<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
<p>Emails are an indispensable part of our lives, whether for personal or work purposes. No communication medium can completely replace them. Therefore, not receiving emails suddenly can be concerning.</p>
<p>If you've suddenly started to miss receiving emails on Gmail, this article is for you. Here, we highlight possible reasons behind this and how to troubleshoot it.</p>
<h2 id="1checkyourinternetconnection">1. Check your Internet Connection</h2>
<p>If you're not receiving emails on Gmail, you should first check your internet connection. A slow Internet speed can affect email delivery.</p>
<p>Not being able to receive emails on Gmail can also be attributed to using a VPN or proxy. VPNs may slow down the connection and cause delays in receiving emails. In some cases, Gmail may also block VPNs or proxies.</p>
<h2 id="2checkgmailspamfolder">2. Check Gmail Spam Folder</h2>
<p>Sometimes, emails can be misclassified as 'spam,' and Gmail automatically moves them to the Spam folder, skipping the inbox. This can cause you to miss emails accidentally. Check your spam folder if you were supposed to receive an email for order confirmation, password reset, etc., but didn't get any, as it may have ended up there.</p>
<p>To prevent this from happening again, click the &quot;Report not spam&quot; button on the email. By doing so, no future emails from the sender of that email will be sent to spam but always land in the inbox.</p>
<h2 id="3checkyourgmailstorage">3. Check Your Gmail Storage</h2>
<p>By default, Google provides 15GB of free storage space, which is shared across several Google services, such as Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. If this storage space is exhausted, you won't be able to send or receive emails.</p>
<p>Check whether your Google storage is full if you're not receiving new emails. You can do so by going to Gmail and clicking your profile icon. You can manage your storage by clicking on the cloud icon. Here, you can get a detailed view of how the storage space is used across all Google apps. You will see an option to clean up space.</p>
<img alt="Gmail manage storage" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/why-youre-not-receiving-mail-on-gmail-and-how-to-solve-it-1.png">
<img alt="Google storage space overview" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/why-youre-not-receiving-mail-on-gmail-and-how-to-solve-it-2.png">
<h2 id="4checkyourgmailfiltersforwardingsettings">4. Check Your Gmail Filters &amp; Forwarding Settings</h2>
<p>If you're not receiving new emails on your Gmail account, it could be that your email filters or forwarding settings are causing this to happen. For example, you may have set a Gmail filter to automatically delete or archive emails that meet specific criteria. Or it could be because your emails are deleted from your inbox and forwarded to another email address.</p>
<p>To resolve this issue:</p>
<ul>
<li>Review your Gmail filters.</li>
<li>Check the forwarding settings on your account and ensure that the option to keep a copy of the emails being forwarded in your inbox is selected.</li>
</ul>
<img alt="Gmail auto-forwarding settings" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/why-youre-not-receiving-mail-on-gmail-and-how-to-solve-it-3.png">
<h2 id="5blockedemailaddress">5. Blocked Email Address</h2>
<p>One of the reasons for not receiving an email on Gmail could be a blocked sender. If you accidentally block a sender, all the emails sent to you by them will end up in the spam folder, causing you to miss them.</p>
<p>If that's the case, you can simply unblock the sender to start receiving their emails in your inbox again. As for the already blocked emails, you can find them in the spam folder.</p>
<p>To unblock a sender in Gmail, follow the below steps:</p>
<ol>
<li>Click on the gear icon found at the top-right of the screen.</li>
<li>Click on &quot;See all settings&quot;.</li>
<li>Navigate to the Filters &amp; Blocked Addresses tab.</li>
<li>Find the blocked email address and click &quot;unblock&quot;.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="Gmail unblock sender" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/why-youre-not-receiving-mail-on-gmail-and-how-to-solve-it-4.png">
<p>On the Gmail mobile app, you can unblock a sender by opening an email from them and clicking &quot;Unblock sender&quot;.</p>
<h2 id="6incorrectemailaddress">6. Incorrect Email Address</h2>
<p>Another reason for not receiving an email could be an incorrect email address. For example, the sender makes a typo, or you could make a typo while entering your email address on websites, thus not being able to receive emails.</p>
<p>Always double-check your email address to ensure you don't miss any emails.</p>
<h2 id="7serveroutage">7. Server Outage</h2>
<p>Sometimes, the issue might be with Gmail itself. If Gmail servers are down or undergoing maintenance, you may experience trouble receiving emails.</p>
<p>Check the status of Gmail online to see if it is experiencing an outage.</p>
<h2 id="8issueswithsyncing">8. Issues with Syncing</h2>
<p>If you're using the Gmail mobile app, ensure that syncing is enabled. This way, you will automatically receive new emails without refreshing your inbox.</p>
<p>Syncing is enabled by default in the Gmail mobile app (for both Android and iOS). You can find this setting by opening the Gmail mobile app, going to Settings, tapping your email address, and scrolling to the bottom of the screen.</p>
<img alt="Gmail mobile app settings" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/why-youre-not-receiving-mail-on-gmail-and-how-to-solve-it-5.png">
<img alt="Gmail mobile app email sync" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/why-youre-not-receiving-mail-on-gmail-and-how-to-solve-it-6.png">
<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>Not receiving emails on Gmail can be frustrating and cause you to miss important emails accidentally. In this article, we discussed a few reasons to help you pinpoint what could be causing this behaviour and provided troubleshooting solutions for each possible reason. We hope you found this article helpful.</p>


Admin

Why You're Not Receiving Mail on Gmail (and How to Solve It)

<p>One thing is for sure: spam emails are here to stay, and it's impossible to avoid them altogether. Over <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-many-spam-emails-are-sent-per-day/">150 billion spam emails</a> are sent daily, so it's no surprise if you find a few in your inbox. However, if you suddenly notice that you are getting targeted by many of them, you are right to be concerned.</p>
<p>Receiving spam emails is no fun. All they do is clutter your inbox, waste your time, and cause frustration. However, the biggest issue is that some of them also intend harm, making you wonder how spammers even got your email address in the first place.</p>
<p>In this article, we'll help you get to the bottom of this issue and present solutions to reduce spam emails for a calmer inbox.</p>
<h2 id="commonreasonsforspamoverload">Common Reasons for Spam Overload</h2>
<p>Getting a few spam emails occasionally is usually nothing to worry about. However, you should figure out the reason if you suddenly start receiving too many spam emails.</p>
<p>Here are a few reasons that might be the cause:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Publicly Available Email</strong><br>
Having your email address publicly available online is like inviting all sorts of spam and phishing emails into your inbox. Spammers will start flooding your inbox with unwanted emails to the point where they get out of hand.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Data Breaches</strong><br>
Companies may face data breaches, and personal data can be leaked. You can check if your email address has been compromised using tools like <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://haveibeenpwned.com/">HaveIBeenPwned</a>. If it's found in a data breach, that explains why you could be receiving so many spam emails.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Misclassification of Spam Emails</strong><br>
Your email provider can affect how many spam emails you receive. If they don't have strong email filters, a lot of spam emails can make it into your inbox, being misclassified as legitimate emails. Therefore, selecting a secure email provider with advanced spam filtering capabilities is essential. Gmail can <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://workspace.google.com/blog/identity-and-security/an-overview-of-gmails-spam-filters">block more than 99.9%</a> of spam and malicious emails.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Unsecured or Suspicious Websites/Services</strong><br>
You could have entered your email address on an unsafe website that doesn't use HTTPS. Use a secure browser that can alert you of potentially dangerous websites while browsing the internet. Only enter your email address on safe and trusted websites, as some companies may sell your data.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="howspammersobtainyouremailaddress">How Spammers Obtain Your Email Address?</h2>
<p>This thought may have crossed your mind: &quot;Where did the spammers even get my email address from? Was it the website I signed up on recently?&quot;</p>
<p>There are many ways a spammer could've gotten your email address. For instance:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Web Scrapers</strong><br>
Spammers use bots to scrape websites, online forums, and social media sites for publicly available email addresses. Therefore, it's advised not to make it visible online.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Guessing</strong><br>
Your email address can also be guessed based on your personal information. Spammers may use email permutation tools that suggest possible email addresses based on first and last names and common email domains.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Leaked Email Addresses</strong><br>
Spammers purchase email addresses that are leaked as a result of data breaches or hacking and add them to their spam list. Not all email addresses are accidentally leaked—some companies even sell your data to spammers. Be wary of offers that look too good to be true.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="whyspamemailscanberisky">Why Spam Emails Can Be Risky</h2>
<p>Spam emails are not only annoying but can also be potentially malicious, so it's important to get rid of them.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Malware</strong><br>
Never open links or download attachments in a suspicious email without verifying the email's authenticity first. The email may contain malicious links or infected attachments that can install malware on your device.</li>
</ul>

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            <p>Read our detailed article <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-identify-and-avoid-malicious-email-attachments/"><em>How to Identify and Avoid Malicious Email Attachments</em></a> for more information.</p>

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                </div>
            </div>
            <ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Phishing</strong><br>
Have you ever received an email that looked legitimate at first, only to realize it was a scam when you paid close attention? That's a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-spot-a-phishing-email-protecting-your-email-privacy-from-scams/">phishing email</a>. It's designed to trick users into revealing personal information, which can lead to hacked accounts, identity theft, or financial scams.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Overloaded Inbox</strong><br>
If you receive too many spam emails, they can overload your inbox and cause you to miss important emails accidentally. Spam emails can also hinder your work productivity.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="howtoreducespamemails">How to Reduce Spam Emails</h2>
<p>Getting spam emails is inevitable, but there are ways you can limit the number of spam emails you receive.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Mark as Spam</strong><br>
First on the list is marking any unwanted or suspicious emails you receive as &quot;spam&quot;. On Gmail, you can also block the sender while marking an email as spam. This action automatically moves all future emails from that sender to the Spam folder.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Hide Your Email Address</strong><br>
Don't make your email address publicly available on social media, websites, online forums, or comments.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Don't Click the &quot;Unsubscribe&quot; Link</strong><br>
Yes, you read that right. Clicking &quot;unsubscribe&quot; lets the sender know your email address is active, and they begin targeting you with even more spam. Another reason to avoid the link is that it could be potentially malicious.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Use a Secondary Email Address</strong><br>
Create a secondary email address for online shopping, signing up, or trials. If you want to avoid using your email address for trials, you can opt for a temporary email service such as temp mail.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Use an Email Alias</strong><br>
Use an email alias to hide your real email address. If spam becomes a problem, you can dispose of that email alias. To create an alias, you can use an email masking tool such as <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://simplelogin.io/">SimpleLogin</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/105078">Hide My Email</a> if you're an Apple user.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="whattodoifspamemailsgetoutofcontrol">What to Do If Spam Emails Get Out of Control</h2>
<p>The above tips may not do much if spam emails spiral out of control, and the damage has already been done. In that case, you may need to do the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Create Email Filters for Blocking Spam</strong><br>
If your email provider is not proving very effective against spam emails, consider creating custom email filters. You can filter out emails with specific words or phrases such as &quot;100% free&quot;, &quot;Free gift&quot;, &quot;weight loss&quot;, &quot;meet singles,&quot; and &quot;once in a lifetime&quot;. You can create an email filter that automatically deletes emails containing such phrases.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Create a New Email Account</strong><br>
If your email address is leaked, blocking spam emails as they come may not be enough. Spam emails will keep coming from other email addresses. If that becomes a serious problem, you should create a new email address. You can set up an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-forward-all-emails-in-gmail/#forwardonlyspecificemails">auto-forwarding email filter</a> on your old email address to direct important emails to your new account.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Use BlockSender</strong><br>
Use BlockSender, a powerful Gmail add-on that is perfect for blocking persistent spam. You can send fake <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-use-bounce-back-emails-to-avoid-spam-in-gmail/">bounce-back emails</a> to spammers, tricking them into thinking that their messages are not getting delivered to you. Also, you can blacklist entire email domains and domain extensions.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>You are right to be suspicious if you suddenly start receiving a lot of spam emails. To limit their inflow, you first need to know why that could be happening.</p>
<p>It could be that your email address was leaked in a data breach, or you accidentally clicked a malicious link in an email or downloaded an infected attachment. If your email address is publicly visible on your social media or online forums, that could also be one of the reasons.</p>
<p>If considerable damage has already been done, you may need to create a new email account. You can also use BlockSender to bounce back emails to spammers.</p>
<p>With the right tools and email habits, it's possible to reduce this unwelcome guest significantly.</p>


Why Am I Getting So Many Spam Emails

<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
<p>You cannot have a clean inbox if you don't believe in inbox management. And trust me, the process doesn't have to be complicated. Gmail has a number of great features to help with email management and productivity. You can achieve a tidy inbox even by following a few of them.</p>
<p>Knowing how to use Gmail's email management features effectively is important to making the most of them. The Archive and Delete options are among the most useful Gmail features, but most email users don't know when to use which, thus not being able to reap their benefits. Users also have ambiguity around how the Archive feature works.</p>
<p>This article aims to clarify the difference between the Gmail archive and delete features. You'll learn how they work, their difference, and when to use archive vs. delete in Gmail.</p>
<h2 id="whatisarchiveingmail">What is Archive in Gmail?</h2>
<p>The Gmail archive option cleans up your inbox without actually deleting emails. When you archive an email, Gmail removes it from the inbox and moves it to the &quot;All mail&quot; folder. This way, your inbox gets decluttered without losing important emails. The archived emails are still accessible via the &quot;All mail&quot; folder on the left side menu.</p>

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            <p>For a detailed guide on Gmail's archive feature, check out <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-have-emails-skip-the-inbox-archive/">our article</a>.</p>

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            <h2 id="whatisdeleteingmail">What is Delete in Gmail</h2>
<p>As you may already know, the delete option in Gmail helps you remove emails from your account that you no longer need. Deleting old emails helps declutter your inbox and makes space for new emails.</p>
<p>When you delete an email, Gmail moves it to the Trash folder, where it stays for 30 days before being permanently deleted. During this period, you can recover the email if you change your mind.</p>
<h2 id="gmailarchivevsdelete">Gmail Archive vs Delete</h2>
<p>Sometimes, we can't decide whether to delete an email or simply have it skip the inbox, i.e., archive. To help you make a decision, we've outlined the differences in their functionality.</p>
<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Feature</th>
    <th>Archive</th>
    <th>Delete</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Working</td>
    <td>Removes the email from the inbox and keeps it in     the "All mail" folder.</td>
    <td>Moves the email to the Trash folder.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Location</td>
    <td>Found in the "All mail" folder.</td>
    <td>Temporarily kept in the Trash folder.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Duration</td>
    <td>Emails remain archived unless a new reply is received or the user unarchives the email.</td>
    <td>Emails remain in the Trash folder for 30 days unless recovered or manually deleted.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Retrieval</td>
    <td>Can be unarchived anytime from the "All Mail" folder.</td>
    <td>Can be restored within thirty days from the Trash folder.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Storage Space</td>
    <td>Takes the same storage space.</td>
    <td>Frees up storage space only after permanent deletion from the "Trash" folder.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Purpose</td>
    <td>Ideal for emails that you don't need in your inbox but may need for future use/reference.</td>
    <td>Best for emails that are no longer useful.</td>
  </tr>
</table>
<h2 id="whentoarchivevsdelete">When to Archive vs. Delete</h2>
<p>Let's see when to choose archive vs delete.</p>
<h3 id="archive">Archive</h3>
<p><strong>Quick Recap:</strong> Archiving an email removes it from your inbox but doesn't delete it.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Keeping Record</strong><br>
When an email is no longer relevant, but you want to keep it for future reference.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Organizing Without Deleting</strong><br>
When you want to declutter and organize your inbox without deleting emails you might need later.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="delete">Delete</h3>
<p><strong>Quick Recap:</strong> Deleting an email moves it to the Trash folder.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Unwanted / Spam email</strong><br>
Choose delete over archive for unwanted and spam emails and for old emails you no longer need to keep in your inbox.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Drafts</strong><br>
Delete any outdated drafts that you never sent to free up space.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Running Out of Space</strong><br>
Choose the delete option if you're running out of storage space.</p>
</li>
</ul>

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            <p><strong>Note:</strong> If you're running out of space but can't delete important emails, back up your data or upgrade your Google Storage.</p>

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            </div>
            <h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>When decluttering your inbox, one question that comes to mind is whether to archive or delete emails. To make a decision, you need to understand how each option works. The delete option is pretty self-explanatory—it removes the email from your inbox. On the other hand, the archive option removes the email from your inbox but doesn't delete it. You can still access it anytime.</p>
<p>So, the decision really comes down to this: if you're sure you won't need the email in the future, delete it. If you don't need it now but might need it later, it's best to archive it. Now you know how to use the archive vs delete Gmail features effectively. Good luck on your email management journey!</p>
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Archive vs Delete in Gmail: Which One Should You Choose?

<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
<p>Email scams continue to rise in 2025, with millions being targeted by financial fraud attempts. One such popular scam is the &quot;Pegasus spyware email scam&quot;. In this blackmail scam, scammers demand money from email users by threatening that they have been spying on their online activities and will release controversial photos/videos of the user unless the money is paid.</p>
<p>The goal of scammers is to create a sense of danger and urgency. Some users fall for the scam and end up paying the ransom money. The Pegasus email scam can impact mental health and instill a fear of being spied upon.</p>
<p>It's imperative to be aware of the different types of email scams on the loose to avoid falling prey to them. This is exactly what we aim for in this article. If you or anyone in your circle has been targeted by the Pegasus email scam, you should know what it is, how it works, and how to avoid this scam in the future.</p>
<h2 id="whatisthepegasusemailscam">What is the Pegasus Email Scam?</h2>
<p>The Pegasus email scam is a <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sextortion">sextortion</a> scam in which cybercriminals blackmail users that their devices have been hacked. They threaten to leak private and explicit content unless the user pays them money to stop the release.</p>
<p>Cybercriminals use the name of an actual spyware program called <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus_(spyware)">Pegasus</a> developed by NSO Group, an Israeli cyber-intelligence organization. The scammers claim that they have been spying on your online activities and webcam using the software.</p>
<p>Note that Pegasus is an expensive spyware program, only used by certain governments and common people don't have access to it. Scammers only use the name to intimidate people.</p>
<h2 id="howdoesthescamwork">How Does the Scam Work?</h2>
<p>A common question asked by targets of the Pegasus email scam is how the scammers obtain their email addresses. Your email address and other personal information can be leaked in data breaches and misused for such scams.</p>
<p>Scammers include publicly available information from social media accounts in the scam emails to make the users believe that they are actually being spied on.</p>
<p>For example, you may receive an email including an image of where you dined last night. However, the image was not taken from your mobile's photo gallery but your Instagram/Snapchat account instead.</p>
<p>Not all Pegasus scam emails are personalized. You may receive an email that looks something like this:</p>
<img alt="Pegasus scam email" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/the-truth-about-the-pegasus-email-scam-and-how-to-beat-it-1.png">
Image: <small><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://malwaretips.com/blogs/pegasus-spyware-scam-email/">MalwareTips</a></small>
<br/>
<p>Recently, scammers have been making the scam email look more convincing by including images of your house in the email. This lets people believe that the scammer has actually been spying on them. However, the reality is far from it. The images are actually taken from Google Maps using your address information.</p>
<h3 id="spoofedemailaddress">Spoofed Email Address</h3>
<p>Pegasus scam emails are meticulously crafted. To make the hacking seem legitimate, scammers spoof the sender's email address to make it look like the email was actually sent from their own account. Thus, making it look like they have access to your email account.</p>
<p>The spoofing is also done to avoid getting blacklisted. Since the sender's actual email address is hidden, you cannot block it.</p>
<h2 id="whattodoifyouvebeentargeted">What to Do If You've Been Targeted</h2>
<p>If you've received a Pegasus email, don't panic. The email is fraudulent and a scam. The scammer doesn't have access to any of your accounts or your webcam to spy on you. Any personal information or images included in the email are either taken from a data breach or your publicly available information on social media.</p>
<p>Here's the do's and don'ts if you receive a Pegasus scam email:</p>
<ul>
<li>Don't open any attachments or click on any links.</li>
<li>Don't send them the money they demanded from you.</li>
<li>Report the email as spam.</li>
<li>Block words or phrases commonly used in Pegasus scam emails (More on it in the next section).</li>
</ul>
<p>Note that if the email was legitimate and the scammer really had access to your account, he'd already have taken some action rather than threatening you.</p>
<h2 id="howtoavoidpegasusscamemails">How to Avoid Pegasus Scam Emails</h2>
<p>Let's see how you can avoid receiving Pegasus scam emails ever. These emails usually follow the same pattern e.g. starting with &quot;Hello pervert&quot; and/or including the mention of Pegasus spyware software. You can set up email filters to delete emails that appear to come from your own email account and including these phrases.</p>
<p>Let's see how to set up this filter in Gmail.</p>

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            <p><strong>Note:</strong> Gmail filters can only be set up using the desktop app.</p>

                    </div>
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            </div>
            <ol>
<li>Go to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://mail.google.com/">Gmail</a> and log in to your account.</li>
<li>Click on the &quot;Show search options&quot; icon.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="Gmail show search options button" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/the-truth-about-the-pegasus-email-scam-and-how-to-beat-it-2.png">
<ol start="3">
<li>Type your email address in the From and To fields.</li>
<li>Type &quot;Hello pervert OR (pegasus AND spyware)&quot; in the Has the words field.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="Gmail filter rules" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/the-truth-about-the-pegasus-email-scam-and-how-to-beat-it-3.png">
<ol start="5">
<li>Click &quot;Create filter&quot;.</li>
<li>Select &quot;Delete it&quot; from the list of available options and click &quot;Create filter&quot;.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="Gmail create filter" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/the-truth-about-the-pegasus-email-scam-and-how-to-beat-it-4.png">
<p>Once this rule is set up, any emails containing the filtered phrases and having your email address in both the From and To fields will be automatically deleted by Gmail.</p>
<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>Receiving an email claiming that you are being spied upon and being threatened that your private photos/videos will be leaked can be disturbing. Such are the tactics used in the Pegasus scam emails. Using the name of a real spyware program, scammers blackmail users and demand money to stop the release of private data.</p>
<p>The Pegasus scam emails are fraudulent and all claims made by the scammer are false. They can't hack your device, monitor your online activities, or access your webcam unless they have access to the real Pegasus spyware program which is a military-grade software and not publicly available.</p>
<p>So, if you receive such an email, just mark it as spam, don't send any money to the hackers, avoid clicking on any links, and report the email as spam. To avoid further emails, set up an email filter to automatically delete such emails</p>


The Truth About the Pegasus Email Scam—And How to Beat It

<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
<p>Email notifications are pretty useful as they ensure you don't accidentally miss any messages that may be important to you. Despite being useful, notifications can also be annoying sometimes, especially from email threads you never read. Email replies in threads only clutter your inbox and cause distraction.</p>
<p>Luckily, Gmail offers a handy feature to mute email conversations so that you aren't notified of any new replies. In this article, we'll explain what Mute means in Gmail, what it does, and how you can mute and unmute annoying and unwanted email threads. We'll also be clarifying the difference between archive and mute and when to use which.</p>
<h2 id="whatdoesmutedoingmail">What Does Mute Do in Gmail?</h2>
<p>Are you CC'd on active email threads and tired of getting notified of new replies in the conversation? Blocking the emails is not the solution if you want to keep the emails for future reference. What you can do instead is &quot;mute&quot; the conversation so that you still receive the messages but not in your inbox where they can be distracting.</p>

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            <p><strong>Note:</strong> You cannot mute messages directly sent to you. This option is for group email conversations where you're not the main recipient.</p>

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            <p>When you mute an email conversation, here's what happens:</p>
<ul>
<li>The email thread is removed from your inbox.</li>
<li>You won't receive new replies from that email thread in your inbox unless it is directly sent to you.</li>
<li>Muted emails don't get deleted from your account; they are still accessible. They just won't show up in your inbox.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="archivevsmutewhatsthedifference">Archive vs Mute. What's the Difference?</h2>
<p>Both the Gmail archive and mute features hide the email from your inbox. However, they are used for distinct purposes and have differences in how they work.</p>
<p>When you archive an email in your inbox, it is moved to the &quot;All Mail&quot; folder. When you receive a reply in the thread, Gmail will unarchive the email conversation and move it back to the inbox.</p>

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            <p>Learn more about the Gmail archive feature <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-have-emails-skip-the-inbox-archive/">here</a>.</p>

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            <p>Similarly, muting an email conversation also moves it to the &quot;All Mail&quot; folder, but new replies in the thread will not move it back to the inbox.</p>
<p>Wondering how to decide whether to archive or mute an email?</p>
<ol>
<li>Archive an email when you need to temporarily remove it from your inbox but reappear when a reply is received.</li>
<li>Mute an email thread when you don't want to be notified of any new replies but don't want to delete the conversation either e.g. a group chat.</li>
</ol>
<h2 id="howtomuteemailsingmail">How to Mute Emails in Gmail?</h2>
<p>In this section, we'll explain how to mute emails on both the Gmail desktop and mobile app.</p>
<h3 id="ondesktop">On Desktop</h3>
<ol>
<li>Go to Gmail and open the email conversation you want to mute.</li>
<li>Click on the three-dot menu at the top</li>
<li>Select the &quot;Mute&quot; option from the list.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="Gmail mute" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/a-complete-guide-to-using-the-gmail-mute-feature-1.png">
<p>You can also use the keyboard shortcut &quot;m&quot; to mute the email.</p>
<p>The email conversation is now muted and removed from the inbox. All future emails in the muted thread will skip the inbox and you will not be notified of them unless you are included in the &quot;To&quot; field of the email.</p>
<h3 id="onmobileandroidios">On Mobile (Android, iOS)</h3>
<ol>
<li>Open the Gmail app.</li>
<li>Open the email thread you want to mute.</li>
<li>Click on the three-dot menu at the top right corner and select &quot;Mute&quot; from the dropdown.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="Gmail mobile app mute emails" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/a-complete-guide-to-using-the-gmail-mute-feature-2.png">
<h2 id="howtomutemultipleemailsingmail">How to Mute Multiple Emails in Gmail?</h2>
<p>If you want to mute multiple emails in Gmail, you don't have to repeat the process discussed in the previous section for each email. Gmail allows you to mute multiple emails at once. Just select all the emails you want to mute, click on the three-dot menu at the top, and click &quot;Mute&quot;.</p>
<img alt="Gmail mute multiple emails" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/a-complete-guide-to-using-the-gmail-mute-feature-3.png">
<h2 id="howtofindmutedemailsingmail">How to Find Muted Emails in Gmail?</h2>
<p>Muted emails skip the inbox but are still accessible from your account. They are moved to the <strong>All Mail</strong> folder.</p>
<p>Typing <code>is:muted</code> in the Gmail search bar will return all muted emails.</p>
<img alt="Gmail all muted emails" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/a-complete-guide-to-using-the-gmail-mute-feature-4.png">
<h2 id="howtounmuteemailsingmail">How to Unmute Emails in Gmail?</h2>
<p>To unmute an email, you first need to find it. Type <code>is:muted</code> in the Gmail search bar to find all muted emails.</p>
<p>Select the email conversation you want to unmute. Click on the three-dot menu at the top and select &quot;Unmute&quot; from the dropdown menu.</p>
<img alt="Gmail unmute emails" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/a-complete-guide-to-using-the-gmail-mute-feature-5.png">
<p>When you unmute an email conversation, it isn't moved to the inbox unless a new email is received in the thread. If you want to unmute an email thread and also move it to the inbox at the same time, right-click on the selected emails, click &quot;Move to&quot; and select &quot;Inbox&quot; from the dropdown menu.</p>
<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>No need to turn off all notifications on Gmail just because of one annoying group thread—just mute the conversation instead. Gmail's Mute feature helps you declutter your inbox and eliminates distractions caused by constant reply notifications.</p>
<p>Worried you might miss an important message because you muted the thread? Gmail automatically unmutes it if you're a primary recipient in a reply. So next time you start losing focus because of a group conversation, mute it and stay focused like a pro!</p>


A Complete Guide to Using the Gmail Mute Feature

<p>In February 2014, Gmail added a convenient &quot;unsubscribe&quot; button to bulk marketing and newsletter emails. Before this feature was introduced, users had to manually search for the unsubscribe link, which is usually hidden at the bottom of emails. With this update, Gmail made it easier to opt out of emails by including a prominent unsubscribe button at the top.</p>
<p>Despite its advantages, the Gmail unsubscribe button is not always enough. Sometimes, email marketers don't respect your unsubscription request and keep sending you emails. Moreover, the unsubscribe button is not available for all emails, and you have to look for other solutions to stop receiving unwanted emails.</p>
<p>That's where <em>BlockSender</em> comes in. It lets you block any type of email—whether it's marketing, newsletters, or persistent messages from unwanted senders—without needing the unsubscribe option. This article will discuss how the Gmail unsubscribe button works, where it fails, and how you can use <em>BlockSender</em> instead.</p>
<h2 id="howdoesthegmailunsubscribebuttonwork">How does the Gmail Unsubscribe Button Work?</h2>
<p>Under the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/privacy/what-is-the-can-spam-act/">CAN-SPAM Act</a>, commercial emails must provide an option to opt out of bulk emails. To comply with this, such emails include an unsubscribe link, usually located at the bottom. However, it's not always easy to find. Email marketers use several tactics to keep you from unsubscribing, such as using a small font for the link, hiding it, or making the unsubscribe process too lengthy or complicated.</p>
<p>As a solution, Gmail introduced the unsubscribe button in February 2014. You can find it at the top of marketing emails and newsletters, next to the sender's name. This way, you can easily and quickly opt out of their mailing list.</p>
<img alt="Gmail unsubscribe button" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/gmail-unsubscribe-button-how-it-works-and-why-it-s-not-enough-1.png">
<p>Next, let's see how the Gmail unsubscribe button works under the hood. Gmail first looks for a <strong>&quot;List-Unsubscribe&quot; header</strong> in the email. If the &quot;List-Unsubscribe&quot; header is not found, Gmail may opt you out of the mailing list using the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email.</p>
<p>Here's what the process may look like:</p>
<ul>
<li>Gmail may send an <strong>unsubscribe request</strong> via email from your account.</li>
<li>Gmail may follow the <strong>unsubscribe link</strong> and submit a request on your behalf.</li>
<li>Sometimes, the unsubscribe link takes you to the website, where you have to <strong>manually unsubscribe</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="limitationsofthegmailunsubscribebutton">Limitations of the Gmail Unsubscribe Button</h2>
<p>Although the Gmail unsubscribe button makes unsubscribing from promotional emails and newsletters a breeze, it also has some shortcomings. You may have experienced some of these yourself:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Not Always Available</strong><br>
The Gmail unsubscribe button is only available for legitimate emails, usually those sent via email marketing services. It doesn't provide this option for unverified senders or emails with formatting errors in the &quot;List-Unsubscribe&quot; header.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Slow or Ignored Unsubscription</strong><br>
The unsubscription may take some time to take effect. Sometimes, the sender never unsubscribes you, and you keep receiving emails from them.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Risk of More Spam</strong><br>
This may sound ironic, but unsubscribing from spam emails lets the sender know that your email address is active, and some senders start targeting you with more spam, thus worsening the problem.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Doesn't Stop Phishing or Malicious Emails</strong><br>
Gmail only provides an unsubscribe button for legitimate and verified senders. Therefore, you will have to look for other ways to stop receiving phishing or malicious emails.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>No Option for Bulk Unsubscription</strong><br>
You have to click the unsubscribe button for each mailing list you wish to unsubscribe from. This process can be slow if you want to unsubscribe from multiple email addresses in bulk.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Incomplete Unsubscription</strong><br>
Clicking the Gmail unsubscribe button on an email may only unsubscribe you from a single mailing list from the sender. You may not be unsubscribed from all the mailing lists.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="alternativetryblocksender">Alternative? Try BlockSender</h2>
<p>Say hello to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io"><em>BlockSender</em></a>, a powerful <strong>Gmail add-on</strong> that helps block unwanted emails and annoying senders. Do you keep receiving emails even after unsubscribing? With BlockSender, that's a thing of the past. Using this tool, you can block emails without having to unsubscribe. It allows you to block email addresses in bulk and even blacklist entire domains.</p>
<p>Let's explore how we use BlockSender to block emails. First, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://app.blocksender.io/signup">sign up</a> for BlockSender if you haven't already, install the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/block-sender/bklnjbfcmglhiaoppcckdodanccbelcg">Chrome extension</a>, and link your Gmail account. You can also use the web dashboard, but the Chrome extension speeds up the process. Once everything is set up, you can begin setting up blocking rules. BlockSender provides multiple blocking options, such as blocking by email, name, and domain.</p>
<h3 id="emailaddressblocking">Email Address Blocking</h3>
<p>All messages from that address will be blocked when you create a blocking rule for an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://help.blocksender.io/how-to-block-emails-by-the-senders-email-address">email address</a>. However, when you use the Gmail unsubscribe button on an email, only one mailing list may be blocked, not all emails.</p>
<p>To block an email address:</p>
<ol>
<li>Select at least one email from that email address.</li>
<li>Click on the &quot;Block&quot; icon and select &quot;Block selected emails&quot;.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="BlockSender block selected emails" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/gmail-unsubscribe-button-how-it-works-and-why-it-s-not-enough-2.png">
<ol start="3">
<li>Choose where the blocked emails should go e.g. the Trash or Spam folder. Alternatively, you can permanently delete the emails from your account using the &quot;Delete (skip trash option)&quot;.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="BlockSender email address blocking rule" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/gmail-unsubscribe-button-how-it-works-and-why-it-s-not-enough-3.png">

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            <p><strong>Note:</strong> Choose the &quot;Delete&quot; option with caution, as it permanently deletes the emails from your account beyond recovery.</p>

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            <ol start="4">
<li>Click &quot;Create 1 Block&quot;.</li>
</ol>
<p>Unlike the unsubscribe option, blocking takes effect immediately. Also, the sender cannot know that your account is active since they won't be notified that they've been blocked.</p>
<h3 id="domainblocking">Domain Blocking</h3>
<p>Sometimes, simply blocking an email address is not enough, as the business may use separate email addresses for different concerns. In this case, you may want to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://help.blocksender.io/how-to-block-emails-by-domain-website">block the email domain</a>, e.g. facebookmail.com, to stop receiving emails from all email addresses that use that domain. To block a domain:</p>
<ol>
<li>Open any email sent from the email domain you want to block.</li>
<li>Click on the &quot;Block&quot; icon and select &quot;Block domain&quot;.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="BlockSender domain blocking" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/gmail-unsubscribe-button-how-it-works-and-why-it-s-not-enough-4.png">

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            <p><strong>Note:</strong> Be careful when blocking a complete domain, as important emails may also get blocked. Only do so if you're sure you don't want to receive any emails from the particular domain.</p>

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            </div>
            <h3 id="sendernameblocking">Sender Name Blocking</h3>
<p>When you <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://help.blocksender.io/how-to-block-emails-by-the-senders-name">block a sender by name</a>, you block all the email addresses with that specific name.</p>
<ol>
<li>Select any email from that sender.</li>
<li>Click the &quot;Block&quot; icon and select &quot;Block Selected Emails&quot;.</li>
<li>Select &quot;Person (by name)&quot;.</li>
<li>Click &quot;Create 1 Block&quot;.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="BlockSender block by sender name" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/gmail-unsubscribe-button-how-it-works-and-why-it-s-not-enough-5.png">
<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>The Gmail unsubscribe button is a handy option for opting out of unwanted marketing emails and newsletters. It's also generally a safer option. However, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. There are many scenarios where it falls short, such as the unsubscription not taking immediate action or Gmail not providing the unsubscribe button for some emails.</p>
<p>BlockSender is a powerful solution that can tackle all such cases. You can block email addresses and complete domains, and the blocking takes effect immediately. Start using BlockSender today if you want a powerful alternative to the Gmail unsubscribe button.</p>


Gmail Unsubscribe Button: How It Works and Why It’s Not Enough

<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
<p>Deleting unnecessary emails is a crucial step in clearing your inbox. An overloaded inbox not only makes it difficult to manage emails but also causes low storage space. If your Gmail storage is full, you will not receive new emails. To tackle that, start by deleting old, unread emails that are taking up storage space in your inbox. Luckily, Gmail allows the mass deletion of emails, so you don't have to waste time manually deleting all unread emails one by one.</p>
<p>You may not want to delete all unread emails in your inbox, but only specific ones, such as those that have occupied space for over a year or those from a particular sender. In this article, we'll cover all such scenarios. We'll be using the Gmail search operators to filter the search results.</p>
<h2 id="whydeleteallunreademails">Why Delete All Unread Emails</h2>
<p>You may be wondering if it's even necessary to delete all unread emails. Here's why you may want to do this:</p>
<ul>
<li>Get a cleaner and more manageable inbox. A decluttered inbox is easier to manage.</li>
<li>Free up storage space to make room for newer and important emails.</li>
<li>Get rid of promotional and social emails, as most unread emails belong to these categories and are generally unimportant.</li>
<li>Quickly find important emails by deleting unwanted junk.</li>
<li>Speed up Gmail search as finding emails in an overloaded inbox is slower.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="understandinggmailsearch">Understanding Gmail Search</h2>
<p>Gmail search allows you to filter emails matching specific criteria using search operators. Search operators are words or symbols used to filter search results. For example,</p>
<pre><code class="hljs">is:unread
</code></pre>
<p>The above query uses the Gmail search operator &quot;is&quot; to filter all emails that have not been opened.</p>
<p>Gmail provides many more search operators to narrow your search results and filter out the emails you are looking for, such as label, category, has, older_than, and after.</p>
<h2 id="howtodeleteallunreademailsingmail">How to Delete All Unread Emails in Gmail</h2>
<p>We'll use the search bar to delete unread emails from Gmail inbox.</p>
<pre><code class="hljs">is:unread
</code></pre>
<p>Type the above query in the search box at the top. This will filter out all unread emails present in your inbox, excluding the Spam and Trash folder.</p>
<img alt="Gmail unread emails query" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/how-to-delete-all-unread-emails-in-gmail-mass-deletion-1.png">

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            <p><strong>Note:</strong> Before you go ahead and select all unread emails for mass deletion, make sure there are no important emails included in this selection.</p>

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            </div>
            <p>Next, select all these emails in order to remove them. To do so, select the checkbox at the top. This will only select the emails shown on the current page. To select all unread emails, click &quot;Select all conversations that match this search&quot; (if available) and click the delete icon.</p>
<img alt="Gmail delete all unread emails" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/how-to-delete-all-unread-emails-in-gmail-mass-deletion-2.png">
<p>how-to-delete-all-unread-emails-in-gmail-mass-deletion</p>

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            <p><strong>Note:</strong> Perform this deletion on the desktop version of Gmail, as the mobile app doesn't have a &quot;Select All&quot; option.</p>

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            <p>Gmail will then ask you to confirm the bulk deletion of emails. Click the &quot;OK&quot; button in the pop-up window to confirm the action.</p>
<h2 id="deletingallunreademailsfromspecificlabels">Deleting All Unread Emails from Specific Labels</h2>
<p>You may not want to delete all unread emails, but only those with a specific label. These may include default labels such as promotions and socials or custom labels such as work or bills. Here's what the query will look like:</p>
<pre><code class="hljs">is:unread label:updates
</code></pre>
<p>This will filter only those unread emails that have the label &quot;updates&quot;. Next, repeat the steps discussed in the previous section to select and delete all the filtered emails.</p>
<h2 id="deletingallunreademailsbasedondate">Deleting All Unread Emails Based on Date</h2>
<p>If you don't regularly delete emails, your inbox may still contain emails from many years ago. Some of them may be unread. It is unlikely that you will need these emails later if they have been sitting in your inbox unread for years. Therefore, it is best to delete them to make room for newer, more important emails.</p>
<p>The process to do this is the same; you just need to include the date information in the search query. For example, to delete all emails that are older than a year, type:</p>
<pre><code class="hljs">is:unread older_than:1y
</code></pre>
<p>Or, if you want to delete all emails received after a particular date that you never opened:</p>
<pre><code class="hljs">is:unread after: 1/1/2021
</code></pre>
<h2 id="emptyingthetrashtopermanentlydeleteunreademails">Emptying the Trash to Permanently Delete Unread Emails</h2>
<p>You will notice that deleting unread emails doesn't immediately free up storage space. The deleted emails are removed from the inbox and moved to the Trash folder. Gmail keeps the emails there for 30 days in case you want to recover them. After this period, the emails are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.</p>
<p>However, you don't have to wait for 30 days for the emails to be deleted permanently. You can do so yourself by opening the Trash folder and clicking &quot;Empty Trash now&quot;.</p>
<img alt="Gmail empty trash folder" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/how-to-delete-all-unread-emails-in-gmail-mass-deletion-3.png">
<h2 id="additionaltipsforacleanerinbox">Additional Tips for a Cleaner Inbox</h2>
<p>Depending on their volume, deleting all unread emails can clear a considerable space in your inbox. If you want your inbox to stay clean, you should adopt productive email habits.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Unsubscribe from Newsletters</strong><br>
Unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters that you never read but are cluttering your inbox. If you're unable to unsubscribe, use BlockSender to block the newsletter permanently.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Schedule a Regular Cleanup</strong><br>
Set aside some time every week or month to delete unnecessary junk and get a cleaner inbox.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Use Labels and Filters</strong><br>
Use Gmail filters to apply labels to emails automatically. Labeling emails helps with organization and allows for efficient email management.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>If you have a lot of email junk in your inbox, you may want to delete all unread emails that have been filling up space. If you haven't opened these emails for a long time, chances are you will not need them in the future, so it's best to discard them. Luckily, Gmail allows you to delete all unread emails in your inbox in one go without having to select each one individually.</p>
<p>Additionally, you may need to delete only all those unread emails that have a specific label or have been sitting in your inbox since a particular date. You can use Gmail search operators to filter the search results to match these criteria. If you want your inbox to stay clean, regularly clean your inbox, organize emails into labels, and unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters. We hope this guide helps you achieve a squeaky-clean inbox.</p>


How to Delete All Unread Emails in Gmail (Mass Deletion)

<p>No matter how much you put off organizing and cleaning up your inbox, there comes a time when it becomes inevitable to do so. Even if you clear your inbox by deleting emails, it will get full again if you don't have good email management practices in place.</p>
<p>If you never set aside time for inbox cleanup regularly, the process will take you a long time. An overloaded and messy inbox is difficult to manage and contributes to stress. Your inbox should not impact your productivity. Moreover, cleaning up your inbox is essential so you don't run out of storage space.</p>
<p>In this article, we will show you the best steps to quickly clean up your Gmail inbox and prevent it from getting overloaded again. The state of your inbox can reveal something about your personality. If you want to delete unwanted emails and keep your Gmail inbox manageable, read this article until the end. Incorporate the recommended tips in your email routine to make your inbox the least of your worries.</p>
<h2 id="step1unsubscribefromunwantedemails">Step 1: Unsubscribe from Unwanted Emails</h2>
<p>This may not be the first step you were expecting. If you receive many newsletters, promotional, and social emails in your inbox, unsubscribing from unwanted emails should be the first step in cleaning up your Gmail inbox and deletion the next. You're better off unsubscribing from such emails if you never open or read them.</p>
<p>Although Gmail has a feature for <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15621070">managing all your email subscriptions</a> in one place, it hasn't rolled out to all users yet. So, we will use the unsubscribe button that Gmail provides on top of emails.</p>

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            <p>Read our detailed article, which explains how the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/gmail-unsubscribe-button-how-it-works-and-why-it-s-not-enough">Gmail unsubscribe button</a> works.</p>

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            <p>Unsubscribe links at the end of emails are not only hard to find but can be potentially malicious. Therefore, use the Gmail unsubscribe button as a quicker and safer alternative. Although the Gmail unsubscribe button is convenient, it's not always enough. The sender may not honor your unsubscription request or take too long. In such cases, you should block the emails[link BlockSender section] instead.</p>
<h2 id="step2usefiltersandlabelstoorganizeemails">Step 2: Use Filters and Labels to Organize Emails</h2>
<p>An organized inbox is a tidy inbox, and who doesn't love that? Adding labels to emails makes them manageable and easy to find. Labels are similar to folders.</p>

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            <p>Refer to our in-depth guide on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-use-gmail-labels-to-organize-your-emails/">Gmail labels</a> to learn more.</p>

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            <p>Using filters, you can automatically label incoming emails. Filters are used to automate repetitive tasks in Gmail, such as archiving and deleting emails.</p>
<p>If you have never used Gmail filters, our guide will explain everything you need to know about <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-filter-emails-in-gmail/">Gmail filters</a>.</p>
<h2 id="step3archiveordeleteoldemailsinbulk">Step 3: Archive or Delete Old Emails in Bulk</h2>
<p>This step is really important and should not be missed. To clean up your inbox, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-have-emails-skip-the-inbox-archive/">archive</a> or delete old emails.</p>
<p>How do you decide which emails to delete and which ones to archive? If the emails are no longer needed, you should delete them. If you think you might need an email in the future, you should archive it instead of deleting it.</p>
<h2 id="step4blockemails">Step 4: Block Emails</h2>
<p>You may continue receiving emails even after unsubscribing, which can be a hurdle when cleaning up your inbox. However, you still have the option to block the emails, which is why <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/"><em>BlockSender</em></a> was designed. It's your best bet against unwanted emails.</p>
<p>With this Gmail add-on, you can block email addresses, email domains, and domain extensions, send bounce-back emails, and so much more! Here's how to use the Chrome extension to block email addresses. First, install the extension from the Chrome Web Store, sign up, and link your Gmail account. Once you finish doing all this, follow the steps given below:</p>
<ol>
<li>Select the emails you want to block.</li>
<li>Click on the &quot;Block&quot; icon at the top and select &quot;Block selected emails&quot;.</li>
</ol>
<img alt="BlockSender block selected emails" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/how-to-quickly-clean-up-your-gmail-inbox-and-keep-it-that-way-1.png">
<ol start="3">
<li>Click &quot;Create X Blocks&quot;.</li>
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<p>This is how you can easily block multiple email addresses at once. BlockSender will send all future emails from the blocked email addresses to the Trash folder.</p>
<h2 id="tipstokeepyourgmailinboxclean">Tips to Keep Your Gmail Inbox Clean</h2>
<p>Loving the fresh look of your inbox after cleaning it up? Here are some useful tips to keep it that way so that you don't have to experience that dreadful feeling again:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p><strong>Set Up a Routine</strong><br>
That's right! Your inbox needs a regular cleanup, too. You should tidy up your inbox every once in a while before it gets overloaded.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Try the Inbox Zero Approach</strong><br>
Inbox Zero is an email management technique that aims at keeping the inbox empty or almost empty. If you struggle with email productivity, you should give this a try, and you'll surely see an improvement in your email experience.</p>
</li>
</ol>

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            <p>Learn all about Inbox Zero <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/achieving-inbox-zero-in-gmail/">here</a>.</p>

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<li><strong>Use the One-Touch Rule</strong><br>
Do you often procrastinate on your emails and let them pile up? That's the recipe for an unclean inbox. Use the one-touch rule to tackle emails immediately. When you open an email, do one of the following:</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li><strong>Respond:</strong> Try to reply to the email immediately if it takes less than two minutes.</li>
<li><strong>Archive:</strong> If you need an email for future use, archive it.</li>
<li><strong>Delete:</strong> If you don't need to keep the email, delete it from your inbox.</li>
<li><strong>Snooze:</strong> If you need to reply to the email later, snooze it to be reminded later.</li>
<li><strong>Move/Label:</strong> Label the email if it's important but doesn't require any action.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>In this guide, you learnt how to clean up your Gmail inbox to make it organized and manageable. You learnt inbox cleanup tips such as unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters, deleting old emails, setting up Gmail filters to automate actions on emails, applying labels to emails, and archiving emails you might need in the future.</p>
<p>We also presented some tips to prevent your inbox from getting cluttered again such as the Inbox Zero technique and the One-Touch rule. We hope that you never run into a messy inbox again.</p>


How to Quickly Clean Up Your Gmail Inbox and Keep It That Way

<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
<p>Have you ever found yourself looking for an email with a specific attachment or a particular phrase in the subject line? Manually sifting through emails is tedious and certainly not the best option. Given the pile of emails in our inboxes, we all know how frustrating that can be. Thankfully, Gmail search operators are there for the rescue. With features ranging from simple to advanced, these search operators are the powerhouse of efficient email search.</p>
<p>Sure, you can use the search options to find emails, but their functionality is limited. Gmail search operators are where the power of Gmail search truly shines ✨ Gmail search operators make it effortless to search for specific emails. If your work involves dealing with emails often, you should know how to use these search operators like the back of your hand. These are not only useful for quickly searching specific emails but also for setting up advanced email filters.</p>
<h2 id="whataregmailsearchoperators">What are Gmail Search Operators?</h2>
<p>Gmail search operators are specific words or symbols used to search and filter emails. You can also combine multiple search operators for precise search results. These operators help you narrow your search results to filter out exactly what you need in no time.</p>
<h2 id="howtousegmailsearchoperators">How to Use Gmail Search Operators?</h2>
<p>The process for using Gmail search operators is the same across all devices, whether desktop, mobile, or tablet. The syntax is also straightforward. Simply type the search operator followed by the specific keyword or criteria in the search box located at the top.</p>
<img alt="Gmail search" src="https://block-sender.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/master-gmail-search-operators-to-find-emails-instantly-1.png">
<p>In some scenarios, you may need to filter emails based on multiple criteria. For example, you might search for an email from a specific sender containing an attachment. The search query will look like this:</p>
<p><code>from:john.doe@gmail.com AND has:attachment</code></p>
<h2 id="basicgmailsearchoperators">Basic Gmail Search Operators</h2>
<p>In this section, we'll cover some basic search operators available in Gmail. You can combine these to refine your search results further.</p>
<h3 id="fromfindemailsfromaspecificperson"><em>from</em> - Find emails from a specific person</h3>
<p>The from operator is used to search for emails from a specific sender. You can type the sender's name or their email address. The latter will give more precise results as email addresses are unique.</p>
<p><code>from:john.doe@gmail.com</code></p>
<h3 id="tofindemailssenttoaparticularperson"><em>to</em> - Find emails sent to a particular person</h3>
<p>The to operator filters emails sent to a particular person. You can search for emails by typing the recipient's name or email address.</p>
<p><code>to:example@domain.com</code></p>
<h3 id="inlocateemailsfromaspecificfolder"><em>in</em> - Locate Emails from a Specific Folder</h3>
<p>If you want to locate emails in a specific folder or label, use the in operator followed by the folder name.</p>
<p><code>in: spam</code><br>
<code>in: trash</code><br>
<code>in: all</code></p>
<p>This search query will automatically navigate you to the specific folder mentioned in the query.</p>
<h3 id="issearchemailsbasedontheirstatus"><em>is</em> - Search emails based on their status</h3>
<p>Using the is operator, you can filter out emails with a certain status, such as unread, or muted.</p>
<p><code>is: snoozed</code><br>
<code>is: scheduled</code><br>
<code>is: unread</code></p>
<h3 id="hasfilteremailsthatcontainaspecificfeature"><em>has</em> - Filter Emails that Contain a Specific Feature</h3>
<p>If you are looking for emails having elements such as images or documents, use the has operator.</p>
<p><code>has: attachment</code><br>
<code>has: image</code><br>
<code>has: pdf</code><br>
<code>has: document</code></p>
<h3 id="subjectfindemailswhosesubjecthasspecificwordsorphrases">subject - Find emails Whose Subject Has Specific Words or Phrases</h3>
<p>The subject search operator is used to filter emails based on the terms contained in the subject line.<br>
<code>subject: order cancelled</code></p>
<p>Enclose the phrase in quotation marks if you want an exact match.<br>
<code>subject: &quot;order cancelled&quot;</code></p>
<p>The above query will return the emails that contain these words together while ignoring the ones where these words occur separately.</p>
<p>This is quicker than searching the entire email content, including the subject, header, and body. It also narrows down the search results by returning emails that contain these words or phrases in the subject line only.</p>
<h2 id="advancedgmailsearch">Advanced Gmail Search</h2>
<p>In the previous section, we discussed some commonly used Gmail search operators. Now, we will look at others that are used for advanced Gmail search. These powerful operators cover a wide range of use cases, such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="#searchbydate">Search by Date</a></li>
<li><a href="#searchbysize">Search by Size</a></li>
<li><a href="#matchexactwordorphrase">Match Exact Word or Phrase</a></li>
<li><a href="#excludingterms">Excluding Terms</a></li>
<li><a href="#categorysearch">Category Search</a></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="searchbydate">Search by Date</h3>
<p>Gmail offers multiple date search operators that allow you to search for emails based on the dates they were sent or received. You don't have to know the exact date of the emails to find them.</p>
<p>Gmail provides four date search operators:</p>
<ul>
<li>before</li>
<li>after</li>
<li>newer_than</li>
<li>older_than</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, you can combine these operators to search in between dates. Let's look at some examples to understand how they work.</p>
<h4 id="beforeandafter">before and after</h4>
<p>The before and after operators filter emails sent or received before or after a specified date, respectively.</p>
<p><code>before: 10/10/2020</code></p>
<p>This will filter all emails sent/received before October 10, 2020.</p>
<p><code>after: 1/1/2025</code></p>
<p>This returns all emails sent/received after or on January 1, 2025.</p>
<h4 id="newer_thanandolder_than">newer_than and older_than</h4>
<p>The newer_than and older_than operators filter emails based on the time period specified in the query, e.g., newer_than:2d, will filter all emails sent or received within the last two days.</p>
<p>Use y for year, m for month, and d for days. Gmail doesn't allow the collective use of these units in the same query. For example:</p>
<p><code>newer_than:1m3d</code> ❌<br>
<code>newer_than:1m</code> ✅</p>

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            <p>For a detailed guide, check out our article <a target="_blank" rel="noopner noreferrer" href="">Search by Date in Gmail</a>.</p>

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            <h3 id="searchbysize">Search by Size</h3>
<p>You can also filter emails based on their size in Gmail. The total size of an email depends on its body, all attachments, and metadata, such as the header and subject. Currently, Gmail doesn't provide an option to search emails based on the attachment size alone.</p>
<p>You can filter emails by their exact size or larger or smaller than a particular size. For example:</p>
<p><code>size: 1048576 or size:1MB</code><br>
<code>larger: 2MB</code><br>
<code>smaller: 1KB</code></p>
<h3 id="matchexactwordorphrase">Match Exact Word or Phrase</h3>
<p>Enclose words or phrases in quotation marks for an exact search. This is when you don't want to filter out any with partial matches. For example:</p>
<p><code>&quot;black friday sale&quot;</code></p>
<p>The above query will return only emails containing the exact phrase &quot;black friday sale &quot; and not emails containing these words separately.</p>
<h3 id="excludingterms">Excluding Terms</h3>
<p>While searching for emails containing specific words or phrases, you can mention the terms you want to exclude from the search result. For example, to filter all emails with the word &quot;meeting&quot; except those with the word &quot;agenda&quot;:</p>
<p><code>&quot;meeting&quot; -agenda</code></p>
<h3 id="categorysearch">Category Search</h3>
<p>By default, Gmail categorizes incoming emails into specific categories such as Primary, Promotions, Social, Updates, and Forum, depending on their content. This automatic organization of emails into specific categories makes it easier for Gmail to narrow down the search results while searching for emails. For example,</p>
<p><code>category:promotions &quot;sale&quot;</code></p>
<p>The above search query will return emails containing the word &quot;sale&quot; from the promotions folder. This takes less time than searching the emails across all folders.</p>
<h2 id="combiningsearchoperatorsforprecision">Combining Search Operators for Precision</h2>
<p>Gmail also allows you to combine multiple search operators for precise results. You can combine multiple conditions using the boolean operators: AND or OR.</p>

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            <p><strong>Note:</strong> Gmail search operators are case-sensitive. For example, using &quot;or&quot; instead of &quot;OR&quot; between search conditions will give incorrect results.</p>

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            <h3 id="andoperator">AND Operator</h3>
<p>If you use the AND operator, Gmail filters emails that match all specified search criteria. For example:</p>
<p><code>after:1/1/1025 AND has:attachment</code></p>
<p>The above search query filters emails that match both search criteria. It returns emails sent/received after January 1, 2025, and that has an attachment.</p>
<p>Gmail automatically applies an AND operator if you don't specify any operator between the search conditions.</p>
<p><code>after:01/05/2024 has:attachment</code> is the same as <code>after:01/05/2024 AND has:attachment</code>.</p>
<h3 id="oroperator">OR Operator</h3>
<p>If you use the OR operator between multiple conditions, Gmail filters emails that match one or all of the search criteria. For example:</p>
<p><code>after:1/1/1025 OR has:attachment</code></p>
<p>The above search query returns emails that were either sent or received after January 1, 2025 or having an attachment or both.</p>
<p>You can also type {} instead of OR; both will return the same result.</p>
<p><code>{after:1/1/2025 has:attachment}</code></p>
<h2 id="howtospeedupgmailsearch">How to Speed up Gmail Search</h2>
<p>Although Gmail search operators are optimized for speed, they may still be slow if your inbox is overloaded with emails. An overloaded inbox is difficult to manage and leads to a slow loading time. Here are some tips to speed up your Gmail search and improve your email experience.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Delete Unnecessary Emails</strong><br>
Start by deleting emails you no longer need. Usually, it's the promotional and social emails that we rarely open that are clogging our inboxes.</li>
</ol>

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            <p>Check out our detailed guides: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-delete-all-social-emails-in-gmail/"><em>How to Delete All Social Emails in Gmail</em></a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-delete-all-promotions-emails-in-gmail/"><em>How to Delete All Promotions Emails in Gmail</em></a>.</p>

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<li>
<p><strong>Disable Unused Filters</strong><br>
No one can deny the importance of Gmail filters in email management. However, having too many of them can inadvertently slow down Gmail. Although Gmail allows you to set up to 1,000 filters, filter processing can slow down Gmail's performance if too many are configured.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Use Labels</strong><br>
Labels are tags for emails used to group emails into categories. They are useful for organizing emails for efficient search. Applying labels to emails and searching them based on them helps Gmail narrow the search, improving the search process. This helps you quickly find the required emails.</p>
</li>
</ol>

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            <p>Here is a complete guide on <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://blocksender.io/how-to-use-gmail-labels-to-organize-your-emails/">Gmail labels</a>, explaining how they work and how to implement them.</p>

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            <h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
<p>Using Gmail search operators enhances email productivity by providing quick and precise search results. You can also leverage their power by setting up filters that match emails with specific criteria, helping to automate certain tasks.</p>
<p>Combine multiple search operators to narrow down your search results and filter exactly what you need. Although Gmail search operators are optimized for speed, certain factors can slow down their performance. So, to boost their speed, make sure to occasionally delete unnecessary emails, disable unused filters, and label emails.</p>


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