Create Rules in Gmail  Step by Step Guide ▷ 2021

Between the Most important actions a Gmail user can take, especially if you use it as a work tool, is to keep an organization of the items in the folders according to your needs. And for this purpose, Gmail has its own organizational tool: the filters.

We are talking about a function that allows you to manage incoming emails, so that they are organized in the inbox and can be reviewed, highlighted, archived or deleted as appropriate.

In the next few paragraphs, we will teach you step by step how to create, edit and manage Gmail filters, with the aim that your inbox is properly organized and you can get the most out of Gmail.

What are filters in Gmail and what is this platform function for?

Filters are an organizing function of Gmail that allows you to separate received emails. This feature is very useful for productivity when you use Gmail as your business communication tool.

The function of the filters is, worth the redundancy, “filter” the emails received so that they can be separated into categories and you can access the desired emails more easily. This tool allows you, for example, assign to a specific label the emails received from companies or pages to which you have subscribed. In this way, they do not get mixed up with your clients’ emails.

What are the benefits of creating message rules in Gmail? Reasons to do it

For Gmail users, it is necessary to have a method through which they can keep their mailboxes received organized and optimized, so that it is possible to locate the necessary emails quickly Both for professionals and for private users to whom they like to keep their inbox polished, applying organization rules with Gmail filters brings many benefits in terms of aesthetics and productivity.

Let’s see:

They improve the organization

In professional work environments there is always a certain pressure because, in certain cases, large amounts of mail are received that can be mixed with each other, which can make it more difficult to find the desired message. For these situations, it becomes necessary to apply organization rules through Gmail filters, Because it allows you to separate the emails into labels and keep the necessary emails together, in an exclusive section.

We show you step by step how to create basic and advanced rules with Gmail filters

In order to apply the Gmail organization rules, all you have to do is use the filters, which you can access from the mail settings, or assign them based on the parameters of a specific message.

Now, we will teach you how to use various methods to create, edit and apply Gmail filters, so that you can keep your inbox organized and optimized to improve your productivity:

Create Filter

In Gmail, a filter can be created from a word entered in the search bar, from which we can define the filter specifications in a simple way.

To create a filter, follow this procedure:

• Go to Gmail in your browser.
• Login on your bill.
• Write the word you want to use as a filter in the search bar, located at the top.

• Press The key Enter, or the magnifying glass icon.
• click at the symbol located to the right of the search bar, labeled as “Show search options.”
• Define search parameters. Among these are the sender, subject, words contained, date and labels, among others.
• After you’ve set your search specifications, click “Create filter”.
• Specifies the actions to be taken on messages that match the filter criteria. Among these actions are archive them, mark them as read, delete them, star them and classify them.
• As soon as the actions are defined, click again “Create filter”.

Create filter from an email

This method uses the specific parameters of a received message to generate a filter that separates messages similar to this one, so that they are organized in a specific label, as follows:

• Select a message from your inbox checking the box next to this
• In the menu that will be displayed on the message, select the option “Plus”, shown as three dots.

• Click on the option “Filter messages like these.”
• Define the filter criteria and select “Create filter”.
• Set the actions to be taken with the messages that fit the filter.
• Click on “Create filter” to apply it.

Edit filter

When, in a certain case, the situation occurs that the requirements of your filters change, creating a new one can be counterproductive, since it would interfere with the filter that already exists. For this reason, it is best to edit the existing filter to adapt it to new needs.

Editing and removing filters can be done from the Gmail settings by following the same steps:

• Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner to open quick settings.
• Click on the button “See all settings.”

• Go to the tab labeled as “Filters and blocked addresses.”

• If you have more than one filter, find the one you want to modify.
• Click the edit button To change your search criteria, once done, select “Continue”.
• If required, modify the actions to be taken with the filtered emails, then press “Update filter”.

• To remove the filter, just click the button “Remove” on the settings screen.
• Press “To accept” in the confirmation window that will appear to remove the filter permanently.

Share and import filter to another account

The filter sharing option allows you to use the filter settings of another Gmail account to generate a filter in ours. In this way, it is possible to share the parameters of a filter by means of a file, so that several accounts have similar rules.

To share a filter, follow these steps:

• Select the settings, located in the upper right corner, marked with the gear icon.
• Click on “See all settings.”
• Open the tab “Filters and blocked addresses.”

• Check the filters you want to share and click “To export”.

With this action, the download of a “.xml” format file will begin. This file contains the filter parameters, and can be shared to other email accounts to be downloaded, and used to configure the filters of another account.

To import a filter from the “.xml” file, follow this procedure:

• Go to the tab “Filters and blocked addresses” in the settings.
  
• Click on the option “Import filters.”

• Tap on “Select File”.
• Find and select the file “.xml” between your documents, by default it will be under the name “MailFilters.xml”.
• Once selected, click “Open file”.
• The specifications of the loaded filter will be displayed. After verifying that they are correct, click “Create filter”.

Once the process is finished, you will have a filter prepared in your inbox from where you can manage your incoming emails and optimize the order of your Gmail. This translates into a great saving of time and effort that will greatly improve your work productivity.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, we will answer you as soon as possible, and it will also be of great help to more members of the community. Thanks! 😉

Author: Mario José

Graduated in journalism, specialized in investigation, I seek the truth of all things. Now 100% focused on technology, computing and Internet issues.

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