To create a label in Gmail on the web, click More in the left sidebar, click Create new label, type a name, and click Create.
Labels are Gmail’s way of organizing mail. Unlike a folder, a label is a tag you attach to a message, and the same message can carry several labels while still living in your inbox. This guide covers creating labels on a computer, nesting and coloring them, applying them automatically with filters, and what the mobile apps can and cannot do.
How labels differ from folders
If you have used other email programs, you may expect folders that hold each message in exactly one place. Gmail works differently: a message can wear many labels at once, so a receipt can appear under both “Finance” and “Taxes” without being duplicated. That flexibility is the whole point, and it is why deleting a label never deletes the emails inside it.
| Behavior | Folder (traditional) | Gmail label |
|---|---|---|
| Messages per container | One location only | Many labels on one message |
| Stays in inbox | No, it moves out | Yes, unless you archive |
| Color coding | Rarely | Yes, per label |
| Nesting | Yes | Yes, via sub-labels |
How to create a label on a computer
- Open Gmail in a browser.
- In the left sidebar, scroll down and click More to expand the menu.
- Click Create new label.
- Type a clear name, such as Receipts or Travel.
- If you want a hierarchy, tick Nest label under and choose a parent.
- Click Create.
You can also manage everything at once from Settings (the gear icon) > See all settings > Labels, where you can create, show, hide, or remove labels in one screen.
How to apply a label to a message
Open or select a message, click the Labels icon (a tag) in the toolbar, tick one or more labels, and click Apply. You can also drag a message onto a label in the sidebar. To keep a labeled message out of the main inbox, archive it; the label remains, so you can still find it by clicking that label in the sidebar.
How to color and nest labels
Colors turn a long sidebar into something you can scan instantly. Hover over a label, click its three-dot menu, choose Label color, and pick a shade. From the same menu you can add a sub-label to build a structure like a “Work” parent with “Clients” and “Invoices” nested beneath it. Keep the hierarchy shallow; two levels is usually enough, and deeper nesting tends to slow you down rather than help.
How to label incoming mail automatically with filters
Manually tagging every message gets tedious, so let filters do it. Click the search options icon in the search bar, enter criteria such as a sender address or a keyword, then click Create filter. Tick Apply the label, choose an existing label or create a new one, and save. From then on, matching messages are labeled the moment they arrive, and you can also tick “Skip the Inbox” to file them straight into that label. Filters pair well with other Gmail habits; if you route mail to colleagues, our guide to forwarding emails in Gmail shows how to combine forwarding with labels.
What the mobile apps can do
Label creation is most reliable on the web, but the Gmail app is not helpless. On Android, open the side menu, scroll to the Labels section, and tap Create new to add one, then apply it from a message’s three-dot menu by tapping Change labels. On the iPhone app you can apply and remove existing labels but cannot create new ones, so set up your label structure on a computer first and simply use it on the phone. On most recent versions the wording is Change labels or Move to, though the exact label can vary slightly by app update.
How to edit, hide, or delete a label
Labels are easy to reorganize as your needs change. On the web, hover over any label in the sidebar and click its three-dot menu to rename it, change its color, nest it under a different parent, or remove it. You can also control which labels appear in the sidebar and which stay tucked away from Settings > Labels, where each label has Show, Hide, and Show if unread options that keep the list short without losing anything. Removing a label never deletes the messages it held; they simply lose that one tag and remain wherever they were. If a label vanishes from view, it has almost always been hidden rather than deleted, so check the Labels settings before assuming it is gone.
It also helps to know that some labels are built in. System labels such as Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Spam, and Starred behave like labels under the hood, which is exactly why a single message can appear in several places at once. Your custom labels sit alongside these, and you can mix both freely when applying tags or building filters, giving you a system that scales from a few categories to a fully automated inbox.
Tips for a system that lasts
Start small with a handful of broad labels rather than dozens of narrow ones you will never reuse. Combine labels with Gmail’s search, which is powerful enough that you do not need a label for everything. Keeping your inbox organized also makes other tasks smoother: it is easier to schedule an email in Gmail or to unsend an email in Gmail when your workspace is not buried under clutter. A tidy label set, a few filters, and consistent habits will keep even a heavy inbox manageable for years.
