How to Search Mail in Gmail - All about search filters

How to Search Mail in Gmail

Search Mail in Gmail

To find messages in Gmail:

• Type search terms in the Search Mail field.
  • You can go to Search Mail quickly by pressing /.

Use the following operators:

• subject: - Search the Subject line.
  Example: "subject:bahamas" finds all messages with "bahamas" in the Subject.
• from: - Search for sender name and email address. Partial addresses are okay.
  Example: "from:heinz" finds all messages from "heinz@about.com", but also all messages from "your.heinz@tqn.com".
• to: - Search the To line for names and addresses.
  Example: "to:quertyuiop@gmail.com" finds all messages sent directly (not via Cc: or Bcc:) to quertyuiop@gmail.com.
• cc: - Search recipients in the Cc field.
  Example: "cc:quertyuiop@gmail.com" finds all messages that were sent to quertyuiop@gmail.com as a carbon copy.
• bcc: - Search for addresses and names in the Bcc field. Note this only works with emails you sent to Bcc recipients from Gmail.
  Example: "bcc:heinz" finds all messages that you sent with, for example, "hein@example.com" in the Bcc field.
• label: - Search for messages assigned a label. (Replace whitespace characters in label names with hyphens.)
  Example: "label:toodoo-doll" finds all messages labeled "toodoo doll".
• is:starred - Search for messages that are starred.
• With Superstars enabled:
  • has:yellow-star - Search for messages with a yellow star.
  • has:red-star - Search for messages with a red star.
  • has:orange-star - Search for messages with an orange star.
  • has:green-star - Search for messages with a green star.
  • has:blue-star - Search for messages with a blue star.
  • has:purple-star - Search for messages with a purple star.
  • has:yellow-bang - Search for messages with a yellow exclamation mark.
  • has:red-bang - Search for messages with a red exclamation mark.
  • has:purple-question - Search for messages with a purple question mark.
  • has:orange-guillemet - Search for messages with two orange forward arrows.
  • has:blue-info - Search for messages with a blue i.
• is:unread - Search for new and unread messages.
• is:read - Search for messages that have already been opened.
• is:important - Search for messages that are marked important for Priority Inbox.
• has:attachment - Search for messages that have files attached to them.
• filename: - Search within file names of attachments. You can also search for file name extensions to restrict your search to certain file types.
  Example: "filename:.doc" finds all messages with word processing attachments.
• is:buzz - Search for Google Buzz posts.
• is:chat - Search for chats.
• lang: - Search for messages in a particular language. (Specify the language in English; "Chinese" works, but "中文", "Putonghua" or "Mandarin" do not, for example.)
  Example: "lang:French" returns all emails that contain at least un peu de Français.
• in: - Search in a standard "folder". You can search in Drafts, Inbox, Chats, Sent, Spam,Trash and anywhere (for everything, including Spam and Trash).
  Example: "in:drafts" finds all messages in your Drafts folder.
• after: - Search for messages sent after a date. The date must be given in YYYY/MM/DD format.
  Example: "after:2005/05/05" finds all messages sent or received after (and not including) May 5, 2005.
• before: - Search for messages sent before a date.
  Example: "before:2005/05/05" finds all messages sent or received on May 4, 2005 and earlier.
• rfc822msgid: - Search for the message with the — just about certainly unique — message ID. Gmail will not search for messages that refer to the message ID (replies, for example). Example: "rfc822msgid:wW28fb6uf@mail.example.com" finds the message with "wW28fb6uf@mail.example.com" in the "Message-ID:" header field.

Operators and search terms can be combined with the following modifiers:

• By default, terms are combined with (an invisible) "AND".
  Example: "shepherd macaroni" finds all messages that contain both "shepherd" and "macaroni".
• "" - Search for a phrase. Case does not matter.
  Examples: "shepherd's macaroni" finds all messages containing the phrase "shepherd's macaroni"; 'subject:"shepherd's macaroni' finds all messages that have "shepherd's macaroni" in the Subject field.
• OR - Search for messages containing at least one of two terms or expressions.
  Examples: "shepherd or macaroni" finds messages that contain either "shepherd" or "macaroni" or both; "from:heinz or label:toodoo-doll" finds messages that either come from a sender that contains "email.guide" or appear under the label "toodoo doll".
• - - Search for messages that do not contain a term or expression.
  Examples: "-macaroni" finds all messages that do not contain the word "macaroni"; "shepherd -macaroni" finds all messages that contain the word "shepherd" but not "macaroni"; 'subject:"shepherd's macaroni" -from:heinz' finds all messages with "shepherd's macaroni" in the subject that were not sent from an email address or name containing "heinz".
• () - Group search terms or expressions.
  Examples: "subject:(shepherd macaroni)" finds messages that have both "shepherd" and "macaroni" somewhere in the Subject line (but not necessarily as a phrase); "from:heinz (subject:(shepherd OR macaroni) OR label:toodoo-doll)" finds all messages from a sender who has "email.guide" in their name that either have "shepherd" or "macaroni" (or both) in the Subject line or appear under the label "toodoo doll".

Here is table of "query words" (Summary):

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"
has:attachment	Search for messages with an attachment	Example - from:david has:attachment  Meaning - Messages from David that have an attachment
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 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 your account* *Messages in 'Spam' and 'Trash' are excluded from searches by default	Example - in:anywhere subject: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 the trash
is:starred is:unread is:read	Search for messages that are starred, unread or read	Example - is:read is:starred from:David Meaning - Message from David that have been read and are marked with a star
cc: bcc:	Used to specify recipients in the 'cc' or 'bcc' fields	Example - cc:david  Meaning - Messages that were cc-ed to David
after: before:	Search for messages after or before a certain date* *Date must be in yyyy/mm/dd format.	Example - after:2004/4/17 before:2004/4/18  Meaning - Messages sent on April 17, 2004.* *More precisely: Messages sent on or after April 17, 2004, but before April 18, 2004.