One of the most persistent feature requests from the Gmail mobile app users is to be allowed the benefit of using the contact labels (previously called Groups) set up in the Google contacts manager to send out emails.
That's because the contact labels created in the Google Contacts manager at https://contacts.google.com/ can't be used in other places except for the Gmail standard web UI accessible via https://mail.google.com/. It also meant that those contact labels or groups stayed out of bounds for users who would use the Gmail Android or iOS app.
The Google Contacts Android app seems to have been made things just a bit better for the Gmail Android mobile app users.
To be able to use the Google Contact labels in the Gmail Android app, download and install the Google Contacts app from the Play Store.
Once installed, it will display the Contacts for that Google account as well as the Contact label(s) assigned to them.
To be able to see the Contact labels, tap on the Label icon highlighted in the screenshot below.
Tap on the contact label name you wish to send out emails to. Here, I have chosen to select the Contact Group label "Everests".
Now, tap on the 3-dot (more/overflow) menu, and from the options, tap on "Send email".
This next screen then allows you to select or unselect Contacts and their emails within this group by tapping on the circular icon (bearing their profile image or letter) left of their name. Contacts with multiple email addresses will be displayed separately with their individual addresses.
Once finished, tap on the Done button at the top-right to be taken to the Gmail compose window, where the contact details will be found entered in the "To:" recipients' area.
You can now arrange the names in different recipients' area, enter the Subject and the body of the email and send it away.
Finally, it is important to bear in mind the points mentioned below:
- While the Google Contacts Android app allows you to send to Groups, it doesn't allow forwarding to a Contact Group even after you choose to use the "Add from Contacts" option from Gmail. So, it is something that can be sent in as feedback for the team from that app itself.
- The possibility of copying all the contact emails for a contact label and pasting it in the Forwarding email has also been considered and checked. That doesn't happen either. So, that is another area to consider sending feedback to the team, from the Gmail Android app.
- You can send feedback through the 3-bar menu > Help & feedback > Send feedback options from both the Gmail and Google Contacts Android apps.
