Gmail and click Compose.
- In the To field, start typing the group name.
- Select the group from the list that appears.
Once you've selected it, the To field shows a list of the contacts in the group, as Google's help page on contact groups describes. That list is your last chance to check it's the right people, so give it a glance before you write anything.
Pick a name you'll recognise when you start typing it months from now, because that's how you'll find the group every time. Something like 'Monthly client update' beats 'List 2'.
You don't have to go back to Contacts every time someone new turns up. From inside Gmail, click Compose, click To, check a contact, click Manage labels, then Apply.
Only one address per person makes it into the group
If a contact has several email addresses, only the default email address is added to the label group. So someone with a work address and a personal one may not receive your mail at the one you intended.
It's an easy thing to miss because nothing looks wrong. The person's name is right there in the group, the email goes out and you've no reason to doubt it. Before you add someone with more than one address, check which one's the default, so you know where your mail will land.
Keeping the group accurate as people change
Groups go out of date quietly. People change jobs, change addresses and ask to come off, and nothing tells you unless you look. Set yourself a reminder to skim the list every few months, and check the address each person's listed under is still right.
If you email different people for different reasons, give each purpose its own label rather than one big group. A label for clients and another for suppliers means you'll never send the wrong message to the wrong crowd.
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Mistakes that stop a contact group working
- Hunting for a list option in your inbox. It doesn't exist, which is why the group sits in Contacts.
- Stopping once you've clicked the label name. The job isn't done until you've clicked Apply.
- Typing the group name and moving on. You have to select the group from the list that appears. If the To field doesn't show the contacts, it hasn't worked.
- Leaving people in who've asked to come off. The Label control is how you take them out.
- Treating a contact group as a growth plan. It's a tidy way to email people you already know, not a way to grow an audience.
If that last point rings true, it's worth reading what an email list is and why you need one, then how to build and grow a mailing list. If you'd rather stay inside your inbox for now, there's also a walkthrough on building an email list using Gmail.
Frequently asked questions
Do I create the group in Gmail or in Contacts?
In Google Contacts. Gmail is where you send to it.
How do I take someone off a group?
Click the group name, check that person, click Label and uncheck the group name.
Can I add several contacts at once?
Yes. Check the box next to each one, then use Manage labels and Apply.
Do I have to type every address?
No. Start typing the group name in the To field, then select the group.
Why did someone miss an email at their other address?
Groups only pick up each contact's default address, so a second address won't be included.
Will I see who's included before I send?
Yes. After you select the group, the To field lists the contacts in it.
