Running out of storage on your Gmail account? One of the fastest ways to free up space is to sort Gmail by size and remove large emails that take up unnecessary storage. Google provides smart search operators that let you filter emails by file size—even if Gmail doesn’t have a built-in “Sort by Size” button.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to search, sort, and delete the largest emails in your Gmail inbox using advanced filters—on both desktop and mobile.
Why Sort Gmail by Size?
Over time, large emails—especially those with attachments—can consume your free 15 GB Google storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Photos. Sorting Gmail by size can help you:
- Find space-hogging messages
- Identify unnecessary attachments
- Clean up promotional or outdated emails
- Stay under your storage quota
- Avoid paying for extra Google One space
Instead of deleting hundreds of small emails, you can remove just a few large ones to make a big difference.
Does Gmail Have a “Sort by Size” Button?
No, Gmail does not have a direct “sort by size” option like traditional desktop clients. However, you can use search operators to filter large emails, effectively allowing you to sort and delete them manually.
How to Sort Gmail by Size Using Search Operators
Use the larger: search operator to filter emails by size.
Examples:
- larger:5M – shows emails larger than 5 megabytes
- larger:10M – shows emails larger than 10 MB
- larger:1M smaller:5M – shows emails between 1 MB and 5 MB
Gmail treats 1M as approximately 1 megabyte (1,000,000 bytes).
Steps:
- Open Gmail
In the search bar, type:
makefile
CopyEdit
larger:10M
- Press Enter
- Gmail displays all emails over 10 MB
- Review, open, or delete as needed
Combine Size Filters with Other Conditions
You can refine your results by combining size filters with:
- Date: larger:10M older_than:1y
- Sender: from:[email protected] larger:5M
- Has attachment: has:attachment larger:2M
- Label or folder: label:promotions larger:3M
These combinations help you clean specific inbox areas more effectively.
How to Delete Large Emails in Bulk
Once you’ve found large emails, here’s how to delete them quickly:
- Use search: larger:10M
- Click the checkbox at the top to select all visible emails
- Click the Select all conversations that match this search banner (if available)
- Click the Trash icon to delete
Empty Trash:
- Go to Trash
- Click Empty Trash now to permanently delete emails and recover space
Gmail auto-deletes emails in Trash after 30 days, but clearing it manually reclaims space instantly.
Use Google One Storage Manager (Alternate Method)
Google offers a dedicated storage manager tool that highlights large emails and attachments.
Steps:
- Go to one.google.com/storage
- Scroll to Gmail section
- Click Review and free up space
- You’ll see categories like large attachments, spam, and trash
- Select and delete emails directly from this dashboard
This method is user-friendly and requires no search operators.
How to Sort Gmail by Size on Mobile
The Gmail app doesn’t support advanced search as smoothly as the desktop version, but you can still filter large emails manually.
Steps:
- Open Gmail app
- Tap the search bar
- Type larger:10M and hit search
- Gmail displays all matching emails
- Tap and hold to select emails for deletion
- Tap the trash icon
Note: There’s no “select all” on mobile, so bulk deleting is easier on desktop.
How to Find Emails with Large Attachments
Gmail treats attachments as part of the total email size, so you can use:
- has:attachment larger:5M
- filename:pdf larger:3M
- filename:jpg larger:1M
This helps find heavy files like images, PDFs, and videos.
You can also use filename:zip or filename:docx to target specific file types.
Organize Gmail by Size with Labels
If you’re not ready to delete, create a label like “Large Emails” and apply it to filtered messages.
Steps:
- Search larger:10M
- Select emails
- Click the Label icon
- Create or select a label
- Apply the label for future reference
This keeps large emails organized without deleting them.
Best Practices for Managing Gmail Storage
| Tip | Why It Helps |
| Regularly search larger:5M | Keeps storage usage in check |
| Empty Trash and Spam folders | Emails in those folders still use storage |
| Download and archive old attachments | Saves emails but clears space |
| Use Google One dashboard | Visual breakdown of storage by category |
| Unsubscribe from large senders | Prevents future clutter from repeating |
Being proactive avoids running into storage limits.
Gmail Storage Breakdown (What Counts)
Your Gmail quota includes:
- All emails (sent, inbox, archived)
- Attachments in all emails
- Emails in Trash and Spam
- Doesn’t count Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides (unless converted to PDFs)
Deleting large emails is the most direct way to free space fast.
FAQ
Can I sort Gmail by size like a spreadsheet?
No. Gmail doesn’t support sorting by columns like size. You must use search operators like larger:10M to filter large messages.
How do I find the largest emails in Gmail?
Use larger:10M or go to one.google.com/storage and review emails by size through Google’s storage manager.
Do deleted emails free up space immediately?
Only when they’re removed from the Trash. Make sure to empty the Trash folder after deleting large emails.
Can I sort emails by size in Gmail mobile app?
You can search with larger:5M, but you’ll need to delete emails one by one. Desktop is better for bulk actions.
Are attachments the only thing that affects size?
No. The full email content, inline images, and header data also contribute to size—but attachments are the biggest space users.
