GMail

Finding emails quickly in Gmail is all about using search operators and Gmail’s built-in search tools efficiently:

1. Use the Search Bar

At the top of Gmail, there’s a search bar.
You can type keywords, names, or phrases directly.
Gmail will look through the subject, sender, recipient, and email body.

2. Use Search Operators

Search operators are special words or symbols to narrow down results. Here are the most useful ones:

from: from:alice@example.com Emails from a specific sender

to:bob@example.com Emails sent to a specific recipient

subject:invoice Emails with a specific word in the subject line

has:attachment Emails that have attachments

filename:report.pdf Find an attachment with a specific filename

is:starred Shows only starred emails

is:unread Shows only unread emails

before:2025/12/01 after:2025/01/01 Emails in a specific date range

label:Work Emails with a specific label

3. Combine Operators

You can combine operators to get very precise results.

Example:

from:alice@example.com has:attachment after:2025/01/01

4. Use the Advanced Search Menu

Click the down arrow in the search bar.

Fill in the fields like From, To, Subject, Has attachment, Date range.

Click Search.

This automatically builds the search query for you.

5. Search Saved Labels

You can type label:LabelName to search within a specific category.

Example: label:Work report → Emails in the Work label containing the word “report.”

💡 Tips for Speed:

Keep commonly searched contacts or labels in mind to combine with keywords.

Use keyboard shortcut / to jump to the search bar instantly.

Save filters for recurring searches to automate future organization.