How to Apply Multiple Labels to Gmail Messages in IMAP Client

One of the most unique feature in Gmail email service is that lack of folders to category mail messages, replacing instead with label, which users can apply multiple and as many label as they want to act as it’s categories or folders for easy identification and searching later. Applying label to e-mails is easy when using Gmail web based user interface or view. However, it’s not so straight forward when using IMAP client to access Gmail.

If you have enabled IMAP support on Gmail and use external program such as Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Vista Windows Mail, Apple iPhone, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Blackberry, Windows Mobile mobile devices and many more as mail client to access, read, write, forward, reply, delete Gmail messages, it’s still possible to have more than one label applied on each messages.

To associate and attach more than one label to a email message in IMAP email client, just copy the message to a folder (which is actually the label with corresponding name when users visit Gmail via webmail). A message that is copied to one or more folders in the IMAP client will be marked with the corresponding label(s) when viewed in the Gmail web interface. Note that you should copy the email to multiple folders instead of moving it to have many labels on the email.


4 Responses to “How to Apply Multiple Labels to Gmail Messages in IMAP Client”

  1. Berke
    September 20th, 2009 17:14
    4

    Well, on the iPhone there is no way to “copy” a message to another folder, you can only move it.

    Or is there a way for a workaround?

  2. Steve
    December 7th, 2007 23:49
    3

    What is the easiest way to assign multiple labels, or “copy to multiple folders” at once in Thunderbird?

  3. Chris
    November 2nd, 2007 05:33
    2

    Removing labels is a little less intuitive but works in a similar fashion.

    To remove a label, locate the message in the folder for that “label” and move the message out of that folder. I.e. Say the message is labeled with “A”, “B”, & “C” and you want to remove “C”. Locate the message in the “C” folder and just move it out to one of the folders it’s already in “A” or “B”.

  4. Easy Way to Import, Upload, Backup or Store Email Messages into Gmail for Archive » My Digital Life
    November 2nd, 2007 00:27
    1

    [...] Gmail Inbox and archive it, but also applying a label to the email messages uploaded. You can also apply multiple labels to mail messages by simply copy the mails to many [...]

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