How to find archived emails in Gmail

By using the archive option in Gmail, you can save important emails and delete them from your inbox. This is a great way to make sure you don't delete them by accident. Although it's easy to archive emails, finding them later isn't as easy because they don't have their own separate folder.

If you're looking to know how to find archived emails in Gmail, you've come to the right place. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to locate them using different platforms.

How to Find Archived Emails in Gmail on an iPhone

There are several ways to locate archived emails in Gmail on an iPhone. Let's check them:

Find archived emails using the "All Mail" label

When you archive an email, you delete it from your inbox. But it remains under the “All Messages” label until you decide to delete it. To find an archived email, do the following:

1. Open Gmail on your iPhone.
   
2. Tap the three lines icon in the top left corner.
   
3. Select “All messages.
   

This way you will see all your emails in one list, including archived ones. If you have a lot of emails and you archived one a long time ago, you'll have to scroll until you find them.

Advice: Archived emails will not have the "Inbox" label next to them.

Find archived emails using the search bar

Another way to locate archived emails is to use the Gmail search bar. For this to work, you need to know the sender or the subject. This option allows you to find the email you are looking for much faster.

Follow the steps below to find an archived email using the search bar:

1. Open Gmail on your iPhone.
   
2. Type the sender's name or the subject of the email in the search bar at the top of the screen.
   
3. Find the email you are looking for.
   

Although this method is not perfect, it can help you reduce the email list.

In addition to using the sender name or email subject, you can also apply different search filters such as:

• “has:attachment” – Only emails with attachments will appear in the results.
  
• “from:emailaddress” – See only emails from a specific email address.
  
• “filename:example” – If you know the name of the attachment but can't remember the sender or subject, use this filter.
  

How to Find Archived Emails in Gmail on Android Device

Many Android users love Gmail. But finding archived emails can be difficult because there is no separate folder for them. Fortunately, there are a few methods you can use to make searching easier:

Find archived emails using the "All Mail" label

All archived emails are deleted from your inbox and moved to an "invisible" folder. However, they still have the "All Mail" label. You can take the opportunity to find the archived email:

1. Open the Gmail app on your phone.
   
2. Tap the three lines icon in the top left corner.
   
3. Select "All messages".
   

Gmail will display all your emails in chronological order. This can be useful if you know when the archived email was sent, but it can also be a drawback. If you have hundreds of emails, you'll have to scroll until you find this one. To make scrolling faster and easier, only search for emails without the "Inbox" label.

Find archived emails using the search bar

If you remember the sender's name or the subject of the email, you can use the Gmail search bar to locate the archived email. Here's how:

1. Launch the Gmail app on your Android device.
   
2. Enter the sender's name or the subject of the email in the search bar.
   
3. Find the email you are looking for.
   

This method helps you narrow down your search.

Gmail also offers different search filters that you can use:

• “has:attachment” – Use this filter to see only emails with attachments.
  
• “from:name OR from:name” – If you don't know who sent the archived email, use this filter. For example, if you can't remember whether Amy or John sent the email, type "from:amy OR from:john" in the search bar.
  
• “filename:example” – If you remember the name of the attachment, apply this filter.
  

How to Find Archived Emails in Gmail on PC

Many find Gmail easier to navigate on their computer. As simple as archiving emails can be, finding them isn't as easy. Here's how:

Find archived emails using the "All Mail" label

After you archive an email, it's deleted from your inbox. You can find it by using the "All Mail" label which displays all the emails you have except spam and those in the trash.

Follow the steps below to find archived emails using this method:

1. Open your browser and navigate to Gmail. Log in if necessary.
   
2. Hover over the menu on the left side, scroll down, and tap "More."
   
3. Select "All messages".
   

You will see all your emails in chronological order. Go through them and look for any that don't have the "Inbox" label.

Find archived emails using the search bar

You can find the archived email by entering the sender's name or email subject in the search bar:

1. Launch your browser and go to Gmail. Log in to your account if prompted.
   
2. Type the sender's name or the subject of the email in the search bar at the top.
   
3. Locate the email you are looking for.
   

By using the sender's name or the subject of the email, you will significantly narrow your search.

Additionally, you can use some of Gmail's search filters:

• “has:attachment” – Results will only show emails with attachments.
  
• “has:youtube” – Results will only show emails with YouTube links.
  
• “filename:example” – Use this filter if you know the title of the attachment.
  

How to Find Archived Emails in Gmail on an iPad

iPad users who can't seem to find archived emails in Gmail should check out the methods below:

Find archived emails using the "All Mail" label

Although the archived emails are not in your inbox, they are still labeled "All messages". You can use it to find the archived email you are looking for:

1. Launch the Gmail app on your iPad.
   
2. Tap the three lines in the upper left corner.
   
3. Tap "All messages".
   

You'll see all your emails except spam and those you've deleted. Archived emails won't have the "Inbox" label next to them, making them easier to find.

Find archived emails using the search bar

You can also use Gmail's search bar to search for archived emails. If you know the sender's name or the subject of the email, use this information to narrow your search:

1. Open Gmail on your iPad.
   
2. Enter the sender's name or the subject of the email in the search bar.
   
3. Locate the archived email.
   

Gmail also offers search filters to help you in your search:

• “after:date” – If you can't determine the exact date you received the archived email but have a rough estimate, this filter can be incredibly useful. For example, if you know you received the email after March 2, 2022, type "after: 03/02/2022" in the search bar.
  
• “filename:example” – Knowing the name of the attachment can help you find the email faster.
  

Archived emails hide in Gmail

Gmail does not have an "Archived" folder which will make it easier to locate emails that you have archived. Instead, you have to use different methods to find them. Fortunately, these techniques are not complicated and only require a few minutes of your time.

Have you ever had trouble finding archived emails in Gmail? What method did you use to locate them? Tell us in the comments section below.