Might there be a better, faster, easier way to open folders in Gmail? Find out here how to go to and open a folder in Gmail in various ways—and pick your favorite.
First, a Nerve Springs from the Heart
Where does it land? Macrobius tells us what the Ancient Egyptians thought in his Saturnalia, that late-Roman treasure-trove of lore and culture:
[The nerve] runs forward all the way to the finger next to the pinky on the left hand
Macrobius
There you go: on the left hand, the finger next to the pinky is connected to the heart. Let’s put a ring on it and likewise go straight to the heart!
Want to go straight to folders in Gmail, too? Chances are, some are connected straight to the finger next to the pinky on your left hand:
How to Open a Folder in Gmail
Using Gmail Search
Time needed: 1 minute
To go to a folder fast in Gmail using search:
- Click your Gmail’s Search mail field.
Gmail keyboard shortcut: With keyboard shortcuts enabled in Gmail, you can also press
/. - Type
label:followed immediately by the name of the label or folder you want to open.Find fast: Use the auto-completion suggestions to pick the desired label quickly.
Extra useful Gmail keyboard shortcut: to jump straight to the search field with “label:” already typed for you, press G followed immediately by L.
In this folder: Instead of “label:”, you can also typein:. - Press Enter or click the Search magnifying glass icon (🔎).
Using the Gmail Navigation Bar
To open a folder or label using the left Gmail navigation bar:
- Click the desired label (folder) in your Gmail’s left navigation bar.
Invisible folder: If you do not see the folder listed, click ⌄ More at the bottom of the visible folder list.
No list? With a collapsed folder list, hover the mouse cursor over your Gmail’s left edge to expand the list.
Nested folders: To see the Gmail folders nested beneath a parent folder, click the right-pointed triangle in front of the parent folder’s name to expand the list.
From an Email That Bears the Folder Label
To open a Gmail folder from an email you have opened:
- Click the folder label’s name in the email header area.
Using Direct-Access Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts
To jump straight to oft-used labels in Gmail using keyboard shortcuts:
| Label | Path | Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| All Mail | All Gmail emails (except Trash and Spam) | G A |
| Drafts | Emails you have started compo… | G D |
| Inbox | Where new mail arrives | G I |
| Sent | Emails you have sent | G T |
| Starred | Mail highlighted with a star | G S |
How to Open a Folder Using the Gmail App for iOS or Android
To open any label in the Gmail app for iPhone or Android:
- Make sure you are viewing a label (instead of a message, for instance).
Here’s how to know: You will see the menu button (
) in the top left. - Tap the menu button ().
Swiping action: You can also swipe in from the left, even repeatedly to exit from conversations and proceed to the folder pane. - Now tap the desired label.
How to Open a Folder in Gmail: FAQ
What ways does Gmail’s Basic HTML version offer to open folders?
To open a label in simple HTML Gmail:
- Click the folder or label name in the left Gmail navigation bar.
As an alternative, you can also type the folder name in the search field and click Search Mail.
Simple HTML Gmail offers no keyboard shortcuts and no auto-completion of folder names, however.
(How to open a folder tested with Gmail in a desktop browser; updated March 2024)