Let Gmail to sort your email

Gmail does a pretty good job of categorizing your messages. You can train it to do better.

Primary tab

Move messages that you must review, respond to, or take action upon to the Primary tab.

Social tab

• Move social network notifications to the Social tab.
• These messages duplicate information in your social networks.
• You should be able to select and delete everything in this tab without missing it.
• For example, notifications from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, WordPress, etc.

Promotions tab

• Move business offers and informational newsletters to the Promotions tab.
• These messages promote products, services, people, and ideas you like but can safely ignore.
• You should be able to select and delete everything in this tab without missing it.
• For example, messages from Medium, Substack, Seth Godin, Walgreens, and Pocket.

Updates tab

• Move important messages that you should see but usually do not need to act upon to the Updates tab.
• These include automated automated paystub/billing/account/renewal notifications.

Forums tab

• Move messages from message boards and mailing lists to the Forums tab.
• You should be able to individually review and delete most of these messages.

Routinely unsubscribe from notifications and newsletters you don’t read. Some senders let you cut the frequency from daily to weekly or monthly.