| Operator | Definition | Example(s) |
|---|
| from: | Used to specify the sender | Example - from:akshay
Meaning - Messages from Amy |
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| to: | Used to specify a recipient | Example - to:david
Meaning - All messages that were sent to David (by you or someone else) |
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| subject: | Search for words in the subject line | Example - subject:dinner
Meaning - Messages that have the word “dinner” in the subject |
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| OR | Search for messages matching term A or term B*
*OR must be in all caps | Example - from:akshay OR from:david
Meaning - Messages from Amy or from David |
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-
(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” |
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| label: | Search for messages by label*
*There isn’t a search operator for unlabeled messages | Example - from:akshay 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” |
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has:attachment
| Search for messages with an attachment | Example - from:david has:attachment
Meaning - Messages from David thathave an attachment |
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| 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 |
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| filename: | Search for an attachment by name or type | Example - filename:homework.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 |
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” “
(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 |
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( )
| Used to group words
Used to specify terms that shouldn’t be excluded | Example - from:akshay(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” |
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| in:anywhere | Search for messages anywhere in Gmail*
*Messages in Spam and Trashare excluded from searches by default | Example - in:anywhere movie
Meaning - Messages in All Mail, Spam, and Trash that contain the word “movie” |
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in:inbox
in:trash
in:spam | Search for messages in Inbox,Trash, or Spam | Example - in:trash from:akshay
Meaning - Messages from Amy that are in Trash |
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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 |
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cc:
bcc: | Used to specify recipients in thecc: 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 |
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after:
before:
| Search for messages sent during a certain period of time*
*Dates must be in yyyy/mm/dd format. | Example - after:2008/07/16 before:2008/08/18
Meaning - Messages sent between July 16, 2008 and August 18, 2008.*
*More precisely: Messages sent after 12:00 AM (or 00:00) July 16, 2008 and before Augut 18, 2008. |
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| is:chat | Search for chat messages | Example - is:chat money
Meaning - Any chat message including the word “money”. |
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