This tutorial will show you how to create email filters in Gmail. Filters tell Gmail what to do if it encounters mail that meets specific conditions.
To create a filter, click the Wheel drop-down icon and Settings.
Now, click Filters and Blocked Addresses.
You can either import existing filters from your other Gmail account or create new ones.
Click the Create a new filter link to create a filter.
The criteria here are similar to what you’d see when performing an advanced search.
We’ll use the From field to filter all messages from a specific person. You can use a name or an email address.
When ready, click the Search icon.
The only conversation from this person has shown up.
Let’s go back to the Filters page.
After testing the filter, click the Create filter with this search link.
Choose one or more of these actions to tell Gmail what to do when it encounters a message that matches the filter. Note that the actions will be performed in the order they are listed.
Let’s have Gmail automatically Star the message as important… click Star it.
Let’s also choose to apply a label.
Enable the Never send it to Spam option.
Enable a filter to matching conversation option for the existing emails.
When finished, click Create filter.
The filter has been created, and you have been taken to the filters tab.
Use the edit and delete links to edit or delete the filters.
Let’s return to the Inbox.
Let's open a conversation to see the final way to create a filter.
Click the down arrow next to the message.
Then click Filter messages like this.
The filter has been applied, and we can now see a yellow star being displayed beside the message.
This is the end of the tutorial. You now know how to create and manage filters in Gmail.