How to merge two or more labels in Gmail

Labels are a beneficial way to keep track of a particular type of Email. In simple words, they are categories, if thats easy to understand. Gmail doesn’t offer any direct way to merge two or more labels in Gmail. In this post, we are sharing a trick which will let you combine two more labels in Gmail. Once you do that, all the emails will be under one name.

How to merge two or more labels in Gmail

Before you start, you should decide how you want to go ahead with labels. There are two broad scenarios.

  1. Merge one label into another. ( Label Y into Label X)
  2. You plan to merge emails under two different labels into a new one. (Label X & Label Y into Label Z)

Merge emails under one label into another

Merge two labels in Gmail

  • Open Gmail and then click on the label (Y) (available in the left pane) you have to let go.
  • Once all the emails, under that label appear, click on the checkbox on the left which can select all the emails.
  • As soon as you do that, it will reveal another set of actions including the option to configure a label for that selected email. Click on the Label icon.
  • It will reveal and drop down where you can change the label. I would recommend you to uncheck the existing label(Y) of those emails and apply the label (X) you want to keep.

Now all the emails will be under Label X.

Merge emails under two different labels into a new one

Multiple Labels into one

While you can repeat the above step twice, here is a more natural way.

  • Create the final label (Z).
  • On the left pane, where the labels are listed, hover over label X and click on the three dots. Then click edit.
  • Choose the box “Nested under the label” and select Z. Repeat the same with Label Y.
  • The idea is to have both all three labels under one place. You will understand this in the next step.
  • Now click on Label X, select all the email and drag and drop on the label Z. Repeat the same for Y.
  • Delete label X and Label Y.

The reason to next the labels into the last label was to make sure I could drag and drop quickly. Imagine if you want to do it for a lot of labels, and accidentally fall under a wrong one. It is faster and more accurate.

About the author

Ashish Mohta

Ashish is an Android, Macbook user who excels in writing tips, tricks, and features on it to improve your day to day experience with your devices.