How to delete multiple emails in Gmail on phone

Struggling to manage a cluttered Gmail inbox?

Whether you’re using an Android or iPhone, deleting multiple emails at once can help you manage your inbox more efficiently. This guide will show you how to select and delete multiple emails both platforms.

NB: you can only select and delete emails in batches of 50 on mobile devices. For larger bulk deletions, you’ll need to use a desktop browser.

Follow these instructions to efficiently clear your Gmail.

How to delete Gmail emails in bulk on Android

Deleting multiple emails at once on Android may not be immediately intuitive. Here is how to do it:

  1. Open the Gmail app on your Android device.
  2. Tap and hold on the first email you want to delete—tap the sender image, the circle with either a letter or an image in it, to select a message.
  3. Tap on additional messages to add them to your selection or tap on the “select all” icon (a lonely checkbox at the top-left of your email folder) to select all the emails at once.
  4. Once you’re happy with your selection (tap on selected emails to deselect them), tap on the delete icon (in the shape of a trash can) in the top-right corner.

This will send all your selected emails to the Trash folder, from which they’ll be automatically deleted after 30 days. If you accidentally deleted something important, you have 30 days to recover it from your Trash folder. You can empty the trash at any time before this.

How to delete all emails in Gmail app on an iPhone

To delete multiple emails on your iPhone, open your Gmail app, tap and hold on an email that you want to delete, then add to your selection by tapping on additional emails. Once you’ve chosen all the emails you want gone, tap on the delete button, it’s the one that looks like a trash can.

Here’s how to do that step-by-step:

  1. Go to your Gmail app.
  2. Tap and hold on one of the emails you want to delete.
  3. Add to your selection by tapping on subsequent emails or the “select all” icon (in the shape of a checkbox) directly above your emails.
  4. Tap the delete button (the trash can in the upper-right of the screen) to send all the emails you selected to Trash.

You have 30 days to recover any accidentally deleted emails from your Trash folder. Otherwise, they’ll be “permanently deleted” (insofar as we can trust Alphabet Inc. to actually delete them).

Can I delete more than 50 emails at a time in Gmail?

Yes, you can delete more than 50 emails at a time in Gmail, but you’ll need to use the desktop web interface. On mobile apps, you’ll have to manually select batches of emails if you’re dealing with large quantities.

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FAQ

How do I delete all unread emails in Gmail on my phone?

To delete all unread emails in Gmail on your phone, go to your inbox in the Gmail app and enter “is:unread” in the search bar at the top, and tap the magnifying glass. Tap the “select all” icon (the checkbox above your emails) and then the delete button (trash can icon) to delete all unread emails.

How do I delete emails on my phone?

To delete emails on your phone, select the emails you want to delete and then tap on the delete button to move them into the trash folder. The details will vary depending on the email client or app that you use, as well the email provider. For the Gmail app, follow the instructions in the article above.

How do I delete thousands of emails in Gmail on an Android phone?

To delete thousands of emails in Gmail on an Android phone, select at least 2,000 messages in your inbox or another folder and tap the delete button (in the shape of a trash can). 

How do I delete more than 100 emails in Gmail?

To delete more than 100 emails in Gmail, select at least 101 emails and tap the delete button (it looks like a trash can and can be found in the upper-right corner of the app once you’ve started making your selection).

How do I quickly clean my Gmail inbox?

To quickly clean your Gmail inbox, tap and hold on one email, then tap the “select all” button that appears directly above your emails and tap “delete” (the icon that looks like a trash can). All the emails in your inbox will be moved to the Trash folder, from which they’ll be permanently deleted after 30 days.

Can I delete more than 50 emails at a time in Gmail?

Yes, you can delete more than 50 emails at a time in Gmail. If you’re using the web interface, you can select up to 100 emails per page and delete them, or use the “Select all” option to choose all emails within a specific label or search result, and then delete them. On mobile apps, you’ll need to manually select batches of emails if you’re working with large quantities.

How do you delete multiple emails at one time in Gmail?

To delete multiple emails at one time in Gmail, whether on a mobile app or using the desktop version, first select multiple emails by tapping and holding on one email and then adding to your selection by tapping on subsequent emails. Then tap the delete button.

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