Google: How Do I Bulk/Mass Delete Emails in Gmail?

Environment

U-M Google. Gmail

Issue

How do I bulk/mass delete emails in Gmail?

Resolution

For detailed steps and tips on cleaning up your email in Gmail, refer to Tips for Cleaning Up Your U-M Google Account.

Included in the documentation:

• Delete emails individually
• Delete emails in bulk
  1. Check the box at the top in the menu bar to select all emails on that page.
  2. Click “Select all [NUMBER] conversations in [LOCATION]” under the box you just checked. This will select all conversations that match your search/location.
     • Note: When searching emails, you will need to change the sort option in the top right of the results from "Showing most relevant" to "Showing most recent" to select all emails matching the search. All searches moving forward should honor the last sort option you selected, but always verify to make sure!
  3. Click the trash can icon at the top.
  4. Click OK to confirm.
• Delete emails by size
• Delete emails by date
• Delete emails using other search operators
• Delete emails from Spam
• Delete emails from Trash
• Export Gmail data (using Takeout)

Additional Information

• Review the Working with Google Mail documentation for best practices and tips on using Gmail efficiently.
• If you often archive your emails instead of deleting them, you may wish to delete them. Google does not explicitly label mail that has been archived in Gmail. However, you can use the following search query to find your archived mail: has:nouserlabels -in:Sent -in:Draft -in:Inbox.

Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.