Operator |
Definition |
Example(s) |
from: |
Used to specify the sender |
Example – from:amy
Meaning – Messages from Amy |
to: |
Used to specify a recipient |
Example – to:david
Meaning – All messages that were sent to David (by you or someone else) |
subject: |
Search for words in the subject line |
Example – subject:dinner
Meaning – Messages that have the word “dinner” in the subject |
OR |
Search for messages matching term A or term B*
*OR must be in all caps |
Example – from:amy OR from:david
Meaning – Messages from Amy or from David |
–
(hyphen) |
Used to exclude messages from your search |
Example – dinner -movie
Meaning – Messages that contain the word “dinner” but do not contain the word “movie” |
label: |
Search for messages by label*
*There isn’t a search operator for unlabeled messages |
Example – from:amy label:friends
Meaning – Messages from Amy that have the label “friends”Example – from:david label:my-family
Meaning – Messages from David that have the label “My Family” |
has:attachment
|
Search for messages with an attachment |
Example – from:david has:attachment
Meaning – Messages from David that have an attachment |
list: |
Search for messages on mailing lists |
Example – list:info@example.com
Meaning – Messages with the words info@example.com in the headers, sent to or from this list |
filename: |
Search for an attachment by name or type |
Example – filename:physicshomework.txt
Meaning – Messages with an attachment named “physicshomework.txt”
Example – label:work filename:pdf
Meaning – Messages labeled “work” that also have a PDF file as an attachment |
” “
(quotes)
|
Used to search for an exact phrase*
*Capitalization isn’t taken into consideration |
Example – “i’m feeling lucky”
Meaning – Messages containing the phrase “i’m feeling lucky” or “I’m feeling lucky”
Example – subject:”dinner and a movie”
Meaning – Messages containing the phrase “dinner and a movie” in the subject |
( )
|
Used to group words
Used to specify terms that shouldn’t be excluded |
Example – from:amy(dinner OR movie)
Meaning – Messages from Amy that contain either the word “dinner” or the word “movie”
Example – subject:(dinner movie)
Meaning – Messages in which the subject contains both the word “dinner” and the word “movie” |
in:anywhere |
Search for messages anywhere in Gmail*
*Messages in Spam and Trash are excluded from searches by default |
Example – in:anywhere movie
Meaning – Messages in All Mail, Spam, and Trash that contain the word “movie” |
in:inbox
in:trash
in:spam |
Search for messages in Inbox, Trash, or Spam |
Example – in:trash from:amy
Meaning – Messages from Amy that are in Trash |
is:starred
is:unread
is:read
|
Search for messages that are starred, unread or read |
Example – is:read is:starred from:David
Meaning – Messages from David that have been read and are marked with a star |
cc:
bcc: |
Used to specify recipients in the cc: or bcc: fields*
*Search on bcc: cannot retrieve messages on which you were blind carbon copied<!– |
Example – cc:david
Meaning – Messages that were cc-ed to David |
after:
before:
|
Search for messages sent during a certain period of time*
*Dates must be in yyyy/mm/dd format. |
Example – after:2004/04/16 before:2004/04/18
Meaning – Messages sent between April 16, 2004 and April 18, 2004.*
*More precisely: Messages sent after 12:00 AM (or 00:00) April 16, 2004 and before April 18, 2004. |
is:chat |
Search for chat messages |
Example – is:chat monkey
Meaning – Any chat message including the word “monkey”. |
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