Being able to efficiently select and manage multiple emails in your Gmail inbox can greatly improve your productivity. Here is a guide on the various methods to select and highlight emails in bulk.
Table of Contents
Use Checkboxes to Select Individual Emails
The easiest way to select individual emails is by clicking on the checkbox on the left side of each email.
- Click on the empty checkbox next to the first email you want to select. A checkmark will appear indicating it is selected.
- Continue clicking on checkboxes for other emails you want to include in your selection.
- Once your desired emails are selected, you can take bulk actions like archive, delete, label, mark as read/unread.
Select a Range of Emails
To select a range of consecutive emails:
- Click on the checkbox of the first email.
- Scroll to the last email you want included.
- Hold the Shift key and click on the checkbox of the last email.
- This will automatically select all emails in between.
Select All Visible Emails on Current Page
At the top of your inbox, next to the search bar, is the Select dropdown menu.
- Click on Select.
- Choose All on this page to select all visible emails on that page.
- Take your desired bulk action on those selected emails.
Select All Emails Matching a Search
Gmail allows you to easily select all emails matching a search query or filter.
- Conduct a search for emails based on sender, label, attachments etc.
- A link will appear below the search bar saying Select all conversations that match this search.
- Click on that and all emails matching the search, even those not visible, will be selected.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Gmail has keyboard shortcuts to quickly select emails without using your mouse.
- Ctrl/Cmd + A: Select all visible emails on current page.
- Shift + Up/Down arrows: Select range of emails.
- Ctrl/Cmd + Click: Select multiple non-consecutive emails.
Select All Emails in All Mail
If you want to select every email message across all labels and categories:
- Go to All Mail
- Click on the Select dropdown at the top
- Choose All conversations in All Mail
This will select every email in your entire Gmail account.
Bulk Actions on Selected Emails
Once you have your emails selected, you can take various bulk actions:
- Archive: Remove from inbox while retaining a copy
- Delete: Permanently delete emails
- Mark as read/unread
- Label: Categorize emails with labels
- Mute: Remove from inbox without archiving
- Report spam: Report emails as spam
Being able to efficiently select and manage emails in bulk will greatly boost your productivity in Gmail. Use the methods described above instead of selecting emails one by one.
Gmail App on Mobile
The Gmail app on Android and iOS also allows you to easily select multiple emails.
On Android
- Long press on an email to highlight it.
- Tap other emails to select multiple.
- Tap the archive, delete or label icon at the top once done.
On iPhone
- Tap Edit at top right of inbox.
- Tap emails to select them.
- Tap Done and take your desired action.
While not as full-featured as web, mobile Gmail allows quick management of multiple emails.
Browser Extensions for Added Functionality
There are various browser extensions that can enhance your ability to select and manage emails in Gmail:
- Checker Plus for Gmail: Allows selecting emails across multiple pages.
- Gmelius: Adds more productivity features like reminders, templates.
- Mixmax: Enhances composing emails, tracking opens/clicks.
These extensions provide added functionality beyond what Gmail offers out of the box.
Conclusion
- Use checkboxes to select individual emails.
- Hold Shift + Click to select a range.
- Choose Select All to highlight emails on current page.
- Match a search query to select all matching emails.
- Keyboard shortcuts for quick selections.
- Mobile Gmail app also allows multiple selections.
- Browser extensions provide more features.
Mastering bulk email selection and management will make you far more productive in Gmail. Ditch the slow process of selecting one email at a time!
