Step-by-Step: Remove Unread Emails by Type or Age on Any Device
You don’t need to open each unread message to remove it. In the steps below, we’ll show how to quickly delete selected unopened emails — or all of them at once. Prefer watching? Check out the video guide below.
Method 1: How to delete all unread emails in Gmail
To delete all emails you haven’t read yet, follow these steps on the web:
Step 1: Search for unread emails.
In the search bar at the top, type is:unread and press Enter.
Step 2: Select all unread emails.
Tap the top checkbox at the top left, then click “Select all messages that match this search.”
Step 3: Delete all unread emails.
Click the Trash bin icon to remove the selected messages.
Why don’t I see the “Select all conversations that match this search” option?
Gmail only shows it when there are more emails than fit on one page. Try searching with is:unread in:anywhere to include all folders, including archived ones.
Why can’t I select all unread emails at once?
If Gmail selects only the first page of unread messages and doesn’t offer the option to select more, it might be testing a different interface or limiting bulk actions in some accounts. Try using a different browser or open Gmail in Incognito mode.
Is there any option to select all unread messages more conveniently?
No matter how many unopened messages you have — even thousands — you can easily use Clean Email’s “Select All” option in the Unread Mail folder and apply any action you need. ➡️Try Clean Email for Free
How to remove all unread emails in Gmail on the phone
On an Android phone, iPhone, or iPad, follow the steps below:
- Open the Gmail app on your phone.
- Tap the search bar at the top and type is:unread to show only unopened messages.
- Long-press any message to select it — you'll then see the option to Select All.
- The app doesn’t let you select all messages at once. You’ll see 30 at a time and need to scroll down to load more before selecting again.
- Tap the trash bin icon to get rid of selected messages.
Is there a way to select all unread emails at once in the Gmail app?
Not in Gmail itself — the mobile app only lets you select emails currently on screen. If you want to clean up all unread messages at once without endless scrolling, an app like Clean Email makes it much easier.
➡️Try Clean Email on your iPhone/iPad and Android.
Method 2: How to trash old unread emails in Gmail
Removing older messages that you’ve never opened is one of the most common and sensible mailbox cleanup methods.
First, determine how old those unread emails should be and then follow these steps to remove emails based on age.
- In Gmail on the web, select All Mail in the left-hand menu.
- At the top, use the Any time drop-down menu to pick the age or enter a custom date range.
- Mark the Select checkbox on the top left and pick Unread in its drop-down box.
- Click Delete (trash can) in the top toolbar.
Can Gmail delete unread emails older than 30 days?
Yes. Search for is:unread older_than:30d, select all results, click the “Select all conversations that match this search” link if available, and clear them manually.
Why doesn’t Gmail show my old unread emails in the search?
By default, Gmail may search only in the Inbox. Use is:unread in:anywhere to include archived and categorized messages.
Is there a way to delete unread emails by year?
Yes. You can use is:unread before:YYYY/MM/DD or older_than:1y to filter emails by age, then remove them in batches.
How can I delete old unread emails in the Gmail mobile app?
Tap the search bar and enter a filter like before:2023/02/02 to find old emails. The Gmail mobile app doesn’t let you select all at once, so you’ll need to long-press one message, tap “Select all,” scroll to load more, and repeat until done, then tap the Trash icon.
Most Effective Solution for Web and Mobile: Clean Email
Since the Gmail app doesn’t support full bulk selection, deleting thousands of unopened emails manually can be frustrating and slow. Clean Email solves this by letting you group and remove large batches of messages at once, without lag or repeated scrolling.
What’s more, the guides below work the same way in the Clean Email web, desktop, and mobile apps.
To clean up old unread emails in Clean Email, follow these steps:
- Open the Clean Email app on the web, your iOS or Android device.
- Select Old Mail (or Large Mail) below Favorites in the left-side pane. In the drop-down menu at the top, choose the age for the messages.
- Click the Unread filter for all unopened emails in the age range.
- Choose Select at the bottom and then Select All.
- Pick Trash to move them to the Trash, then confirm. Or tap More and choose Delete to permanently clear out the messages.
Clean up Gmail faster and keep it under control
Use Auto Clean from Clean Email to set up regular mailbox cleanup rules to auto-delete emails. For instance, you can automatically move unread emails older than one year to the Trash or Delete them. This keeps your inbox tidy and saves you time from manually deleting read or unread messages.
Take advantage of the preset Clean Email’s Smart Folders to remove messages you no longer need. With folders for Travel, Seasonal Sales, Job Search, Online Shopping, and more, you can easily review and remove emails that are read or unread.
No need to filter emails manually — there are over 30 preset filters at your fingertips.
Let Cleaning Suggestions in Clean Email help you decide what to clean up faster. This feature analyzes your inbox activity and recommends emails you’re likely done with — like old notifications, expired deals, or no-reply messages you never opened. You stay in control and can review each suggestion before taking action.
With Auto Clean, Smart Folders, Cleaning Suggestions, and other advanced email management features, Clean Email gives you full control over inbox cleanup — with zero manual filtering.
Wrap-Up
While Gmail covers the basics, it often falls short when it comes to bulk actions and long-term inbox management. If unread emails keep piling up, it’s worth using more flexible tools that can handle cleanup faster and with less effort.
Clean Email builds on what Gmail lacks — letting you group, filter, and delete old or unread messages in ways the default app simply doesn't support, especially on mobile. It's a practical way to keep your inbox useful without wasting time.
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FAQs
How can I delete thousands of unread emails in Gmail?
Use the search filter is:unread to find all unopened emails. Then, click the top checkbox and select “All conversations that match this search.” Hit the Trash icon to remove messages. For smoother handling of large volumes, tools like Clean Email can help avoid Gmail’s performance issues.
How can I find unread emails from a specific sender?
Type is:unread from:example@email.com into the search bar. This shows unopened messages from that sender so you can review or delete them in bulk.
How do I delete unread emails with attachments?
Search using is:unread has:attachment. You’ll see all unopened emails that include files, which you can then clear or manage as needed.
Can I find unread emails marked as important?
Yes — combine filters like is:unread is:important to locate unread priority messages Gmail flagged as important.
How can I delete 50,000 emails at once on Gmail?
Gmail isn’t designed to handle that many emails in a single action. Filter messages by date, category, or status and remove them in smaller chunks — or use Clean Email to safely clean them up in one go.
How do I mark thousands of unread emails as read in Gmail?
Search is:unread, then use “Select all conversations that match this search” and click the “Mark as read” icon. For very large volumes, it might take some time to process the action.
Gmail lags or freezes when I try to delete thousands of emails — what should I do?
Break your actions into smaller batches, such as filtering by sender or year. If the goal is just to clear visual clutter, marking messages as read can also help.
How do I delete unread emails without removing important ones?
Use filters to protect what matters. For instance, exclude emails from key contacts or those with attachments, archive them, then erase the rest.
Is there a way to mass delete unread emails on mobile?
Unfortunately, no. Gmail’s mobile app only lets you select what’s on screen. For bulk deletion, switch to desktop or use an app like Clean Email that allows full selection on mobile.
Can I use another app to make this easier?
Yes. Email clients like Thunderbird or tools like Clean Email offer more flexible ways to search, filter, and clean up large numbers of messages across devices.
How to see only unread emails in Gmail?
Go to your Gmail settings and set Inbox Type to “Unread first” to always show new messages on top. Or type is:unread in the search bar to pull up all unread messages instantly.
