Available Search Operators in Gmail

Environment

U-M Google (Gmail)

Issue

A list of available search operators in Gmail (from https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7190?hl=en).

Resolution

How to use a search operator

  1. Go to Gmail
  2. In the search box, type the search operator

Search operators you can use

Search by Search operator and example
Specify the sender

from:
Example: from:amy

Specify a recipient

to:
Example: to:david

Specify a recipient who received a copy

cc:

bcc:

Example: cc:david

Words in the subject line

subject:
Example: subject:dinner

Messages that match multiple terms

OR or { }
Example: from:amy OR from:david
Example: {from:amy from:david}

Remove messages from your results

-
Example: dinner -movie

Find messages with words near each other. Use the number to say how many words apart the words can be

Add quotes to find messages in which the word you put first stays first.

AROUND
Example: holiday AROUND 10 vacation
Example: "secret AROUND 25 birthday"

Messages that have a certain label

label:
Example: label:friends

Messages that have an attachment

has:attachment

Messages that have a Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, or Slides attachment or link

has:drive has:document
has:spreadsheet
has:presentation

Messages that have a YouTube video

has:youtube

Messages from a mailing list

list:
Example: list:info@example.com

Attachments with a certain name or file type

filename:
Example: filename:pdf
Example: filename:homework.txt

Search for an exact word or phrase

" "
Example: "dinner and movie tonight"

Group multiple search terms together

( )
Example: subject:(dinner movie)

Messages in any folder, including Spam and Trash

in:anywhere
Example: in:anywhere movie

Search for messages that are marked as important

is:important

label:important

Starred, snoozed, unread, or read messages

is:starred
is:snoozed
is:unread
is:read

Example: is:read is:starred

Messages that include an icon of a certain color

has:yellow-star
has:blue-info Example: has:purple-star

Recipients in the cc or bcc field

cc:
bcc:
Example: cc:david
Note: You can't find messages that you received on bcc.

Search for messages sent during a certain time period

after:
before:
older:
newer:
Example: after:2004/04/16
Example: after:04/16/2004
Example: before:2004/04/18
Example: before:04/18/2004

Search for messages older or newer than a time period using d (day), m (month), and y (year)

older_than:
newer_than:
Example: newer_than:2d

Classic Hangouts messages

is:chat
Example: is:chat movie

Search by email for delivered messages

deliveredto:
Example: deliveredto:username@gmail.com

Messages in a certain category

category:primary
category:social
category:promotions
category:updates
category:forums
category:reservations
category:purchases

Example: category:updates

Messages larger than a certain size in bytes

size:
Example: size:1000000

Messages larger or smaller than a certain size in bytes

larger:
smaller:
Example: larger:10M

Results that match a word exactly

+
Example: +unicorn

Messages with a certain message-id header

Rfc822msgid:
Example: rfc822msgid:200503292@example.com

Messages that have or don't have a label

has:userlabels
has:nouserlabels
Example: has:nouserlabels

Note: Labels are only added to a message, and not an entire conversation.

Note: When using numbers as part of your query, a space or a dash (-) will separate a number while a dot (.) will be a decimal. For example, 01.2047-100 is considered 2 numbers: 01.2047 and 100.

Additional Information

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

Details

Article ID: 9145
Created
Mon 10/17/22 4:25 PM
Modified
Wed 7/26/23 4:39 PM

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