Refine searches in Gmail

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You can use words or symbols called search operators to filter your Gmail search results. You can also combine operators to filter your results even more.

Use a search operator

On your iPhone or iPad, open Gmail .
At the top, tap the search box.
Enter a search operator.

Tips:

After you search, you can use the results to set up a filter for these messages.
When using numbers as part of your query, a space or a dash (-) will separate a number while a dot (.) will be a decimal. For example, 01.2047-100 is considered 2 numbers: 01.2047 and 100.

Search operator	Description	Example
`from:`	Find emails sent from a specific person.	`from:me` `from:[email protected]`
`to:`	Find emails sent to a specific person.	`to:me` `to:[email protected]`
`cc:` `bcc:`	Find emails that include specific people in the "Cc" or "Bcc" fields.	`cc:[email protected]` `bcc:[email protected]`
`subject:`	Find emails by a word or phrase in the subject line.	`subject:dinner` `subject:anniversary party`
`after:` `before:` `older:` `newer:`	Search for emails received during a certain time period.	`after:2004/04/16` `after:04/16/2004` `before:2004/04/18` `before:04/18/2004`
`older_than:` `newer_than:`	Search for emails older or newer than a time period. Use `d` (day), `m` (month), or `y` (year).	`older_than:1y` `newer_than:2d`
`OR` or `{ }`	Find emails that match one or more of your search criteria.	`from:amy OR from:david` `{from:amy from:david}`
`AND`	Find emails that match all of your search criteria.	`from:amy AND to:david`
`-`	Exclude emails from your search criteria.	`dinner -movie`
`AROUND`	Find emails with words near each other. Use the number to say how many words apart the words can be. Add quotes to find messages in which the word you put first stays first.	`holiday AROUND 10 vacation` `"secret AROUND 25 birthday"`
`label:`	Find emails under one of your labels.	`label:friends` `label:important`
`category:`	If you use inbox categories, find emails under one of the categories.	`category:primary` `category:social` `category:promotions` `category:updates` `category:forums` `category:reservations` `category:purchases`
`has:`	Find emails that include: Attachments Inline images YouTube videos Drive files Google Docs Google Sheets Google Slides	`has:attachment` `has:youtube` `has:drive` `has:document` `has:spreadsheet` `has:presentation`
`list:`	Find emails from a mailing list.	`list:[email protected]`
`filename:`	Find emails that have attachments with a certain name or file type.	`filename:pdf` `filename:homework.txt`
`" "`	Search for emails with an exact word or phrase.	`"dinner and movie tonight"`
`( )`	Group multiple search terms together.	`subject:(dinner movie)`
`in:anywhere`	Find emails across Gmail. This includes emails in Spam and Trash.	`in:anywhere movie`
`in:snoozed`	Find emails that you snoozed.	`in:snoozed birthday reminder`
`is:muted`	Find emails that you muted.	`is:muted subject:team celebration`
`is:`	Search for emails by their status: Important Starred Unread Read	`is:important` `is:starred` `is:unread` `is:read`
`has:yellow-star` `has:orange-star` `has:red-star` `has:purple-star` `has:blue-star` `has:green-star` `has:red-bang` `has:orange-guillemet` `has:yellow-bang` `has:green-check` `has:blue-info` `has:purple-question`	If you set up different star options, you can search for emails under a star option. Learn how to star emails in Gmail.	`has:yellow-star OR has:purple-question`
`deliveredto:`	Find emails delivered to a specific email address.	`deliveredto:[email protected]`
`size:` `larger:` `smaller:`	Find emails by their size.	`size:1000000` `larger:10M`
`+`	Find emails that match a word exactly.	`+unicorn`
`rfc822msgid`	Find emails with a specific message-id header.	`rfc822msgid:[email protected]`
`has:userlabels` `has:nouserlabels`	Find emails that have or don't have a label. Labels are only added to a message, and not an entire conversation.	`has:userlabels` `has:nouserlabels`

Refine searches in Gmail

Use a search operator

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