# How to create a filter in Gmail on Mac: browser steps and menu paths

> Learn how to create a filter in Gmail on Mac in your browser. Set criteria, preview matches, choose actions, and manage saved filters in Settings.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-filter-in-gmail
Updated: 2026-11-07

To create a filter in Gmail on Mac, open Gmail in your browser, enter your criteria in the search options, and click Search to preview matches. Then click Create filter at the bottom of the window, choose the action you want, and click Create filter again to save.

## Quick answer

- Gmail filters are made on the Gmail web page, so you use your browser on your Mac, not a Mac app.
- Click Show search options, enter criteria, click Search to preview, then click Create filter twice: once to continue and once to save.
- Manage saved filters at Settings > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses.
- Apple Mail has its own rules at Mail > Settings > Rules. Those rules are separate from Gmail filters.
- Gmail filters run on Google's servers, so your Mac does not need to be on for them to work, according to Macworld's 2016 article.

Applies to: Gmail web page in a browser on macOS, with Apple Mail noted as a separate app. Time: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Gmail account you can sign in to
- A browser on your Mac with Gmail open at mail.google.com
- The sender address or word you want to match
- A label or action decided before you start

## How to Create a Gmail filter on a Mac in Gmail on a Mac

1. **Open Gmail in your browser.** (Browser address bar > mail.google.com) Open your browser on your Mac, go to mail.google.com, and sign in to the account you want to filter. Gmail filters are set up on the Gmail web page, so every step after this happens there.
2. **Open the search options.** (Search box > Show search options) Click the Show search options icon at the top of the search box. A window opens with fields for your criteria. Tip: If the icon is hard to find, widen the browser window and look again.
3. **Enter your criteria.** Fill in the sender address, a word, or both. Start narrow. Each extra field makes the match smaller, so add fields only when the preview shows too much mail. Tip: Copy the sender address from a real email to avoid typos.
4. **Preview the matches.** (Search options window > Search) Click Search. Gmail lists the messages that match. Read the list before you go further, and change the criteria until only the mail you want appears. Tip: A preview changes nothing. It only shows you what the rule would catch.
5. **Start the filter.** (Search options window > Create filter) At the bottom of the search window, click Create filter. This opens the choices for what should happen to matching mail.
6. **Choose the action.** Pick the action you want, such as applying a label. Read every option on screen, because the choices can change between Gmail versions.
7. **Save the filter.** (Filter dialog > Create filter) Click Create filter again to save. The filter starts working on new matching mail. Tip: The first click moves you to the next step. The second click saves the rule.
8. **Check the saved filter.** (Settings > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses) Open Settings, then See all settings, then Filters and Blocked Addresses. Your new filter should appear in the list with Edit and Delete options.
9. **Filter from an open email.** (Message list > More > Filter messages like these) Tick the checkbox next to the email. Click More, then choose Filter messages like these. Gmail fills in criteria from that message. Adjust them, then click Create filter and finish the dialog. Tip: A single message can be too narrow or too broad, so check the preview as you would for any new filter.

A Gmail filter is a rule that Google checks as mail arrives. When a message matches the criteria you set, Gmail carries out the action you picked, such as applying a label. The rule lives in your Gmail account, so you set it up once and it keeps working. This page shows where each control sits on a Mac and what each step does, so you know what to expect before you click.

![A person using a Mac laptop to set up a Gmail filter at a desk](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/create-a-filter-in-gmail/how-to-create-a-filter-in-gmail-1-aba46b.jpg)

## Before you start: which Gmail and which app

Google describes Gmail filters as something you set up on your computer. Its help pages do not list a Gmail app for Mac, and they do not give Mac-only menu paths. So every step here happens on the Gmail web page at mail.google.com, in whatever browser you normally use on your Mac.

Apple Mail is the app people mix up with Gmail filters. Mail is a separate Mac app with its own rules, and those rules never appear in Gmail. If the message opens in Mail on your Mac, you are in the wrong place for these steps. Open a browser tab and go to Gmail instead.

Before you open Gmail, have these three things ready. Each one saves you a trip back to the search box later.

- The sender address you want to match, copied from an email so the spelling is exact.
- One word or phrase that appears in those emails, such as Invoice or Receipt.
- A clear idea of the action, such as sending matching mail to a label you already made.

## Create a filter from the search box

The search box at the top of Gmail is where every filter starts. Click the Show search options icon at the top of the search box. That opens a window with fields for criteria. Fill in one field or several. The more fields you fill in, the fewer messages match, so start with the sender and add a word only if the results are too broad.

Search previews the matches before anything is saved. Click Search and read the list. If it shows mail you never wanted, add a criterion. If it shows nothing, check the sender address for typos first. A preview is the safest test you have, because it changes nothing until you save.

## Worked example: send invoices to one label

Say an accountant sends invoices from one sender, and every subject line includes the word Invoice. Enter the sender address in the sender box. Add the word Invoice as a second criterion. Click Search. Scan the list and check that every result is an invoice from that sender.

When the preview looks right, click Create filter, choose the label you want, and click Create filter again to save. Send yourself a test invoice, or forward an old one to yourself, and watch where it lands. Matching mail should carry the label.

The hard part is the preview. A sender may use more than one address, and a subject line may change from month to month. Check a few past examples before you trust the rule.

## Filter mail that is already in your inbox

You can also build a filter from a message you already have open. Tick the checkbox next to the email, click More, and choose Filter messages like these. Gmail fills the criteria from that message. Change them if needed, click Create filter, finish the dialog, and save.

Google's help says that for a filter that forwards mail, only new messages are affected. Older mail is a separate question. Before you save, look in the filter dialog for an option that applies the rule to matching conversations. Read each checkbox, because the wording can change.

## Edit, delete, and back up your filters

Open Settings, then See all settings, then Filters and Blocked Addresses. Every saved filter appears in that list with Edit and Delete options. Edit opens the filter so you can change criteria or actions. Delete removes the rule. Read the criteria on a filter before you edit it, so you know what it currently catches.

Gmail can export your filters as an .xml file. Keep a copy before you make large changes, or before you switch accounts. To restore a copy, go back to Filters and Blocked Addresses, choose Import filters, click Open file, select the .xml file, and then click Create filters.

## Do Gmail filters work when your Mac is off?

Macworld's 2016 article says Gmail filters run on the server, before messages reach your Mac or iOS devices. That means a filter keeps working when your Mac is asleep or shut down. The article is old, and its menu names have changed, so check every label on your own screen.

## Gmail filters versus Mac Mail rules

Apple's Mail guide says to choose Mail > Settings, then click Rules. From there you can click Add Rule, Edit, Duplicate, or Remove. Duplicate copies a rule so you can change the copy. Apple uses the word Remove where Gmail uses Delete.

Use Gmail filters for mail that lands in your Gmail account. Use Mail rules for messages that Mail handles on your Mac. If you use Gmail in a browser and Mail for the same account, you may need both, and each one works separately.

## Mistakes people make with Gmail filters

Most filter problems come from a short list of habits. Check this list before you blame Gmail.

- Saving without running Search first, so you never see what the rule catches.
- Typing the sender address with a small spelling error, then blaming Gmail.
- Adding too many criteria, so the preview shows almost nothing.
- Forgetting that Create filter appears twice, once to continue and once to save.
- Expecting older mail to change without checking the filter dialog for an apply option.
- Looking for filters in Apple Mail's Rules screen when they live in Gmail settings.

![A man working on a MacBook with his email open on the screen](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/create-a-filter-in-gmail/how-to-create-a-filter-in-gmail-2-85f856.jpg)

## Keyboard shortcuts while you build a filter

Gmail has keyboard shortcuts, but Google's shortcut page does not list one for creating a filter or for opening the search options window. Use the mouse for those steps. Shortcuts can still speed up the rest of your inbox work.

Shortcuts are off until you turn them on. Open Settings, then Keyboard shortcuts, choose Keyboard shortcuts on, and click Save Changes. After that, press / to jump to the search box, ? to see the full list, and . to open more actions for a selected conversation.

## What to check after you save a filter

Open Filters and Blocked Addresses and confirm the new rule is in the list. Read its criteria once more, because a word you typed can be different from what you meant. Then send or forward one matching test message, and check that it lands where you expected.

Give the filter a few days of real use before you trust it. Look at the label now and then, and check that nothing important is landing in the wrong place.

![An office desk with a laptop and paperwork during an email session](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/create-a-filter-in-gmail/how-to-create-a-filter-in-gmail-3-ddac1e.jpg)

## Limits and what Google does not say

Google's filter help page does not state a maximum number of filters. The Gmail API filter guide also does not state a per-user limit. It lists fields such as from, subject, hasAttachment, and query. Those are developer field names, so the web dialog may use different labels.

Google's help also does not give Mac-specific steps or a Mac menu for filters. If a forum post gives a filter limit or a Mac menu path, check it against Google's own pages before you rely on it.

## Next steps after your first filter

Once one filter works, add rules one at a time. Start with mail you already sort by hand, and give each rule a single job. Check the list in Filters and Blocked Addresses every so often, so old rules do not quietly sort mail you still need.

If a reply goes out by mistake, read [How to undo send in Gmail on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/undo-send-in-gmail). It covers the browser and Apple Mail, so you can match the steps to the app you used.

## Shortcuts

- Jump to the search box: /
- Show the keyboard shortcut list: ?
- Open more actions for a selected conversation: .

## If it does not work

- **The Show search options icon is missing** Widen the browser window and look at the top of the search box again. If it still does not show, reload Gmail, or try the same page in another browser.
- **The search preview shows no messages** Check the sender address for typos, remove one criterion at a time, and search for a word you can see in a real message.
- **Older mail is not affected by the filter** Look for an option in the filter dialog that applies it to matching conversations. If you cannot find one, sort older mail by hand or build a new filter from an open message.
- **Keyboard shortcuts do nothing** Open Settings, then Keyboard shortcuts, choose Keyboard shortcuts on, and click Save Changes.
- **A filter sends mail somewhere you did not expect** Open Filters and Blocked Addresses, read the criteria on that filter, then edit or delete it and test with one message.
- **A forwarding filter seems to do nothing** Google's help says forwarding filters affect only new messages, so test with a fresh message instead of an old one.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is the search options icon?”: Lazur circles the Show search options icon and labels it. It waits while you click through the rest of the steps. (Walks you through it)

## FAQ

### Is there a Gmail app for Mac that creates filters?

Google's help describes filters for Gmail on your computer and does not list a Mac app or a Mac-only menu path. This page uses the Gmail web page in your browser. Apple Mail is a separate Mac app with its own Rules screen.

### Do Gmail filters run when my Mac is off?

Macworld's 2016 article says Gmail filters run on the server before messages reach your Mac or iOS devices, so the Mac does not need to be running. That article is old, so check the menu names on your own screen.

### How many filters can I create in Gmail?

The Google filter help page does not state a limit, and the Gmail API filter guide does not either. Do not rely on a number from a forum post unless Google's own page confirms it.

### Can I make a filter for mail I already received?

Yes. Build the filter from the results of a search or from an open message. Then check the filter dialog for an option that applies the filter to matching conversations before you save. If none appears, sort older mail by hand.

### Where do I find my saved filters later?

Open Settings, then See all settings, then Filters and Blocked Addresses. Each saved filter has Edit and Delete options in that list.

### Can I back up my Gmail filters?

Yes. Google's help says filters can be exported as an .xml file. To load them again, choose Import filters from Filters and Blocked Addresses, click Open file, then click Create filters.

### Why does Apple Mail show Rules but Gmail does not?

Apple Mail keeps its own rules under Mail > Settings > Rules. Gmail filters live in your Gmail account settings, so a change in one does not change the other.

### Is there a keyboard shortcut to create a filter?

Not in Google's shortcut list. The search shortcut is /, which gets you to the search box quickly, but the filter steps still need the mouse.

## Sources

1. [Create rules to filter your emails - Gmail Help](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6579), Google, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Gmail keyboard shortcuts - Gmail Help](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6594), Google, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Change Rules settings in Mail on Mac - Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/change-rules-settings-cpmlprefrules/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
4. [How to filter email - Macworld](https://www.macworld.com/article/227672/how-to-filter-email.html), Macworld, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Gmail API - Filter settings | Google for Developers](https://developers.google.com/workspace/gmail/api/guides/filter_settings), Google for Developers, checked 2026-11-07