Setting up Filters in gMail

Setting up filters in gMail can help you automatically "sort" specific types of messages by bypassing the Inbox and placing them into labels (folders.) For example, many Juniors and Seniors receive copious email from colleges that they may want later but don't want cluttering up their Inboxes, or you may want to filter newsletters into one folder instead of having them land in your Inbox.

Here's how:

1. Start by creating a new Label for the messages you wish to filter.
2. Click the Settings gear in gMail and "See all settings."
3. Click on "Filters and Blocked Addresses," then "Create new filter"
4. Enter the criteria for what you want to filter. In the case of college emails, enter *.EDU for "sender," which will filter out all sending addresses that end in .EDU
5. Click "create filter." NOTE: You can also click "Search" to find all current messages that match your criteria, then select them all and move them to the new label you created above.
6. On the last screen check the boxes for "Skip the Inbox" and "Apply the Label..," then Create your filter. Messages that match your criteria will then be automatically moved to that label instead of your Inbox.