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Gmail for Android finally lets you create new labels

The Gmail mobile apps lack a handful of features found on the website, but Google is now adding the ability to create new labels on Android. 

Once available, open the navigation drawer for “Create label” between “Manage subscriptions” and any existing labels. Besides the pill-shaped “New” tag, you might also notice a circular badge on the hamburger button indicating this is live. Tapping simply opens “New label” to enter a new name.

Meanwhile, going to Settings > Gmail address > Notifications > Manage labels and making a selection now lets you “Delete” while on the go.

There are no color customization options on Android, but this is much better than before. Personally, this was my biggest pet peeve with Gmail’s mobile experience and the reason I still need to use the web app. Another is not being able to delete individual messages in a thread/conversation.

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Mobile label creation is rolling out on an account-by-account basis. It may be available for one address on your device, but not another. We’re seeing this with version 2026.01.26.x of Gmail for Android. (It’s already available on iOS.)

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com