Gmail 101: A Practical Guide to Using Gmail
Gmail is more than a place to send and receive email. It provides tools for organizing messages, managing conversations, communicating with others, and customizing your email experience. This guide introduces the essential features of Gmail and explains how they work, helping you become more comfortable with the service.
Your first Google Account
When you first get access to a new computer or mobile phone, one of the first things you may do is create a Google Account.
A Google Account gives you access to a wide range of Google products and services. When you create a Google Account, you also get a Gmail address ending in @gmail.com, which you can use with Gmail.
Gmail is Google's mail service. Your Gmail address is typically the primary username associated with your Google Account.
Part 1: Understanding and navigating your Gmail Inbox
1. Gmail can look different depending on how you use it
Gmail is available through its web interface and its mobile apps for Android and iOS. Although the core functions are similar, the interfaces may differ in their arrangement, controls, and available features.
The user interface (UI), including the arrangement of elements and controls and the available features, can differ between the web interface and the mobile apps. Where something works differently between these interfaces, this guide will point out the difference so that you can understand it and test it in the interface you are using.
Depending on your device, you can download the official Gmail app from either the Google Play Store or the App Store.
2. Conversation View
One of the first things you may notice when using Gmail is Conversation view. Gmail has Conversation view turned on by default, so messages that belong to the same conversation are displayed together rather than as completely separate messages.
But how does Gmail know which messages belong to the same conversation? Gmail uses information contained in the messages, including their Message-ID and references to earlier messages, to determine their relationship and group them into a conversation.
3. Where are your Gmail messages?
Gmail has three locations for messages: All Mail, Spam, and Trash.
You will also encounter Inbox, Sent, categories such as Updates, Promotions, Forums, and Social, and markers such as Starred and Important while using Gmail. These are labels or markers that provide filtered views of the messages that have them.
The Inbox, for example, is a label-based view of all messages within All Mail that have the Inbox label. When the Inbox label is removed from a message, the message remains in All Mail but is no longer visible in the Inbox view. In Gmail terminology, this is called archiving.
This also explains why Gmail has no separate Archive location or label: archiving is done by removing the Inbox label from a message.
4. Gmail Inbox layouts
Gmail offers different Inbox styles to help you decide how messages are presented in your Inbox. The available styles include Default, Important first, Unread first, Starred first, Priority Inbox, and Multiple Inboxes.
Default: Displays messages in your Inbox, with Primary as the main category and optional additional tabs such as Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums. Gmail automatically classifies incoming messages into these categories.
Important first: Places messages Gmail considers important above the remaining messages.
Unread first: Places unread messages above messages you have already read.
Starred first: Places starred messages above messages without a star.
Priority Inbox: Separates messages into sections to help you focus on messages Gmail considers important, unread messages, starred messages, or other selected groups.
Multiple Inboxes: Allows you to display additional sections alongside your main Inbox, using searches or criteria you specify.
All inboxes in the Gmail mobile app
In the Gmail mobile app, All inboxes provides a combined view of messages from the Inboxes of the accounts you have added to the app. It is a convenient way to view messages from multiple accounts together without switching between their individual Inboxes. All inboxes is a combined view in the mobile app rather than a separate Inbox style selected in Gmail's web interface.
AI Inbox
AI Inbox is a newer AI-powered experience that helps you identify important tasks and catch up on topics by presenting suggested to-dos and summaries of relevant email conversations.
5. Gmail uses labels
One of Gmail's distinctive features since its launch in 2004 is its use of labels instead of folders.
Gmail uses labels to organize messages. Think of a label as a Post-it note that you can attach to a message. Just as you can attach multiple Post-it notes to a document, you can apply multiple labels to a message in Gmail.
A message or conversation can have more than one label. Selecting a label gives you a view of the messages or conversations carrying that label.
If you cannot find a label in the left panel in Gmail, it may be hidden from the label list rather than missing. Select More to see additional labels. Alternatively, open Gmail settings and go to the Labels section, where you can change a label's visibility setting to make it appear in the label list.
6. Creating and managing labels
You can create labels to organize your messages according to your own needs. For example, you might create labels for projects, travel, bills, or messages that need follow-up.
Labels can be applied to individual messages or conversations, and you can use them to find related messages later. Gmail also allows you to manage labels, including changing their names and adjusting their visibility.
Remember that a label helps you organize and find messages; it does not create a separate copy of a message.
7. “Label as” and “Move to”
Once you understand how Gmail uses labels, you will encounter two common actions: Label as and Move to.
Label as applies the selected label to a message or conversation. The message or conversation can retain its other labels.
Move to works differently. When you use Move to, Gmail removes the current label from the message or conversation and applies the destination label you selected. This can make it seem as though the message has disappeared from the current label and reappeared under the destination label.
8. Archive and Mute
There is a basic difference between archiving and muting a message or conversation.
Archiving removes the Inbox label from the message or conversation. It therefore no longer appears in the Inbox view but remains within All Mail. If someone replies, the conversation can return to the Inbox view.
Muting also removes the conversation from the Inbox view, but the important difference is what happens when someone replies. A muted conversation does not return to the Inbox when a new reply is received. It remains muted until you unmute it.
9. Schedule and Snooze
Schedule is used when you want to send an email at a later time. You compose the email as usual, but instead of sending it immediately, you choose the date and time when Gmail should send it.
After an email has been scheduled, you can view it by selecting Scheduled from the left panel in Gmail. The email remains there until the scheduled time, when Gmail sends it.
Snooze is your way of telling Gmail, in effect, “Come back at this specific date and time when I need you.” It temporarily removes a message or conversation from the Inbox view and brings it back to the Inbox at the date and time you specify. The message or conversation remains within All Mail while it is snoozed.
While a message or conversation is snoozed, you can view it by selecting Snoozed from the left panel in Gmail.
10. Deleting messages
When you delete a message from Gmail, it is moved to Trash (or Bin, depending on the interface). It remains there for up to 30 days, after which Gmail automatically and permanently deletes it.
If you want to recover a message that is still in Trash, open Trash (or Bin) from the left panel in Gmail. Find and select the message you want to recover, then choose Move to and select Inbox or another label. The message will be removed from Trash and returned to the selected location. If you cannot find Trash in the left panel, you may need to select More to display it.
11. Search
Search is Gmail's way of finding messages that already exist in your Gmail mailbox based on criteria you specify.
You can create a search query in two ways. The easiest and most common way is to use search chips, which are clickable buttons that let you narrow down your search by selecting additional criteria. If you cannot create an effective search query using search chips, you can click the search button and either type the query yourself or select the search wizard icon to open a drop-down panel. The wizard lets you specify the scope and other parameters of your search by selecting the options you need.
Gmail also supports search operators, which let you refine a query using parameters such as the sender, recipient, subject, date, or words contained in a message. For examples of these operators, see Google's official Help Center article, Refine searches in Gmail.
A search query is used to find messages that already exist in Gmail when you perform the search. A filter definition, on the other hand, tells Gmail how to handle subsequent incoming messages that meet the specified criteria. This distinction defines the scope of a search query compared with a filter definition: a search helps you find messages that are already there, while a filter is intended to act on messages that arrive later.
AI Overviews in Gmail search
Gmail can use AI to provide answers based on information in your emails rather than simply returning a list of matching messages. Availability depends on eligibility and settings.
Gmail Live
Gmail Live lets eligible users ask questions about their email using their voice and interact with Gmail conversationally.
12. Filters
Filters allow you to tell Gmail what to do automatically with incoming messages that meet criteria you specify. For example, you can create a filter to apply a particular label, star a message, forward it, or delete it when the message matches your criteria.
Gmail provides a filter wizard to help you define the criteria for a filter and choose the actions Gmail should take when an incoming message matches them. You can specify criteria such as the sender, recipient, subject, or words contained in a message.
You can also turn a search query into a filter. After creating a search query, you can select the option to create a filter based on those search criteria and then choose the actions Gmail should take when future incoming messages match them.
13. Gmail notifications
Gmail notifications help you know when new messages arrive without having to check and refresh your mailbox constantly.
The notification options available to you can depend on whether you use Gmail on the web or through its mobile apps. Mobile notifications can also depend on your device's notification permissions and operating-system settings.
On Android and iOS, Gmail provides notification choices such as All new mail, High priority only, and None. The options and their locations in the settings may differ between the two platforms.
On Android, Gmail also supports notification settings for individual labels, allowing you to customize notifications for selected types of messages after the relevant labels have been synchronized. The available options differ from those provided by the iOS app.
For desktop notifications, Gmail provides settings under Settings → See all settings → General → Desktop notifications. Browser permissions and your computer's notification settings can also affect whether notifications appear.
If Gmail notifications on the Android app are not working as expected, see the detailed troubleshooting guide, Not receiving Gmail app notifications.
Part 2: Reading, managing, and sending messages
1. Reading and managing messages
When you open a message in Gmail, you can read its contents and choose what to do next. Depending on the message and the interface, you can reply, forward it, archive it, delete it, mark it as unread, or take other actions.
Gmail groups related messages into conversations when Conversation view is enabled. This helps you follow an exchange without having to locate each message separately.
The actions available in a conversation may apply to the conversation as a whole or to an individual message. Pay attention to what you have selected before taking an action, particularly when managing a conversation containing several messages.
2. Starring messages and marking messages as important
Gmail provides different ways to highlight messages that deserve your attention.
Starred is useful when you want to mark a message for later reference or follow-up. You can use stars to make selected messages easier to find.
Important is a separate marker Gmail uses to identify messages it considers important. Gmail may determine importance using signals such as how you interact with messages and the characteristics of the messages you receive. You can also change the importance marker yourself.
A star and the Important marker are not the same thing. Starring a message does not automatically mean that Gmail considers it important, and marking a message as important does not necessarily add a star.
3. Reporting spam, phishing, and blocking senders
Gmail provides options to report unwanted or suspicious messages and to block senders. Although these actions may seem similar, they serve different purposes.
Report spam tells Gmail that a message is unwanted. Gmail moves the reported message to Spam and can use the report to help identify similar messages in the future.
Report phishing tells Gmail that a message appears to be an attempt to deceive you, often to obtain sensitive information or persuade you to take an unsafe action. Use this option when you believe a message is a phishing attempt.
Block a sender is different from reporting a message. When you block a sender, future messages from that sender are directed to Spam. Blocking a sender does not, by itself, report the message as phishing.
What if Gmail flags a legitimate message?
Gmail may sometimes flag a legitimate message as spam or suspicious. If you believe a message has been incorrectly flagged, examine it carefully before deciding whether it is safe.
In some cases, Gmail provides a Looks safe option in the web interface to indicate that you trust the message. This option is generally not available in the Gmail mobile apps, although its availability also depends on the type of warning displayed. If you need this option but cannot find it in the app, try opening Gmail in a desktop web browser or in a mobile browser with the Desktop site option enabled.
4. Composing, replying to, and forwarding messages
Gmail lets you compose new messages, reply to existing messages, and forward messages to other recipients.
When you select Reply, you send your response to the sender of the message you are replying to. Reply all sends the response to the sender and the other recipients included in the message. Forward allows you to send the message to someone who was not originally included in the conversation.
To, CC, and BCC
When composing an email, you can address it to recipients in the To, CC, and BCC fields.
- To: The primary recipients of the message.
- CC (Carbon Copy): Recipients who receive a copy of the message and whose addresses are visible to the other recipients.
- BCC (Blind Carbon Copy): Recipients who receive a copy of the message without their addresses being disclosed to the other recipients through the BCC field.
Send and Send + Archive
When replying to a conversation from the Inbox, you may see Send and Send + Archive.
Send sends your response while leaving the conversation in the Inbox view. Send + Archive sends your response and removes the Inbox label from the conversation at the same time.
Confidential mode
Have you ever wanted to send someone information that they should be able to access only for a limited period? Perhaps you have shared details for a temporary assignment, sent a draft document for review, or needed to ensure that a message would no longer be accessible after a specified date.
Have you ever wished you could restrict what the recipient can do with a message, such as forwarding it to someone else, copying its contents, or downloading or printing it?
Have you ever wished you could retain more control over a message even after it has been sent and delivered? For example, you might want to revoke the recipient's access before the message's expiration date, so that they can no longer open or access its contents through Gmail.
Gmail's Confidential mode offers options that can help you address these situations. You can set an expiration date for a message, restrict certain actions such as forwarding, copying, printing, and downloading where supported, and revoke access before the expiration date.
5. Undo Send
Have you ever sent an email and immediately realized that you had forgotten to include an important detail, addressed it to the wrong recipient, attached the wrong file, or noticed a mistake in what you had written?
What if you could stop the email from being sent and correct the mistake before it reached the recipient?
Gmail's Undo Send feature gives you a short window of time after you select Send to cancel the sending process. If you act within that window, Gmail stops the message from being sent, allowing you to make the necessary corrections before sending it again.
You can adjust the cancellation period in Gmail settings, choosing from 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds. The default period is 5 seconds.
6. Formatting messages
Gmail provides a range of formatting options in both its web interface and mobile apps, allowing you to present your message in a way that best suits its purpose and intended recipient. Depending on the interface, you can format text, emphasize important points, create lists, insert links, and use other available options to make your message easier to read and understand.
7. Attachments in Gmail
You can attach files to an email in Gmail in two main ways: by attaching files directly from your device or by sharing files through Google Drive.
Attaching files directly: When composing a message, select the Attach files icon (usually represented by a paperclip) and choose the file you want to attach. The available steps may differ between Gmail's web interface and mobile apps.
Sharing files through Google Drive: If a file is too large to send as a regular attachment, you can upload it to Google Drive and share it through Gmail. This is particularly useful for files that exceed Gmail's 25 MB attachment limit. Depending on the file and its sharing permissions, Gmail may insert a Google Drive link instead of attaching the file directly. Make sure the recipient has the necessary permission to open the file.
8. Forwarding an email as an attachment
Gmail lets you forward an email as an attachment instead of forwarding its contents as part of a new message.
This can be useful when you want to share an email while preserving the original message as an attached email file. It allows the recipient to open the attached message and examine its contents, including information that may be relevant to understanding the original communication.
Forwarding an email as an attachment is different from forwarding it normally. A regular forward places the original message's contents within the new message, whereas forwarding as an attachment includes the original email as an attached file.
9. Canned responses and automatic replies
If you frequently send similar responses, Gmail provides ways to reduce the need to compose the same message repeatedly.
Templates let you save commonly used message text and insert it into messages when needed. This can be useful for frequently asked questions, standard explanations, and other responses that require little or no modification.
For more details, see Revisiting Templates in Gmail (2026 Edition).
You can also configure automatic replies. One approach uses Gmail's Templates and Filters to send a response when an incoming message meets criteria you specify.
For instructions, see Setting up Autoreply in Gmail.
10. Send mail as versus delegation
Gmail provides two features that may seem similar but serve different purposes: Send mail as and account delegation.
Send mail as allows you to send messages from another email address that you have configured in Gmail and are authorized to use. This is useful when you want to send messages from different email addresses without switching between mail interfaces.
Account delegation, on the other hand, allows you to grant another person access to your Gmail account so that they can help manage your email. A delegate can perform permitted actions on your behalf, including reading, sending, and deleting messages.
The main difference is that Send mail as concerns the address from which you send a message, whereas delegation concerns another person's access to your Gmail account. They are separate features, and one does not automatically provide the capabilities of the other.
Part 3: Customizing Gmail and exploring AI
1. Gmail settings and customization
Gmail provides a range of settings that let you tailor the service to your preferences. Depending on the interface, you can customize aspects of your Inbox, manage labels, adjust notifications, configure message-related options, and control other parts of your Gmail experience.
Settings can differ between the web interface and mobile apps. Some options are available in both, while others may be located differently or depend on the interface you are using.
When looking for a particular setting, start with Gmail's Settings menu. In the web interface, selecting See all settings opens the full settings page, where options are organized into tabs.
Commonly used settings in the Gmail web interface
The following table highlights eight useful settings available through Gmail on the web.
| Setting | Where to find it | What it lets you customize |
|---|---|---|
| Theme | Click the gear icon (Settings) → Theme | Change Gmail's background appearance. |
| Density | Click the gear icon (Settings) → Density | Adjust the spacing and compactness of the message list. |
| Inbox type | Gear icon (Settings) → See all settings → Inbox tab → Inbox type | Choose how messages are organized and displayed in your Inbox. |
| Reading pane | Gear icon (Settings) → Reading pane in Quick settings; or See all settings → Inbox tab → Reading pane | Enable a preview pane and choose whether it appears to the right of or below the Inbox. |
| Signature | Gear icon (Settings) → See all settings → General tab → Signature | Create and manage signatures for outgoing messages. |
| Vacation responder | Gear icon (Settings) → See all settings → General tab → Vacation responder | Set up automatic replies while you are away. |
| Filters and blocked addresses | Gear icon (Settings) → See all settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses tab | Create filters to manage incoming messages and review blocked senders. |
| Offline | Gear icon (Settings) → See all settings → Offline tab | Enable Gmail Offline and configure options for accessing synchronized messages without an internet connection. |
For Reading pane, you can use the control in Quick settings or open the Inbox tab on the full settings page. The available layout options let you position the preview pane to the right of or below the Inbox.
Gmail Offline requires a compatible browser and initial setup. Its availability and behavior may depend on the browser and device you use.
Commonly used settings in the Gmail Android app
The following table highlights five useful settings in the Gmail app for Android.
| Setting | Where to find it | What it lets you customize |
|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Menu → Settings → select your Google Account → Notifications | Choose which incoming messages trigger notifications, depending on the available options. |
| Mobile signature | Menu → Settings → select your Google Account → Mobile signature | Add a signature to messages sent from the app. |
| Swipe actions | Menu → Settings → General settings → Swipe actions | Choose what happens when you swipe a message, such as archiving or deleting it. |
| Conversation view | Menu → Settings → select your Google Account → Conversation view | Choose whether messages in an email thread are grouped together, where this option is available. |
| Sync Gmail | Menu → Settings → select your Google Account → Sync Gmail | Enable or disable synchronization of Gmail messages on the device. |
The available settings and their navigation paths can vary by app version and account. Some options may appear under General settings rather than within an individual Google Account's settings.
Commonly used settings in the Gmail iOS app
The following table highlights five useful settings in the Gmail app for iOS.
| Setting | Where to find it | What it lets you customize |
|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Menu → Settings → Email notifications | Choose the notification level available for incoming messages. |
| Mobile signature | Menu → Settings → Signature settings | Create or edit the signature used for messages sent from the app. |
| Labels | Menu → Settings → Customize labels | Configure label-related options, where available. |
| Vacation responder | Menu → Settings → select your Google Account → Vacation responder | Set up automatic replies while you are away, if the option is available for your account. |
| Smart Reply | Menu → Settings → Smart Reply | Control suggested replies, if this option is available in your version of the app. |
The available options may vary depending on the app version and account. If you cannot find a particular setting, check the current Gmail app menus and available account options.
Smart features and personalization
Gmail provides settings that control its smart features and how information from Gmail and other Google services can be used to personalize your experience.
These settings cover different areas, including smart features within Gmail, Chat, and Meet; connected experiences across Google Workspace services; and personalization in other Google products.
Turning off these controls can affect features such as Smart Reply, Smart Compose, automatic inbox categorization, and certain information displays. The effects depend on which setting you change.
Smart-features glossary
The following glossary explains some commonly encountered smart features and related terminology.
| Feature or term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Smart Reply | Suggests short, ready-to-use responses to an email. |
| Smart Compose | Offers writing suggestions as you compose a message. |
| Automatic inbox categorization | Sorts incoming messages into categories, such as Primary, Social, and Promotions, where those categories are enabled. |
| Intelligent information displays | Surfaces useful information associated with messages, such as flight details, reservations, package tracking, or bills, when supported. |
| Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet | A group of controls affecting smart capabilities within these Google communication services. |
| Smart features across Google Workspace | Controls connected experiences that use information across supported Workspace services. |
| Personalization in other Google products | Controls how information from Google services may be used to personalize experiences in other Google products. |
These features and controls are related, but they are not interchangeable. Changing one setting does not necessarily turn off every smart feature or every form of personalization.
2. AI in Gmail
Gmail has evolved over time, introducing features that help users organize messages, write responses, and find relevant information. Some of these capabilities predate the recent wave of generative AI tools.
Early intelligent features
These early features addressed practical needs. Smart Reply suggested quick responses, while Smart Compose helped users write messages. Gmail also introduced automatic inbox categorization and intelligent displays of information from emails, such as flight updates, hotel reservations, package tracking, and bills.
These features helped Gmail do more than display messages. They used signals and information from email to make common tasks easier.
Modern AI features
More recent AI-powered features can help users summarize information, identify important items, compose content, and interact with their email more conversationally.
AI Overviews in Gmail search can provide answers based on information in your emails, rather than simply returning a list of matching messages.
AI Inbox can help eligible users identify important tasks and catch up on relevant email conversations through suggested to-dos and summaries.
Gmail Live lets eligible users ask questions about their email using their voice and interact with Gmail conversationally.
AI-features glossary
The following glossary explains eight AI-powered features associated with Gmail. Availability may vary depending on your account, subscription, region, language, and the interface you use.
| Gmail AI feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| AI Overviews in Gmail search | Generates an answer based on relevant information across your emails when you ask a supported question in Gmail search. |
| AI Overviews for email threads | Summarizes lengthy email conversations, highlighting key points and important replies. |
| AI Inbox | Helps eligible users prioritize tasks through suggested to-dos and catch up on important topics through summaries of relevant conversations. |
| Gmail Live | Lets eligible users talk with Gmail using their voice, ask questions about their emails, and ask follow-up questions conversationally. |
| Help me write | Generates an email draft from a prompt or helps refine existing text to improve its wording, tone, and clarity. |
| Proofread | Offers advanced writing suggestions to improve grammar, clarity, conciseness, and style. |
| Help me schedule | Helps users suggest suitable meeting times in an email, where the feature is available. |
| Gemini in Gmail | Helps eligible users summarize email conversations, draft messages, and find relevant information in their emails through Gemini-powered assistance. |
These features are evolving, and their names, capabilities, and availability may change as Google updates Gmail. Check Google's current documentation for the latest eligibility and access requirements.
AI Inbox and Gmail Live are not necessarily available to every Gmail user. Access may depend on factors such as region, language, account type, eligibility, and the relevant Google plan.
Gmail's AI capabilities continue to evolve, so the exact features you can use may differ from those available to another user.
Conclusion
Gmail is more than a place to send and receive email. It brings together tools for organizing messages, managing conversations, and staying connected. Alongside email, Gmail integrates with Google Chat for messaging and Google Meet for video meetings, making it an important communication hub within Google's ecosystem.
As you become more familiar with Gmail's features, you can tailor it to suit the way you communicate and work. For more detailed explanations and troubleshooting advice, explore the specialized guides listed below.