Learn to Filter Similar Messages in Gmail

Be more productive with Gmail filters

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by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated September 23, 2018

Managing a large amount of email every day is a challenge, but you can simplify the matter by setting up filters in Gmail to direct emails to specific destinations or actions without opening them until you are ready. Fortunately, setting up a filter in ​Gmail using an individual email you have received is easy.

Filter Similar Messages in Gmail

To set up a new rule for email similar to the one you opened in Gmail:

  1. Open an email like the ones you want Gmail to filter automatically.

  2. Click the More button above the email.

  3. Select Filter messages like these from the menu.

  4. Adjust the filter criteria:

  5. If you want to filter messages from the same sender, you're all set.

  6. To filter messages to a mailing list, or one of your addresses, enter it in the To line.

  7. Use the Subject field to filter for words and phrases in the subject line.

  8. Use Has the words and Doesn't have to look for or exclude words or phrases in the message body.

  9. Use quotation marks to match entire phrases.

  10. Use '|' or "OR" to make the rule match one or the other. For example, "me@example.com|you@example.com" filters messages from either me@example.com or you@example.com.

  11. Place a check in the box next to Has attachment to filter only for emails with attachments.

  12. Place a check in the box next to Don't include chats, if desired.

  13. Indicate any size limitations.

  14. Click Create filter with this search.

  15. Make selections on the screen that opens to indicate what you want Gmail to do with the emails that are filtered by the new rules you just set up. Selections include Mark as read, Forward it, Mark as Important, and other options.

  16. Click Create filter.