How to Delete All Emails on Gmail: A Complete Guide
Table of contents
Seeing the dreaded “You’re running low on storage space” message in Gmail can feel frustrating. Gmail prompts you to either clear space or buy more storage, but sometimes, neither option feels appropriate.
Deleting emails in bulk offers a practical alternative for decluttering, improving focus, or clearing outdated conversations. Although Gmail lacks a “delete all” button, you can still remove emails in bulk. With a few steps, you can delete specific types or clear your entire inbox.
Before starting, back up any essential emails to avoid losing important information. This simple process can free up space and help you regain control of your mailbox.
Having said that, we’ll discuss how to delete all emails on Gmail, whether it’s on the web or on mobile.
Table of Contents
- Why Delete Your Emails in Gmail
- How to Delete All Emails In Gmail On the Web
- How To Mass Delete Specific Emails In Gmail
- How To Delete All Emails In the Gmail Mobile App
- FAQs
- The Final Step to a Clutter-Free Inbox
Why Delete Your Emails in Gmail
For many, emails either pile up endlessly or get archived without a second thought. However, there are some situations where deleting emails makes more sense than keeping them.
For instance:
- Running out of storage space can force you to take action. Deleting emails helps free up space and avoids the need to upgrade to a paid storage plan. It’s a simple, cost-effective way to maintain your email account without additional expenses.
- Privacy can also play a big role. If emails contain sensitive information, deleting them ensures they can’t be stolen in a hack or data breach. It’s a modern-day equivalent of “Burn after reading” and offers peace of mind for data security. Similarly, workplace compliance may require you to delete certain emails to adhere to your company’s data retention policies.
- Sometimes, clearing your inbox might be part of a bigger plan—like deleting your Gmail account altogether. Emptying your inbox before closing your account ensures Google no longer has access to your data, enhancing your privacy.
Before you take the plunge, consider exporting emails you want to keep. You can save them on an encrypted hard drive or transfer them to a different email provider.
How to Delete All Emails In Gmail On the Web
If your Gmail account is overloaded with emails and you need a fresh start, there’s a simple way to delete everything at once. It’s a quick process, but it’s important to understand the steps before jumping in.
- To begin, access the All Mail view in Gmail. This view shows everything in your account, including labeled messages and drafts.
- Once there, check the small Select box at the top-left corner of the page. Initially, this will only select a limited number of messages, typically 50 or 100, depending on your inbox settings.
- Here’s where you can expand the dialogue box: Look for the option that says Select all conversations in All Mail and click it. Now, Gmail selects every single message in your account.
- With everything highlighted, hit the Delete button in the toolbar above your emails.
The messages are now in your Trash folder but remember that they will still occupy storage until they are permanently removed. Gmail automatically clears emails from the Trash after 30 days, but you can empty it sooner if you need immediate space.
💡 Remember: Gmail provides a brief Undo option immediately after deleting emails. This gives you a short window to reverse the action if needed.
How Do You Empty Your Trash on Gmail
Once emails sit in the Trash, you can clear them permanently.
Open the Trash folder in Gmail and click on Empty Trash now to delete everything. Make sure you don’t need these emails anymore because this action is irreversible.
By following these steps, you can clear up storage and manage your inbox more effectively. Whether it’s decluttering or creating a fresh start, Gmail offers simple tools to stay organized.
How To Mass Delete Specific Emails In Gmail
Clearing out specific emails in Gmail doesn’t need to be overburdening. Whether you’re targeting old messages, specific senders, or unread emails, Gmail simplifies your inbox.
Let’s break down the options to help you tidy up efficiently.
- Delete all read/unread emails in Gmail
If your goal is to manage emails you’ve already read or those you’ve ignored:
- Type is:read in the search bar to find all read emails.
- For unread ones, use is:unread instead.
Once the results load, tick the checkbox at the top of your inbox.
If there are more emails than shown, click Select all X conversations…, then choose Delete or Archive.
This simple process will help you quickly declutter your Gmail inbox!
- Delete emails in Gmail from a specific date
Want to clean up emails from a certain timeframe? Gmail allows you to filter by dates.
- Use before:YYYY/M/D to find emails sent before a specific date.
- Use after:YYYY/M/D for messages received after that date.
- To focus on a range, combine both: after:YYYY/M/D before:YYYY/M/D.
After entering your date filter, check the box at the top of the results. If necessary, select all conversations and hit Delete or Archive.
- Delete all emails from one sender
If you focus on a particular sender’s emails, type from:[email protected] into the search bar.
After the list appears, check the selection box, click Select all X conversations…, and choose to Delete or Archive them.
- Delete all emails from one Gmail category
Gmail sorts your inbox into categories like Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums. To target one:
- Click the category name from the left sidebar.
- Once inside the category, tick the box to select emails.
- Choose Select all X conversations…, then Delete or Archive.
This method is ideal for decluttering promotional messages or forum updates.
- Delete all emails from one label
To clear emails with specific labels, locate the label in the sidebar under Labels.
Once inside the label, select the emails, click Select all X conversations…, and choose Delete or Archive.
With these methods, you can focus on specific types of emails, making your inbox cleanup both precise and manageable.
How To Delete All Emails In the Gmail Mobile App
Clearing emails in bulk using the Gmail mobile app has some limitations, but there’s a way to speed things up.
The app lacks desktop functionality for bulk deletion, so using the web version might work better. However, these steps can help streamline the process if you’re on your phone.
How to mass delete emails in Gmail on Android
Android users need to remove emails individually, but adjusting swipe settings makes this process quicker.
- Open the Gmail app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left.
- Scroll to the Settings option and select it.
- Tap General settings from the list.
- Find Mail swipe actions and tap it.
- Choose either the Right swipe or the Left swipe and tap Change next to it.
- Select Delete from the list of actions.
- Go back to your inbox and swipe emails in the chosen direction to delete them.
How to mass delete emails in Gmail on iPhone
On iPhones, Gmail app users face similar constraints but can also adjust swipe actions for faster deletion.
- Open the Gmail app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left.
- Scroll down and select Settings.
- Tap Inbox customizations under the settings menu.
- Go to Email swipe actions.
- Choose the Right swipe or Left swipe and set it to Trash or Bin.
- Return to your inbox and swipe emails in the designated direction to delete them.
These methods won’t match the speed of bulk deletion on a desktop, but they make inbox cleanup less tedious.
For full inbox management, consider switching to the Gmail web app or an advanced email management solution like Hiver.
FAQs
1. Is there a way to delete all emails in Gmail?
Yes, you can delete all emails in Gmail by using the “Select all” function. To do this, open Gmail, type in:inbox in the search bar to display all emails in your inbox, click the checkbox at the top of the email list to select all emails on the page (up to 50 emails),and then click “Select all conversations in inbox” to select all emails. After that, click the trash can icon to delete them. If you want to delete emails in other folders like Promotions or Social, repeat the process in those categories.
2. Why can’t I delete all my emails at once on Gmail?
Gmail imposes a limit on how many emails can be selected and deleted at once, which is 50 emails per page. However, you can bypass this by selecting “Select all conversations that match this search,” which allows you to delete all emails that match your search criteria (such as all emails in a folder or from a specific sender). Make sure to empty your Trash afterward to permanently delete the emails.
3. How to delete all Gmail emails at once on Android?
The Gmail app on Android doesn’t support bulk deletion for the entire inbox. However, you can enable swipe actions to delete emails quickly. Go to Settings > General Settings > Mail swipe actions, assign “Delete” to a swipe direction, and swipe away individual emails. For mass deletions, use the Gmail web app on a desktop.
4. How do I delete more than 50 emails in Gmail?
To delete more than 50 emails in Gmail, you can select all emails that match a search filter, such as in:inbox or is:read. After selecting the first 50 emails, click “Select all conversations that match this search” to select all emails within the filter. Then, click the trash can icon to delete them. This will allow you to delete far more than just the 50 emails on the first page.
5. How can I delete all emails on Gmail, except starred ones?
Use Gmail’s search bar to filter out starred emails. Type -is:starred to display all non-starred emails. Once the results load, select all emails and use the “Select all conversations….” option to cover multiple pages. Then click the trash icon to delete these emails while keeping your starred ones safe.
The Final Step to a Clutter-Free Inbox
Deleting all emails on Gmail might seem overwhelming at first, but with the steps we’ve outlined in this blog, you can do it quickly and easily. Whether you want to clear your inbox for a fresh start or just get rid of old, unnecessary emails, Gmail offers tools to help you manage this in a few clicks.
If you’re looking for tools to manage your inbox better, especially for team collaboration and organizing workflows, Hiver is a great choice. It works directly inside Gmail, helping you assign emails, track their progress, and collaborate with your team seamlessly. It’s a smart way to keep your inbox under control.
Sign up for free today to learn more!
