Best Ways to Delete Gmail Emails
Understanding how to delete emails in Gmail may seem tricky, especially when dealing with a bulk of messages. However, various methods exist for web browsers, iOS Mail, or the Gmail app. Each method has its pros and cons, check out this video to quickly run through all of them.
Keep reading or check out the guide for:
- Gmail on the web
- to delete all emails at once
- to delete all emails based on sender
- to delete all emails based on date
- to delete entire Gmail inbox
- to delete all messages in a category
- Gmail mobile app
📌 For a more efficient solution, use Clean Email (check out the benefits ) to overcome the limitations of Gmail’s web and mobile apps. Connect your Gmail account to easily delete all or multiple emails across all platforms, including web, Mac, and mobile (Android and iOS).
How to Delete All Emails on Gmail at Once on the Web
If you really want to delete all emails at one time and clear up space in Gmail, you can do so in a few steps.
⚠️ Warning: You will not be asked to confirm the deletion! After you follow these steps below, you’ll see a brief message allowing you to immediately Undo the action; however, this option only displays for a few moments.
- Select All Mail for every message in your mailbox including labeled emails and drafts.
- Mark the Select box on the top left. Depending on the Inbox Type you choose, you may only see 50 or 100 messages selected at one time.
- Click the Select all … conversations in All Mail option.
- Click Delete in the top toolbar.
Now, all messages will be moved to your Gmail's Trash folder. From there, you can permanently delete your mail to empty the account’s storage. (💡 Note: Emails in the Trash folder still use storage, but they'll be auto-deleted after 30 days, freeing up space).
How to empty Trash in Gmail
Navigate to the Trash folder and select the Empty Trash now option, assuming you're certain that you won't need to recover deleted Gmail emails in the future.
Delete specific emails in Gmail based on various criteria
You may want to clear all emails in Gmail but based on certain conditions. For instance, maybe you want to remove all emails from a particular sender you’ve erased from your contact list or in a date range far in the past.
Delete all emails based on Sender
Here’s how to locate all messages from one sender in Gmail:
- Log in to your Gmail inbox.
- Find a message from the sender and right-click on it.
- Select the "Find emails from [sender name]" option. This will display all messages from that sender.
- Click the checkbox at the top left.
- Optionally, select Select all conversations that match this search.
- Click the Trash bin icon to delete all messages.
Alternatively, you can search for messages from specific senders using the Advanced Search Options. Start typing the name of the sender, select a sender from the dropdown list, and click Search.
📌 Tip: While the options above may work for some senders, what if you can't remember the sender's name? Using the Senders feature in Clean Email, you can review all of your senders and automatically erase Gmail messages from certain contacts based on a timeframe like a day, week, or month.
Delete all emails based on Date
You can also use the Search feature in Gmail to find messages to delete within a timeframe.
- Click the Show Search Options button in the Search box.
- Enter or choose the timeframe in the Date within fields.
- Select Inbox or All Mail in the Search drop-down box.
- Click Search.
- Mark the Select checkbox above your emails.
- Click the Select all conversations that match this search option to select all.
- Click Delete.
📌 Tip: Using the Old Mail filter in Clean Email, you can quickly remove Gmail messages that are older than a week, month, or even 10 years without having to search for them.
How to delete entire Gmail inbox
Obviously, there are times when you may not want to delete every single message in your entire Gmail account, but rather just clear out messages from your Inbox.
Here is how to empty Gmail Inbox:
- Open your Gmail account.
- Select your Inbox (alternatively, you can select any custom folder to delete all emails from). Click the checkbox at the top left to select all conversations.
- This will select every conversation on the first page, but you can click on the blue Select all ... messages in Inbox option to choose everything.
- Click the Delete icon.
How to delete all messages in a category
When your Gmail account is cluttered with emails from different categories, you may want to focus on clearing out one category at a time. Follow these steps:
- Log into your Gmail account.
- Click on the desired category on the left (e.g., Promotions).
- Click the checkbox at the top to select all emails on the current page.
- Click Select all conversations in [category].
- Hit the Trash bin icon. The emails will be sent to the Trash folder.
How to Delete All Emails in Gmail with Clean Email
As mentioned above, you do have limitations on the number of emails you can select at one time in Gmail. If you use Clean Email to select and delete all Gmail emails, you’ll save a ton of time.
- Log in to the app at https://app.clean.email/.
- Select All Mail in the menu.
- Mark Select at the top and then Select All.
- Click Delete (permanently remove) or Trash (move to the Trash folder) in the blue action bar at the bottom.
- Confirm the deletion in the prompt.
As you can see, you can quickly empty your Gmail inbox (or all emails at once!) and confirm that you want to delete the bulk messages using Clean Email.
Delete specific emails in Gmail with Clean Email
Similar to ridding your mailbox of specific emails in Gmail, you can do the same in Clean Email but more easily with some excellent built-in features that eliminate the need for searching.
Delete all Related emails
Once your travels are over, sales have ended, and food’s been delivered, you can probably erase those emails. The application automatically sorts related messages into Smart Folders for you for things like Travel, Seasonal Sales, Food Delivery, and more.
To delete all emails based on one of these topics, just select the corresponding Smart Folder in the menu. Then, follow the steps above to Delete or Trash all emails in the folder.
Delete all emails from Unknown Senders
Another way to get rid of unwanted messages is to remove those from senders you don’t know. The application automatically collects emails from unknown senders and places them in the Screener section for you to review.
With Screener enabled, you won’t need to clean up your inbox. Unwanted messages will never reach your inbox unless you approve them!
How to Delete All Gmail Emails at Once on Phone
If you use Gmail on-the-go, then you’re probably interested in how to remove mass emails on Android, iPhone, or iPad with the mobile app. Open Gmail and follow along to delete all emails at once on your phone or tablet.
⚠️ Warning: Just like Gmail on the web, you won’t be asked to confirm after deleting a bunch of emails at once, and you’ll only see the Undo message briefly.
- Tap the Menu icon on the top left to choose a location like Inbox or All Mail.
- Long-press any email in the list.
- Scroll to the bottom of the All Mail folder until all messages load.
- Tap Select all.
- Tap the Delete icon (trash can) in the toolbar.
📌 Tip: For deleting all related emails or those from unknown senders on your phone, you can follow the same steps as earlier in the Clean Email mobile app. That’s right – all Clean Email features are available on the web, desktop, and mobile app and work the same way!
How to delete all emails on Gmail at once using iOS Mail app
If you are an iPhone user and your preferred email app is Apple Mail, here is how to delete all emails in Gmail app on iOS devices:
- Open the Mail app.
- Under Mailboxes at the top of your screen, select Gmail or All Inboxes.
- Tap Edit in the top right corner, then select Select All.
- Tap Trash in the bottom right corner.
- In the pop-up window, select Trash All to confirm.
Where Do Deleted Gmail Emails Go?
When you delete emails in Gmail, they are sent to the Trash folder. This gives you an opportunity to recover a message should you remove one or more by mistake.
- Select Trash in the left-hand menu.
- Choose the message or mark several emails.
- Pick Move to at the top and select Inbox or another spot if you prefer.
💡 Note: Items in your Gmail Trash are automatically deleted after 30 days.
If you use Clean Email, you have a Trash folder in that application as well. When you choose Trash instead of Delete, you can find your deleted emails there and easily recover more than one email at a time.
- Select Trash in the menu.
- Optionally use the Group By or Sort (Newest on Top) filters at the top.
- To recover an individual message or group, open the Delete menu on the right and pick Restore.
- To recover several, choose Select at the top, mark the messages or groups, and pick Restore.
- You’ll see the messages return to their original locations.
💡 Note: Items in your Clean Email Trash are automatically emptied per the rules for your connected email service. As mentioned for Gmail, it’s 30 days.
Clean Email: The Ultimate Gmail Companion
With the extra features and tools above for intelligently deleting a mass number of messages, Clean Email makes managing your mailbox and cleaning your Gmail inbox a breeze. But guess what? There’s more!
- The Keep Newest feature allows you to keep the latest email from a sender while deleting the rest, ensuring you have the most recent correspondence available.
- Unsubscriber lets you quickly remove yourself from multiple mailing lists at once.
- Auto Clean helps you automate mailbox tasks for simpler email management.
- Privacy Monitor keeps you abreast of data breaches involving your email address.
You can use all Clean Email features on each of your devices, connect any IMAP email service, and receive an unparalleled commitment to your privacy and security.
FAQs
Is there a way to delete all emails in Gmail?
Yes! You can select all messages in your All Mail folder and remove them in Gmail on the web. Alternatively, you can use the Clean Email app, which is great for both web and mobile users, to delete all or multiple messages using advanced filters and automated email rules.
Why delete all Gmail emails you no longer need?
Deleting unwanted emails on Gmail is a crucial step toward maintaining an organized and manageable inbox. With a clean inbox, it becomes easier to locate important emails and keep track of ongoing conversations. Moreover, it helps you avoid reaching your storage limit, ensuring the smooth operation of your account. Our guide on how to delete Gmail emails will help you accomplish this task efficiently, enabling a more productive email experience.
Why can't I delete all my emails at once on Gmail?
There may be an issue with the email app you are using. You can try deleting all messages on Gmail in your web browser, as you shouldn't experience any issues with this method. Alternatively, you can use the Clean Email mobile app to easily remove all messages while on the go.
How to delete all Gmail emails at once on Android?
While deleting all messages at once in the Gmail mobile app can be time-consuming, you can manually scroll to select all the emails you want to clean up at once. For a more efficient way to manage large volumes of email on the go, consider using the Clean Email app, a smart tool designed to automate and simplify email management.
How do I delete more than 50 emails in Gmail?
To delete more than 50 emails in Gmail, use the “Select all” feature on the web. After choosing a specific category or conducting a search, select the checkbox at the top of the messages, then click on “Select all conversations that match this search,” and finally hit “Delete.”
How do you select all emails in Gmail to delete?
To select all emails in Gmail for deletion, go to the "All Mail" folder and click the checkbox at the top of the message list. Then, click on “Select all conversations that match this search” to select all emails and hit “Delete.”
How can I delete all emails on Gmail, except starred ones?
To erase all emails in Gmail except for starred ones, go to the "All Mail" folder and use the search bar to type -in:starred to display all unstarred emails. You will need to select and delete them in batches, as Gmail only allows selecting the first 100 emails at a time for this search operation.
How to delete all emails in a label in Gmail?
To clear all emails in a specific label in Gmail, open the label from the sidebar and click the checkbox at the top to select all visible emails. Then, click “Select all conversations in [label name]” and hit “Delete” to remove all emails in that label.
