Home Tech How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

We all get spam, junk, and unwanted emails every day. These emails range from the simple business adverts to phishing emails. Setting up Gmail Filters to automatically unclutter our mailbox will go a long way in helping you avoid coming across these types of emails.

Creating filters is usually based on personal preference but I will explain the basic structure and you can then tweak the steps according to what you prefer to remove and what you prefer to view. 

Creating Gmail Filters

While creating filters is a simple and uncomplicated process, it still takes a little bit of time and effort. 

I will be explaining how to create filters using the settings menu or using the search bar. After that, I’ll go into details about filters that could prove very useful for everyday mail users.

Creating Filters From The Gmail Settings Menu

This is quite easy. I’m going to assume you’ve already opened the Gmail and you’re logged into your account.

Navigate to the top right-hand side of your screen and click on a gear-like icon. The Settings option will appear. Click on it and it should take you to the Settings menu. If not click the “see al settings” option.

Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

In the Settings menu, click on Filters and Blocked Addresses. You will find this option in the Settings menu tab close to the top of your screen.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

When you click on the tab above, a menu will appear. In that menu, look for and click on Create A New Filter.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

You’ll be shown a Filter Form (more on filling filter forms will be explained below). 

Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

All you have to do is choose the preferred settings you want and click on Create Filter. You’ll find the option at the bottom right-hand side of your screen.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

Creating Filters From The Gmail Search Bar

This way is easy too. You will have to follow the normal procedure of being logged in. 

After that, navigate to the search bar and click on a downward arrow at the right end of the search bar.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

The filter form will appear and you’ll be given the choice to make settings based on personal preference. 

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

All you have to do is choose the preferred settings you want and click on Create Filter. You’ll find the option at the bottom right-hand side of your screen.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

Important Gmail Filters You Should Look Into Creating

Now that I’ve explained how to create filters, I’ll dive into some of the filters that could prove very useful to you as an everyday mail user. 

It is important to note that the same type of filter customization can’t work for everybody so you have to consider what you want before creating filters. 

Creating A Filter That Automatically Deletes Unnecessary Emails 

There are quite a few emails that fall into this category of unnecessary or useless mail. 

Spam, ad mails, all those quite unnecessary social media notifications that never stop and the mails that promote one thing or the other. 

You might have other emails that fall into this category too. If so, you can also add them to this list. This is the beauty of creating Gmail filters (the ability to be flexible).

If you’re a social media influencer or your job is social media related, you probably need the notifications. So, you can just remove it from the list of unnecessary emails.

I’m sure you’ve tried unsubscribing to a few of the repeat offenders but it nearly never reduces the volume of useless emails that come to your mailbox every day. That’s why the filter is your best choice for getting rid of unwanted mail.

How To Create The Filter

You can use any of the two ways already explained above to get to the filter form.

Whatever method you use, when you get access to the filter form, navigate to the Has The Words field.

Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

In that field, input this word – Unsubscribe.

Then go down to the bottom right-hand side of your screen and click on Create Filter.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

In the next page that appears, you’ll see a heading that reads “when a message arrives that matches this search” and you’ll see a list of checkboxes with their corresponding actions.

Go down the list and check the Delete It checkbox. 

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

After that, go down (bottom right-hand side of your screen) and click on Create Filter to finally create a filter with the parameters of deleting emails that match the word you inputted.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

The idea is that what most of the spam and junk messages have in common is the word inputted above. So, that same word is now being used to sort them and delete them automatically. 

Creating A Filter That Helps Label Mails For Easy Access

This filter is quite useful for professional use but even personal users can still get an orderly mailbox from using this filter.

What this filter does is to label all the messages that have the specification you already indicated with a prespecified label. 

This automatically applied label makes it easy for users to know what type of mail they get at first glance.

Don’t understand yet? Let me explain how to set it up and you’ll probably understand more as you follow the steps.

How To Create The Gmail Filter 

The first step as usual is accessing a filter form (assuming you’re already logged into the Gmail app).

Do that by using the Search bar method or going through Settings

Choosing How To Label The Mails

When you have navigated to a new filter form, you have some options to choose from.

If you want to label based on keywords, choose the field Has The Words.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

If you want to label based on the sender of the mail, you can input the sender’s mail in the From field.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

An example is if I’m trying to label all emails from Facebook.

I could input the word Facebook into the Has The Words field or I could input www.facebook.com into the From field.

You can do this for two or more sites. 

Creating The Label

After choosing how to label, go to the bottom right-hand side of your screen and click on Create Filter to go to the next page. 

On the next page that has all the checkboxes earlier explained, look for the Apply The Label option and click on New Labels

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

The New Labels option is right next to Apply The Label.

You’ll see a drop-down menu where you can create a new label. Enter a label name and under what nest (optional) the label will be. 

Then click on Create and that should create the label.

Applying The Label

Now that you have created a label, you can now apply it. After you clicked on Create above, you should be back to the checkboxes menu.

Click on Apply The Label and choose the label you just created. 

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

Then go to the bottom right-hand side of your screen and click on Create Filter

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

This ensures that whenever a mail with the specifications you chose enters, it is given the label you created. It does help in making mailboxes orderly. 

Creating Filters That Forward Messages Automatically

This is quite the tool for official use. If you work in a position where you’re always asked to forward mails from a particular sender to another recipient, you can set up a filter that does the job for you automatically. 

Sounds really good, right? Well, it will only make your job easier. 

How To Create The Filter

I’m assuming you already know how to get to the filter form.

In the filter form, you’ll be using the From field. Enter the sender’s email address here.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

When you’re done, click on Create Filter to get to the checkboxes page.

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

On that page, choose the Forward It option. You’ll be asked to add a forwarding address. 

gmail filters

Input the recipient’s email address. When you do so and press Enter, a confirmation mail will be sent to the recipient. 

The recipient has to confirm or accept the request before you can continue the process.

Working with the premise that the request is accepted. 

Once the request is accepted, the recipient’s mail will be available when you click on Forward To

Click on Create Filter to confirm the process and automatically forward messages from the specified sender to the specified recipient. 

How To Delete Gmail Filters

Sometimes you might change your mind about deleting, forwarding, or labeling mails in a certain format. 

You can easily delete the filter assigned to that format and make a new one that follows the changes you want to make.

Navigate to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab (as earlier explained).

How To Set-up Gmail Filters To Unclutter Mailbox

Here you’ll find all your filters. 

Check the box next to the filter you want to delete and then on the right-hand side of that filter, click on Delete

Confirm the deletion process by clicking OK on the next menu. 

3 Filters Every Gmail User Should Know! (Tips & Tricks)

Conclusion 

Creating Gmail filters is pretty easy and can be quite useful in sorting out jam-packed mailboxes.

You can always use any of the preferences, especially in the checkboxes menu. These options give flexibility to users to determine what type of action is done and the recipient’s mail of the action.

If you want to create a filter and you’re having issues, use the comment section to get across to me and I’ll help you out with tips.