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The way to delete previous emails in Gmail


It’s simple to delete your whole emails in Gmail, nevertheless it’s extra doubtless that you simply simply need to filter the older ones which are not related. we’ll information you thru find out how to delete previous emails in Gmail and maintain your inbox streamlined. You’ll be able to even make it computerized.

QUICK ANSWER

To delete previous emails in Gmail:

  1. Within the search bar, both put older_than:[time period] or earlier than:[date] to search out the previous emails. The time interval is a quantity and a letter, corresponding to 1y for one yr, or 4w for 4 weeks. The date is in format YYYY/MM/DD.
  2. Press enter.
  3. Tick the checkbox within the prime left above the search outcomes to pick out all of them.
  4. Click on on the trash can icon to delete them.

Maintain scrolling for extra steering on this course of, and to learn how to delete previous emails robotically.


JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

The way to delete previous emails in Gmail

There are two instructions that you may put into the search bar to search out previous emails in Gmail.

Gmail Search Older Than 5 Years

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To search out all emails older than a sure period of time, use older_than:[time period]. To search out all emails obtained earlier than a sure date, use earlier than:[date].

You solely want a quantity and a single letter to indicate the time interval. d is day, w is week, m is month, and y is yr. For the date, you enter utilizing the format YYYY/MM/DD.

For instance, for those who needed to search out all the emails older than two years, you’d put older_than:2y into the search bar.

For those who needed to search out all emails obtained earlier than March 2023, you’d search earlier than:2023/03/01.

Add the search standards you need after which press enter. The emails matching your search will seem.

Delete Old emails in Gmail

Matt Horne / Android Authority

Now to delete all the emails showing in your search. Choose all of them by clicking on the checkbox within the prime left.

Observe that you probably have multiple web page of outcomes (greater than 50 emails) you will notice a message at this stage telling you that clicking this checkbox has solely highlighted all the emails on that web page. It can additionally provide the choice to choose all emails within the outcomes. Press this if you wish to delete all of them.

Lastly, hit the Trash can icon to maneuver all of those emails to the trash.

They are going to be deleted from the trash folder robotically after 30 days. However you’ll be able to take away them fully instantly by emptying the trash in Gmail.

The way to robotically delete previous emails in Gmail

As simple because the above course of is, you don’t have to undergo it periodically. You’ll be able to arrange a filter to robotically delete previous emails in Gmail. It’s very easy to do now that you’ve the search phrases you want.

Gmail Search Filter Highlighted

Matt Horne / Android Authority

Begin by clicking on the Present search choices button. It’s on the far proper of the search bar and is represented by an icon of some dials.

Search Options Create Filter to delete old emails in Gmail

Matt Horne / Android Authority

You’ll see numerous fields that you need to use to filter the emails. It’s essential use the search phrases from the part above within the Has the phrases subject.

On this instance, I need to delete all of my emails which are greater than 5 years previous. So within the Has the phrases subject I’ve inputted older_than:5y.

Subsequent, press Create filter.

You may even see a discover that your filter isn’t really helpful as it can by no means match incoming mail. We all know this as we’re solely concentrating on previous messages, not ones which are coming in. Simply press OK.

Gmail Search Filter Criteria to delete old emails in Gmail

Matt Horne / Android Authority

You now get a second menu of choices to determine what occurs to the emails to which your filter applies. Click on on the checkbox subsequent to Delete it.

In case your filter applies to messages in your inbox and also you need to delete these too you then also needs to hit the checkbox subsequent to Additionally apply filter to X matching conversations. In my instance above there are already two conversations which are over 5 years previous, so I’ve checked the field.

You’ll return to the inbox with a message within the backside left nook confirming that your filter was created. Previous emails matching the filter standards might be deleted robotically. Simply ensure that you’re certain, as chances are you’ll not be capable to get well deleted emails.


FAQs

Sure. Comply with the steps within the first part above, however use two search standards within the search bar as a substitute of 1. For instance, you possibly can seek for all the emails within the first week of April 2023 utilizing the time period after:2023/4/1 earlier than:2023/4/8 then delete the outcomes.

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