How to delete a range of emails in Gmail

Question

I want to delete a date range of emails (from jan 2011-sept 2011). I do NOT want to delete all my emails, and I would rather not have to do it page by page. (100 conversations at a time) Is this possible?

Answer 1

1. Use the advanced search operators before: and after: to select your date range in the search

   

2. Click the "select all" checkbox

   

3. Click the link to "Select all conversations that match this search"

4. Note that all conversations are now selected

5. Click Delete

Done! If you want them "gone" gone at this point, empty your "Trash".

Do note that this selects conversations, not individual messages. If a conversation spans your start or end date you might catch things you didn't intend. (Obviously of no concern if you have turned off conversation view.)

Answer 2

Type older_than:Xy into search (X being the value in years that you want to highlight and eventually delete. You can also do months or days by using m or d instead of y.)

Press select all button in the upper left hand of the inbox.

When all of the entries on that page are highlighted, a line that says "All 50 conversations on this page are selected. Select all conversations that match this search."

Press delete.