Free email tool
Free Gmail Storage Cleanup Planner
Gmail storage full? This planner turns a storage goal and a few preferences into a prioritized list of Gmail search queries for large attachments, old large mail, promotions, social updates, and Trash and Spam, each opening Gmail search so you can review before deleting anything.
Runs in your browser. No sign-in, no mailbox access, and no message data is submitted.
Rough estimate
Illustration only: freeing 5 GB would take about
500 messages
of 10 MB each.
This is not a count of your mailbox. It assumes every deleted message is exactly 10 MB (1 GB = 1,000 MB) and ignores overlap and overhead. Actual recovery varies; Google One storage settings show your real usage.
- Links only open Gmail search for account /u/0/. Switch accounts in Gmail if needed.
- Searches overlap, so a message can match several. Do not add results together.
Your cleanup plan
- 1
Messages with attachments over 10 MB total
Find messages with attachments whose total message size exceeds your threshold. Save any file you need before deleting its email. Saving to Drive uses the same shared storage quota.
has:attachment larger:10M -is:starred- Open the search in Gmail and confirm you are signed in to the right account.
- Download or save to Drive any attachment you want to keep.
- Open each conversation and check every message in it before deleting, since a thread can include messages that do not match.
- Select only the messages you no longer need, then click Delete.
Source: Gmail Help: Refine searches in Gmail, Google Help: Manage your storage in Drive, Gmail & Photos
- 2
Large mail older than 1 year
Catches big messages you have not needed for a while, including ones with inline images or embedded content.
larger:10M older_than:1y -is:starred- Open the search and sort through the oldest, largest messages first.
- Export anything you must keep (for example with Google Takeout) before deleting.
- Open each conversation and check every message in it before deleting, since a thread can include messages that do not match.
- Delete only what you are sure about. Archiving hides mail but does not free storage.
Source: Gmail Help: Refine searches in Gmail, Gmail Help: Archive Gmail messages
- 3
Promotions older than 1 year
Old marketing mail is rarely needed. Each message is small, so this helps most when there are thousands of them.
category:promotions older_than:1y -is:starred- This targets Gmail inbox categories; matches depend on how Gmail categorizes your mail.
- Skim for receipts, tickets or warranties and move them out first.
- Open each conversation and check every message in it before deleting, since a thread can include messages that do not match.
- Delete the rest of the selection you reviewed.
- 4
Social notifications older than 1 year
Old social network notifications are usually safe to clear after a quick look.
category:social older_than:1y -is:starred- This targets Gmail inbox categories; matches depend on how Gmail categorizes your mail.
- Open each conversation and check every message in it before deleting, since a thread can include messages that do not match.
- Delete the messages you no longer need.
- 5
Review Trash and Spam last
Trash and Spam still count against storage until permanently removed. Gmail automatically deletes messages from Trash after 30 days.
in:anywhere larger:10M -is:starred- This search includes Spam and Trash, which normal searches leave out, so you can spot large items there.
- Open Trash and Spam and recover anything deleted by mistake.
- When you are sure, use Empty Trash now or Delete forever. This cannot be undone.
- Allow time for your storage total to update after large deletions.
Source: Gmail Help: Delete or recover deleted Gmail messages, Google Help: Manage your storage in Drive, Gmail & Photos
Before you delete
- Export important mail first, for example with Google Takeout. Deleting an email also deletes its attachments.
- Gmail shows conversations. A matching thread can contain other messages, including starred ones, so inspect each message before deleting.
- Archiving does not free storage. Archived mail stays in All Mail.
- Trash and Spam count toward storage until permanently removed. Gmail automatically deletes messages from Trash after 30 days.
Storage is shared with Drive and Photos
Your Google storage quota covers Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos. If most of your space is used by Drive files or Photos, Gmail searches cannot fix it; check the breakdown in your Google storage settings and clean up there. After large deletions, the total can take a while to update.
Sources: Gmail Help: Refine searches in Gmail, Google Help: Manage your storage in Drive, Gmail & Photos, Gmail Help: Delete or recover deleted Gmail messages, Gmail Help: Archive Gmail messages
How to free up Gmail storage
- 1
Set your goal and filters
Enter how many GB you want to free, the minimum message size in MB, and how old mail must be. Starred mail is excluded by default.
- 2
Open each search in Gmail
Work through the plan in priority order. Each button opens Gmail search in a new tab and never deletes anything.
- 3
Review, export, then delete
Save attachments or export mail you need, inspect every message in each conversation, delete the rest, and finally empty Trash.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find large emails in Gmail?
Type a size operator into the Gmail search bar. has:attachment larger:10M finds messages that have attachments and a total message size over 10 MB, and adding older_than:1y limits it to mail older than a year. This tool builds those queries for you.
Does archiving Gmail messages free up storage?
No. Archived messages move out of the inbox but stay in All Mail and still count toward your storage. Only messages that are deleted and then removed from Trash stop counting.
Why is my Gmail storage still full after deleting emails?
Deleted mail sits in Trash, and Spam also counts, until permanently removed. Gmail automatically deletes messages from Trash after 30 days. Empty them yourself to recover space sooner, and allow time for the storage total to update. Your quota is also shared with Google Drive and Google Photos.
Does this tool access or scan my Gmail account?
No. It never signs in to Gmail or reads your mailbox. It only builds search queries in your browser. Each link opens Gmail's search view, and you choose what, if anything, to delete.
How many emails do I need to delete to free up space?
It depends on message sizes, which only your mailbox knows. The planner shows a rough illustration: your goal divided by the minimum size, assuming every deleted message is exactly that size. Real results vary and searches can overlap.
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