Getting back to the paper file analogy, the only way this file can be stored in multiple drawers of this filing cabinet is if several photocopies existed of it. This would make it particularly difficult for other users to spot the email as it wouldn’t appear in their default inbox view. Let’s say you are using Outlook as a collaborative inbox, and a user moves an email into a folder. And just like how a file can exist only inside a particular drawer at any given point in time, an email can be stored only in one folder, which can be a bit of a downer if you are using email for team collaboration. When you add an email to a folder, it is like stashing away let’s say, a paper file inside the drawer. Upping the inbox organization game: Adding color to your inboxĪs explained via this neat analogy presented by Laura Earnest, a folder can be compared to a drawer in a filing cabinet.Is there a way to automate label creation in Gmail?.What is the difference between adding a label to an email and moving an email to a Gmail label?.That said, how do you create a new label in Gmail?.Labels vs folders – A paper file analogy.Trying to wrap your head around that? Don’t fret because we’re here to help. The way Gmail’s organization works is that a label can be a label, but it can also be a folder. Google’s Help Center and Reddit have countless threads running rife with discussions on Gmail’s labels versus Outlook folders. Labels can be particularly confusing if you are migrating from Outlook, primarily because Outlook is a folder-based email client.
While you can use Gmail labels and folders to categorize and organize emails, they have certain specific differences. In 2004, Gmail came along and introduced the concept of labels effectively putting an end to the days of going down the rabbit hole of email folders inside folders (at least for Gmail users). This was a relatively frictionless method to organize emails because we’re habituated to organizing our files stored locally on our computers or cloud drives into folders and sub-folders. An Outlook inbox with folders | GCF Global Email clients like Outlook have supported folders for eons to help users organize their emails.
In other words, they are the Marie Kondo to your Gmail inbox if you will.īefore we go further, let’s take a quick stroll down memory lane. These labels can be used to keep your inbox organized. Select the label or labels you want to organize it under.Before we begin, a quick primer on Gmail labels: A Gmail label is a tag that can be added to every email you receive or send. Select the three dots in the upper right.Ĥ. To move a message from your inbox into a folder (or “Label,” as it’s termed in Gmail), follow these steps:Ģ. Scroll down and select “+ Create new” under “Labels.” Select the three lines in the upper left.Ģ.
How do i create a new folder on gmail how to#
How to create folders in Gmail in the App for iPhones: With Gmail, folders are called “Labels.” To create folders in Gmail in the app, follow these steps:ġ. You can move it the same way when viewing the email. Select the Label or folder you want to move it to. Select the folder icon at the top with the down arrowģ. Select the checkbox to the left of the email.Ģ. To move a message from your Gmail inbox to a folder or label on desktop, follow these steps:ġ. Enter a name and choose how you want the labels organized. Select “Manage labels” or “Create new label.”Ĥ.
Select “More,” scroll down and expand the “Categories” menu.ģ. From the main Gmail inbox, hover over the sections under “COMPOSE” on the left-hand side.Ģ. How to create folders in Gmail on desktop: In Gmail, folders are called “Labels.” Take these steps to create folders in Gmail on desktop:ġ. It also shows you how to move messages into those folders. In Gmail, folders are called “Labels.” This post gives you step-by-step instructions on how to create folders in Gmail on desktop and in the iPhone app. It seems that every email provider has a different term for inbox folders, and a different process to organizing emails in those folders.