Top Ways to Organize & Reorder Labels in Gmail for Busy Teams in 2026

Ever opened Gmail, glanced at your sidebar, and realized your labels have turned into a long, tangled list you barely use? That clutter slows you down, hides essential threads, and adds friction to a day already filled with decisions. And with the United States now sending nearly ten billion emails a day, it's no surprise that your inbox feels busier than ever.

Thoughtful label organization helps you move faster. It provides a clear workspace, keeps priority conversations visible, and reduces the mental load of searching through outdated or misplaced tags.

This guide shows you how to organize labels in Gmail and utilize Gmail's reorder labels feature in a way that suits your workflow. That way, you'll be able to dodge through your inbox to the required email with more clarity and less effort.

In a Nutshell

• Gmail labels let you organize emails with far more flexibility than traditional folders, including color-coding, nesting, and applying multiple labels to one message.

• You can clean up your sidebar by showing or hiding labels, moving low-priority ones into the More section, and renaming labels to control their order.

• Nesting helps group related categories under a parent label, while modifying label names or colors keeps your system clear and easy to scan.

• Updating labels based on email ensures conversations stay organized as projects evolve, preventing important threads from getting lost.

• Despite these approaches, Gmail still relies on manual organization, meaning a well-structured, automatic label system is essential for reducing clutter and improving navigation.

What are Gmail Labels (and Why They Matter)

Gmail labels help you sort your inbox into clear categories. That may include separating "Personal" from "Work" or tracking clients, projects, and internal discussions. A label works like a tag you attach to an email, making it easier to pull up the conversations you need without having to scroll through long threads.

Unlike traditional folders, you can apply multiple labels to a single message, providing flexibility to organize information in a way that matches your actual workflow.

You'll see your labels in the left sidebar, each with an arrow-shaped icon you can color-code for quicker recognition. This small visual cue is especially helpful when your day is packed and you need to quickly scan for key items.

Example: If you're a manager or team lead, you might label one message with "Team Updates", "Product Launch Prep", and "Leadership Review". That single email shows up across all the places where you'd expect to find it while you're catching up after a day packed with calls.

Also Read: How to prioritize emails in Gmail

To make this system truly work for you, your labels must stay organized and in the correct order. Let's walk through how to organize labels in Gmail and reorder them so your inbox feels cleaner and easier to browse through.

Managing Labels in Gmail: Organization, Reordering, and More

The goal here is to establish a label system that supports your workflow, rather than slowing it down. Below, we'll provide a clear overview of how Gmail helps you keep your labels organized and easily accessible. You'll learn how to clean up unused labels, adjust their visibility, and reorder them so your most important categories stay at the top.

1. Show or Hide Labels

Gmail provides a set of system labels, including Important, Drafts, and Starred, as well as any custom labels you create. If some of these rarely matter to your workflow, you can hide them from the sidebar to keep your space cleaner and more organized.

Here's how to manage label visibility:

1. Click the Settings gear in the top-right corner of Gmail.

2. Select See all settings.

3. Open the Labels tab.

4. Choose "Show" or "Hide" next to each label, depending on what you want to see in your sidebar.

Example: If you're a CTO juggling multiple teams, you might display labels like "Engineering Roadmap" or "Security Reviews", while hiding system labels you rarely open, such as Spam. For freelancers, you might keep Invoices visible but hide older client labels you no longer use.

Pro Tip: Some labels may be important only at certain times of the month, such as "Payroll", "Quarterly Review", or "SLA Follow-Ups". Keep them hidden until you need them, then switch them back to visible during peak periods.

2. Move Labels to the "More" Section

If your sidebar feels crowded, you can tidy it up by moving less frequently used labels into the More section. This helps keep your primary categories easy to spot while still providing quick access to everything when needed.

How to Move a Label into "More":

You can do this directly from the Gmail sidebar:

1. Open Gmail in your browser.

2. Hover over the label you want to move.

3. Click and hold the label, then drag it down until you reach the More area at the bottom of your label list.

4. If the section is expanded, drag the label anywhere below the word Less.

How to Pull a Label Back Out:

If you want a label visible again:

1. Expand the More section by clicking More.

2. Find the label.

3. Drag it back above the Less line.

Example: If you are a CEO or manager, you might keep labels like "Board Updates" or "Urgent Follow-Up" at the top, while pushing occasional-use labels like "Annual Planning" or "Archived Clients" into the More section.

Note: The labels you move into More still appear in search and filters. You are only adjusting visibility, not removing functionality.

3. Rename Labels to Control Their Order

Gmail arranges labels alphabetically and numerically. If you want them to appear in a custom order, you can rename each label with a letter or number at the beginning. This gives you complete control over what shows up at the top of your list.

Choose either of the methods below at a time to keep your sidebar clean and predictable.

Option 1: Use Letters

Add a letter to the start of each label to define the order. For instance, if you're an entrepreneur juggling clients and internal projects, you might use:

• A-Active Clients

• B-Invoices

• C-Marketing

Option 2: Use Numbers

If you prefer a numbered system, rename labels with ascending numbers. For instance, if you're managing several teams, you might structure labels like this:

• 1-Leadership

• 2-Product Roadmap

• 3-Team Updates

Pro Tip: Use numbers when you need a strict hierarchy, such as 1, 1.1, 1.2 for project phases. Use letters when you want a simple top-to-bottom arrangement.

How to Rename a Label:

You can edit labels directly from the sidebar:

1. Open Gmail in a browser.

2. Hover over the label you want to update.

3. Click the down arrow or three-dot menu.

4. Select Edit.

5. Update the label name (for example, "A-Work" or "1-Clients").

6. Click Save.

4. Group Related Labels with Nesting

Nesting allows you to group labels under a parent label, providing your Gmail sidebar with a clear hierarchy. Think of it like subfolders that keep related categories together, but with Gmail's flexibility and ease of use. This is especially useful when managing multiple projects, clients, or shared team access, and you want a clean structure that mirrors your workflow.

Examples:

• If you manage customer operations, you might create a parent label called "Customer Requests" and add sublabels such as "Billing", "Technical Issues", and "VIP Accounts".

• If you assign work across your team, you might nest labels under each owner, such as "Customer Requests → Maria", "Customer Requests → James", and so on.

Here's how you can nest a new label or convert an existing one into a sublabel:

Option A: Turn an Existing Label into a Sublabel

Use this if you already have labels that need better structure.

1. Hover over the label in the left sidebar.

2. Click the three-dot menu.

3. Select Edit.

4. Check the "Nest label under" checkbox.

5. Choose the parent label from the dropdown.

6. Click Save.

Result: The label now sits under the parent label and can be collapsed or expanded.

Option B: Create a New Sublabel

Use this when you want to add a fresh category under an existing parent.

1. Hover over the parent label in the sidebar.

2. Click the three-dot menu.

3. Select Add sublabel.

4. Enter the sublabel name.

5. Click Create.

Pro Tip: Use nesting for categories with recurring subtopics to enhance organization and clarity. For example:

• Projects → Q1 Launch → Assets

• Finance → Invoices → Pending

• Clients → Active → Onboarding

5. Change the Labels on an Email

When a conversation shifts or a project moves to a new phase, you may need to update the labels on a specific email. Gmail makes this easy, irrespective of whether you use a desktop, an Android device, or an iOS device.

Update Labels on Desktop:

1. Open Gmail in your browser.

2. Click the message you want to update.

3. Select the label icon at the top.

4. Uncheck the labels you no longer need.

5. Check the new labels you wish to apply.

6. Click Apply.

Result: The email immediately appears under the newly selected labels.

Update Labels on Android:

1. Open the message in the Gmail app.

2. Tap More (⋮).

3. Select Move to.

4. Pick the label you want to use.

Update Labels on iOS:

1. Open the message in the Gmail app.

2. Tap More (…).

3. Choose Change labels.

4. Uncheck old labels and check any new ones you want to add.

5. Tap Done.

Why This Helps: Keeping labels up to date ensures related emails stay grouped as your work evolves. This is especially helpful if you're managing long-running projects, shifting priorities, or cross-team conversations.

Example: If you're a sales manager, you might switch an email from "Lead_New" to "Lead_Qualified" after a successful call. If you're a freelancer, you might move a message from "Pitch" to "Active Project" once the client approves.

6. Modify a Label in Gmail

Gmail lets you refine any label to match your current workflow. You can rename it, change its color, or adjust its position in your sidebar.

How to Edit a Label:

1. Open Gmail and find your labels in the left sidebar.

2. Hover over the label you want to adjust.

3. Click the ellipsis icon.

From the menu, you can:

• Edit the name: Select Edit, update the label name, and save.

• Change the color: Select the Label color and pick a color that stands out.

• Adjust visibility or nesting: Use the other menu options to show, hide, or nest the label.

Why This Matters: A clear name and consistent color system make it easier to spot priority categories at a glance. For example, a manager might rename "Reports" to "Weekly Reports_Team Alpha" and give it a color that's easy to scan during quick inbox checks.

Also Read: How to Automatically Label Emails in Gmail

With knowledge of how to clean up your labels, it's worth understanding the system behind them. Gmail doesn't use folders in the same way other email tools do, and that distinction influences how you organize your inbox.

Gmail Labels vs. Folders: Key Differences

Most email platforms rely on folders that move messages out of your inbox and into a single location. Gmail, however, uses labels, which function more like tags you can apply to any email. Here's how they compare:

Why It Matters: If your role requires context switching, such as reviewing client emails, communicating with vendors, or making product decisions, labels provide you with the freedom. They let you categorize an email in multiple relevant ways. You don't have to choose just one bucket.

Suggested Read: The Complete 2025 Guide to Smarter Gmail Inboxes and Relevance-Based Search

Before deciding how much time to invest in maintaining Gmail labels, consider where the system falls short. Labels offer structure, but they still rely heavily on you to keep everything organized, up to date, and consistent.

Are Gmail's Label Features Enough for Real Inbox Control?

Gmail's label system is sound, but it has limitations that many busy professionals encounter quickly. Labels help categorize messages, but they do not fully address the underlying issue of inbox overload.

Here are some of the key drawbacks to consider:

1. Overlapping labels create clutter instead of clarity: Since one email can appear under several labels, your sidebar can become crowded. Managers and executives often describe this as having "too many places to check" when searching for a single thread of information.

2. Manual organization consumes time: Labeling each message, creating new categories, or adjusting old ones becomes its own task. When your inbox is already overflowing, this manual effort diverts time away from higher-value tasks, such as decision-making, client communication, or strategy development.

3. Limited support for context and prioritization: Gmail labels cannot tell you what actually matters at the moment. They do not understand the importance of urgency or deadlines.

4. No automatic briefings or proactive insights: Labels only help you find messages once you look for them. They do not summarize key emails, surface essential updates, or remind you about missed follow-ups. This becomes a real problem when juggling multiple teams or clients.

For professionals who deal with complex communication streams, relying solely on manual labeling creates extra work rather than reducing it. You end up managing your inbox instead of letting your inbox support your workday.

Also Read: 9 Expert-Approved Tips for Mastering Email Inbox Management

To get proper control over your inbox, you need a system that understands priorities, automates follow-ups, and keeps you informed without constant effort. That is precisely what NewMail AI is built to do.

Bring Order to Your Inbox with NewMail AI

If Gmail labels still leave you sorting, filtering, and managing more than you'd like, NewMail AI gives you a smarter path forward. Instead of relying on manual tagging or complex rules, it builds an intelligent workspace around the way you communicate. You get clarity, speed, and control, without the constant upkeep.

Here's how it simplifies your inbox:

• Email Overload Relief: NewMail handles the heavy lifting by automatically organizing your inbox. It reduces clutter, keeps irrelevant or repetitive messages out of your way, and helps you maintain a clean workspace without constant manual cleanup.

• Personalized Priority: Your emails are automatically sorted based on what truly matters to you. No more digging through CC threads, cold outreach, or low-value updates. The most important messages appear instantly, enabling you to take action more quickly.

• Intelligent Tagging and Smart Folders: Instead of creating and managing labels yourself, it generates smart folders customized to your workflow. Everything is categorized with precision, making it easy to find conversations whenever you need them.

• AI-Powered Drafting: It writes high-quality email drafts based on your tone, context, and ongoing conversations. This helps you respond faster, maintain consistency, and deliver thoughtful communication at scale, without spending your day crafting replies.

• Privacy First Design: Your data stays yours. We never store your emails or use them for model training, providing you with advanced AI assistance without compromising security or confidentiality.

Also Read: AI for Gmail Management: How NewMail Is Redefining Email Productivity in 2025

Beyond organizing labels, NewMail AI rethinks how your inbox works. By combining intelligent prioritization, automated organization, and clever drafting, it clears the noise, allowing you to focus on decisions, clients, and high-impact work.

Conclusion

Organizing labels in Gmail helps bring structure to a busy inbox, but the real value comes from creating a workspace that supports quicker decisions and more precise focus. Clean labels, intelligent nesting, and intentional alphabetical/numeric ordering provide a strong foundation. However, they still require constant upkeep, especially when your responsibilities span multiple teams, clients, and fast-moving projects.

As inbox volume grows, pairing Gmail's built-in tools with intelligent automation becomes the difference between simply managing email and staying truly in control of it. When your priorities shift throughout the day, you need more than labels. You need context, clarity, and support.

That's where an AI inbox assistant like NewMail steps in, turning label organization into something automatic, adaptive, and genuinely helpful. Try NewMail AI for free. Let it take care of your routine, while you stay focused on what actually moves your day and work forward.

FAQs

1. What happens when I delete a label?

When you delete a Gmail label, it's permanently removed from your account and stripped from any emails to which it was applied. The emails themselves remain safe in your inbox. However, note that label deletion cannot be undone, and the label cannot be recovered.

2. Why do my filters sometimes miss or mislabel emails?

Filters rely on exact criteria. Slight variations in sender names, keywords, or formatting can cause Gmail to skip rules. Complex workflows often require constant filter updates, which leads to inconsistent or incomplete labeling over time.

3. Can nested labels slow down the process of finding essential emails?

Yes. If you over-nest, you create more layers to click through. Deep hierarchies are better suited for archival structures, rather than active workflows that require quick access during busy periods.

4. How do shared inboxes complicate label use?

Shared teams often label inconsistently. One teammate may tag something as "Support_Billing," while another tags it as "Billing," creating fragmentation. Labels aren't enforced globally, so naming discipline becomes essential.

5. Why do label searches miss certain emails even though they're tagged?

Label search excludes trashed or spam messages by default. If a labeled email is accidentally archived, moved to spam, or deleted, it won't appear unless you search those folders specifically.

6. Why do labels sometimes disappear from the sidebar entirely?

If a label has no emails and is set to "hide," it can temporarily vanish. It will reappear when a new email is tagged; however, its disappearance can be confusing if you rely on visual navigation.