Dealing with a cluttered inbox can be frustrating. Of course, we can’t control the constant influx of hundreds of emails each day. Deleting all emails on Gmail can be a great way to manage your emails and keep your inbox clean and organized.
In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through the detailed process of “How to delete all emails on Gmail” along with some effective tips to manage your Gmail.
Why Delete Your Emails On Gmail?
There are a couple of reasons why you might decide to delete all your emails on Gmail at once:
- It’s possible that your Gmail inbox is a bit cluttered and has reached its storage limit. Getting rid of all of them is a good way to create more room and avoid the need for a paid membership.
- Maybe you’re really worried about a potential security breach. Deleting all emails can help eliminate traces of sensitive information.
- Else you might just want your Gmail to be a clean slate. Clearing out your email inbox can be a great way to start fresh with a new organizational system.
If you want to be more productive and spend less time looking for important information, cleaning your Gmail inbox is a must.
How To Delete All Emails On Gmail?
Follow these simple steps to delete all your emails on Gmail.
1) Log in to your Gmail account.
2) Go to your inbox.
3) Click the checkbox at the top of the inbox list, located to the left of the refresh button.
4) Choose “All” from the drop-down menu. This selects all the emails (50 conversations) currently displayed on the first page.
5) Select the “Trash can” icon (the Delete button) from the action bar. This will move all your emails to the trash folder.
How To Delete All Emails In Gmail On Mobile
Similar to the desktop version you can easily delete emails in Gmail on mobile with a few simple clicks. Here is how to remove emails on Android and iPhone:
1) Open the Gmail app.
2) Tap and hold on to any email to activate the selection mode. A checkbox will appear at the top left corner of each email.
3) Click the checkbox to select all the emails displayed.
4) Select the “Trash can” icon in the top toolbar. All your emails will be moved to the trash folder.
How To Empty Trash In Gmail?
Emails in the Trash folder in Gmail aren’t permanently deleted. They’ll be stored in the trash folder and will be automatically deleted after 30 days. However, if you want to erase them right away, you have to do it manually. Here is how:
1) Go to your Gmail account.
2) Click on “More” in the left sidebar.
3) Select “Trash”.
4) Click on the check box located at the left corner.
5) Select “All” from the menu.
6) Tap on “Delete forever.” This time, they will be removed forever.
Similar to the desktop version, emails on mobile are only moved to the trash, not permanently deleted. You can empty the trash by following these steps:
1) Tap on the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner.
2) Scroll down and tap on “Trash”.
3) Click on the three dots in the top right corner.
4) Select “Empty trash now” to permanently delete the emails.
How To Delete Specific Types of Emails On Gmail
You don’t have to move all your emails to the Trash folder to clean up your inbox. There are a few ways to clear out specific emails.
How to delete all emails on Gmail by Gmail category
1) Click “Categories” on the left-hand sidebar.
2) Choose a specific category (Social, Updates, Forums, or Promotions).
3) Check the box at the top of your inbox.
4) Select “All” from the menu.
5) Hit “Delete or Archive.”
How to delete all emails on Gmail by Labels
1) Click “Labels” at the bottom of the left-hand sidebar.
2) Select the label you want to clear.
3) Check the box at the top of your inbox.
4) Select “All” from the menu.
5) Hit “Delete or Archive.”
How to Delete all Emails on Gmail by Date range
1) Go to the search bar and type before:YYYY/M/D, to delete emails before a certain date. , to delete emails before a certain date.
Type after:YYYY/M/D, to delete emails after a certain date.
You can also use both together i.e before: YYYY/M/D and after: YYYY/M/D to delete emails in a certain range.
2) Press enter. The emails will be displayed within the selected range.
3) Check the box at the top of your inbox.
4) Select “All” from the menu.
5) Hit “Delete or Archive.”
How to delete all emails on Gmail by Sender
1) Type the sender’s email address in the search bar.
2) Press enter.
3) Check the box at the top of your inbox.
4) Select “All” from the menu.
5) Hit “Delete or Archive.”
How to delete all emails on Gmail by Read
1) Type is:read messages, to delete all read messages.
2) Press enter.
3) Check the box at the top of your inbox.
4) Select “All” from the menu.
5) Hit “Delete or Archive.”
What To Consider Before Deleting All Emails at Once
Before clearing all emails in Gmail you must back up important emails, organize your inbox into folders, and automate email organization, finally, you’re all set to delete all emails from your Gmail inbox.
Step 1: Creating A Backup Of Important Emails
Make sure you have a copy of everything before deleting all of your emails. Gmail makes it simple to save all of your emails in a safe and secure format. Follow these steps to make a backup:
- Log in to your Gmail account and click on “Settings” (found in the top-right corner of the screen).
- Then, select “See all settings” from the dropdown menu.
- Navigate to the “Forwarding and POP/IMAP” tab.
- Under the “IMAP Access” section, enable IMAP access and save the changes.
- Configure an email client such as Outlook or Thunderbird to access your Gmail account via IMAP.
- Download and sync all your emails to your email client.
Once the backup is complete, you can proceed to delete all emails.
Step 2: Organizing Your Emails Into Folders
Organizing your emails helps you to locate and manage them easily. Follow these steps to organize your emails into folders:
- Open your Gmail account and select an email you wish to categorize.
- Click on the “Labels” icon, represented by a tag-shaped icon.
- Select “Create new” from the dropdown menu.
- Enter a name for the folder and click “Create.”
- Repeat the process for other emails, assigning them to relevant folders.
- To access emails within a specific folder, navigate to the left sidebar of your Gmail interface and click on the folder’s name.
Step 3: Unsubscribe Unnecessary Newsletters And Mailing Lists
Unsubscribing from unnecessary newsletters and mailing lists can significantly reduce the number of emails you receive. Follow these steps to unsubscribe from unwanted emails:
- Open an email from the newsletter or mailing list you wish to unsubscribe from.
- Scroll to the bottom of the email to locate the “Unsubscribe” or “Manage preferences” link.
- Click on the link, which will redirect you to a webpage.
- Follow the instructions on the webpage to unsubscribe from the mailing list.
Step 4: Automate Email Organization
By creating filters and applying labels, you can automatically categorize incoming emails based on specific criteria. Follow these steps to set up filters and labels:
- Log in to your Gmail account and click on the “Settings” icon.
- Select “See all settings” from the dropdown menu.
- Navigate to the “Filters and Blocked Addresses” tab and then click on “Create a new filter.”
- Define the criteria for the filter, such as sender, subject, or specific keywords.
- Click on “Create filter.”
- Now, choose the action you want to apply to the filtered emails, such as applying a label.
- Click on “Create filter” to save the changes.
Alternative Email Management Tools And Strategies
There are other email management tools and tactics that can work better for you than Gmail. Take a look at these options and pick the one that fits your needs and preferences in terms of email management.
- Microsoft Outlook: A comprehensive email client that offers advanced organizational features and integration with other Microsoft Office applications.
- Thunderbird: An open-source email client that provides flexibility and customization options.
- SaneBox: A third-party service that uses artificial intelligence to prioritize and organize your emails automatically.
- Inbox Zero: A productivity method that aims to keep your inbox empty or near-empty at all times.
Tips For An Organized Inbox In Gmail
Now that you have successfully cleared out your inbox, it is important to keep it organized going forward. To assist you in maintaining an orderly inbox, here are some suggestions:
- Clear your inbox of any extraneous messages regularly.
- Make sure you monitor and respond to emails at specified intervals throughout the day.
- To automatically sort incoming emails, use labels and filters.
- Get out of mailing lists and newsletters that aren’t useful to you anymore.
- Instead of letting crucial emails pile up in the inbox, archive them.
- Get to the most important emails first and prioritize them.
- Streamline and organize your labeling and files regularly.
Delete All Emails On Gmail – FAQs
Generally, it’s safe to delete all emails at once, especially if you’re confident you don’t need any of them. However, it’s recommended to be cautious. Consider backing up important emails beforehand if you’re unsure.
There’s a chance you can recover deleted emails if you haven’t emptied the Trash folder yet. Go to the Trash folder and select the emails you want to recover. Click on the “Move to Inbox” option. However, recovering emails from an emptied Trash folder is generally not possible.
In the Gmail search bar, type “older_than: X days” (replace x with desired days). Select all emails on the page, then click “Select all conversations that match this search” and the trash icon. This deletes emails in bulk based on age.
Conclusion
Lastly, deleting emails from your inbox only moves them to Trash, where they remain for 30 days before automatic deletion. Remember, deleting is a powerful tool, so use it wisely. Well, if you’re unsure, download important emails or explore alternative methods like filtering or labeling to manage your inbox more efficiently.
