This article is a part of the Gmail Tips series.

You can apply the same action to all messages in a label or section of your account (Inbox, Sent Mail, Spam, Trash, etc.), in just a few steps. Use this feature to archive all mail in your Inbox, apply labels to every message meeting certain criteria, delete all messages in Spam or Trash, or apply a filter to all relevant messages in your account.

Here's how to take an action on all messages in a label or section of your account:

1. Open the view (Inbox, Sent Mail, etc.) containing the messages on which you'd like to take an action.


2. Click Select: All along the top.


3. Click the link that says Select all [number] conversations in [current view].


4. Select the action you'd like to take from the More Actions... drop-down menu.

Here's how to apply a filter to all relevant messages in your account:

1. Create a new filter.


2. Before clicking Create Filter, check the box next to Also apply filter to [number] conversations below.

Here's how to delete all messages in Spam or Trash at once:

1. Click Spam or Trash.


2. Click Empty Trash now or Delete all spam messages now to delete all messages.