Gmail is a popular email service that allows users to send and receive emails, as well as store emails in drafts. Drafts are useful for saving emails that are not yet ready to be sent, or for storing email templates. However, over time, drafts can accumulate and become cluttered. If you find yourself with a lot of unwanted drafts, you may want to delete them. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to delete all drafts at once in Gmail. However, there are two methods you can use to delete drafts in Gmail: deleting them individually or using a filter to delete them in bulk.
To delete drafts individually, open the draft that you want to delete and click the “Delete draft” button at the bottom of the email. You can also select multiple drafts and delete them at once. To do this, click the checkbox next to each draft that you want to delete, and then click the “Delete” button at the top of the page. To delete drafts in bulk, you can use a filter to select all of the drafts that you want to delete. To do this, click the “Filter” button in the Gmail search bar and enter the following search term: label:draft. This will select all of the drafts in your account. Once you have selected all of the drafts that you want to delete, click the “Delete” button at the top of the page.
Deleting Individual Drafts
Deleting individual drafts in Gmail is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to remove specific email drafts from your account:
Step 1: Access Your Drafts
Begin by logging into your Gmail account. Click on the “Drafts” label on the left-hand sidebar to access your saved email drafts.
Step 2: Select the Draft to Delete
Locate the draft you wish to delete. Hover your cursor over the email and check the checkbox next to it. Alternatively, you can click the email to open it in a separate window and then click the “Delete” button located at the top of the email.
Step 3: Confirm Deletion
Once you have selected the draft to be deleted, click the “Delete” button located at the top of the page. A confirmation window will appear, asking you if you are sure you want to delete the draft. Click “OK” to confirm the deletion.
Additional Notes:
– If you delete a draft by mistake, you can recover it by going to the “Trash” label. The draft will remain in the Trash for 30 days, after which it will be permanently deleted.
– You can also delete multiple drafts at once by selecting multiple checkboxes and then clicking the “Delete” button.
– If you want to delete all drafts from your account, click the “Select all” checkbox at the top of the page and then click the “Delete” button.
Clearing All Drafts in One Go
To clear all drafts in one go, follow these steps:
- Open your Gmail account.
- Click on the “Drafts” label.
- Check the box next to “All”.
- Click on the “Delete” button.
- Confirm the deletion.
Log in to your Gmail account using your username and password.
On the left-hand side of the Gmail interface, click on the “Drafts” label to open the list of all your saved drafts.
At the top of the draft list, find the checkbox next to “All”. Check this box to select all drafts on the current page.
Once all drafts are selected, click on the “Delete” button located at the top of the message list. A confirmation message will appear asking you to confirm the deletion.
Click on the “OK” button in the confirmation message to complete the deletion process. All drafts will be permanently removed from your Gmail account.
Using Gmail Settings to Manage Drafts
To manage your drafts through Gmail settings, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Gmail account and click on the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner.
- Select See all settings from the drop-down menu.
- Scroll down to the Drafts section.
Customizing Draft Settings
In the Drafts section, you can customize various settings:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft expiration | Set a time frame for drafts to expire automatically. |
| Draft actions | Configure actions for keyboard shortcuts, such as saving or discarding drafts. |
| Confirmation dialog | Enable or disable a confirmation dialog when discarding drafts. |
Managing Stored Drafts
Gmail allows you to store up to 50 drafts on its servers. To manage your stored drafts:
- Access the Drafts label from the left-hand sidebar.
- Select drafts to delete or move to different labels.
- Click the Delete or Move to button in the toolbar.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Deleting Drafts
To quickly delete drafts using keyboard shortcuts:
Windows/Linux:
- Shift + Delete: Permanently delete a draft.
- Ctrl + A (select all) + Delete: Delete multiple drafts at once.
Mac:
- Cmd + Shift + Delete: Permanently delete a draft.
- Cmd + A (select all) + Delete: Delete multiple drafts at once.
Additional Tips:
- You can also use keyboard shortcuts to select specific drafts before deleting them:
- Up/Down arrows: Navigate through the drafts.
- Ctrl + Click (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Click (Mac): Select multiple drafts.
- Deleted drafts are moved to the “Trash” folder. You can recover them within 30 days by visiting the “Trash” folder.
| Keyboard Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Shift + Delete (Windows/Linux) | Permanently delete a draft |
| Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac) | Permanently delete a draft |
| Ctrl + A (select all) + Delete (Windows/Linux) | Delete multiple drafts at once |
| Cmd + A (select all) + Delete (Mac) | Delete multiple drafts at once |
Deleting Drafts from Mobile Devices
Deleting drafts from mobile devices requires a slightly different approach compared to desktop. Here are the steps for both iOS and Android devices:
iOS Devices
- Open the Gmail app and tap the “Menu” icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-left corner.
- Select “Drafts” from the side menu.
- Long-press on the draft you want to delete.
- Tap the “Delete” option from the pop-up menu.
Android Devices
- Open the Gmail app and tap the “Menu” icon in the top-left corner.
- Select “All Drafts” from the side menu.
- Tap the checkbox next to the draft you want to delete.
- Tap the “Delete” icon at the top of the screen.
To delete multiple drafts at once using Android devices, follow these steps:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Long-press on any draft in the “All Drafts” folder. |
| 2 | Select the other drafts you want to delete by tapping their checkboxes. |
| 3 | Tap the “Delete” icon at the top of the screen. |
Moving a Draft to Trash
1. Sign in to your Gmail account at mail.google.com.
2. Click “Drafts” in the left navigation bar.
3. Select the draft you want to delete.
4. Click the “Move to trash” icon 
located at the top of the window.
5. The draft will now be moved to the Trash folder.
Restoring Deleted Drafts (if Needed)
If you accidentally deleted a draft, you can restore it from the Trash folder.
1. Click “Trash” in the left navigation bar.
2. Find the draft you want to restore.
3. Click the “Restore” icon located on the left.
4. The draft will be moved back to the Drafts folder.
Emptying the Trash Folder
To permanently delete all drafts in the Trash folder, follow these steps:
1. Click “Trash” in the left navigation bar.
2. Click the “Empty trash now” link located at the top of the window.
3. Confirm that you want to permanently delete the drafts by clicking “OK”.
Once you empty the Trash folder, the drafts will be permanently deleted.
Auto-Deleting Drafts After a Certain Period
Gmail offers the handy feature of auto-deleting drafts after a configurable period, ensuring your inbox stays clutter-free. Here’s how you can set it up:
-
Go to Settings: Click the gear icon in the top right corner of Gmail and select "Settings".
-
Find the "Draft Auto-delete" Section: Scroll down to the "Drafts" section under the "Advanced" tab.
-
Choose a Time Period: Select the desired timeframe from the dropdown menu. Options range from "After 1 day" to "After 30 days".
-
Confirm: Click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page to apply your settings.
Gmail will now automatically delete any drafts that have not been updated or sent within the specified time period. This helps prevent abandoned and outdated drafts from accumulating in your inbox.
Table of Auto-Delete Time Periods
| Time Period |
|—|—|
| After 1 day |
| After 3 days |
| After 1 week |
| After 30 days |
Regarding the period of 30 days, this is useful especially if you’re someone who frequently drafts emails but tends to forget about them or revisits them infrequently. By setting the auto-delete to 30 days, you can ensure that your drafts are routinely cleared out, making it easier to keep your inbox organized and manageable.
Preventing Drafts from Being Saved Automatically
Gmail’s auto-save feature can be convenient, but it can also lead to unwanted drafts piling up in your inbox. To prevent drafts from being saved automatically, you can:
- Disable the “Auto-save drafts” option:
Go to “Settings” in Gmail, click the “General” tab, and uncheck the “Auto-save drafts” box.
- Use keyboard shortcuts:
Press “Ctrl+Enter” (Windows) or “Cmd+Enter” (Mac) to send an email without saving a draft.
- Set a draft expiration time:
In “Settings,” click the “Advanced” tab, and under “Draft expiration,” select a time period after which unsaved drafts will be deleted.
- Install a browser extension:
There are extensions that allow you to disable auto-save for specific accounts or to automatically delete unsaved drafts after a certain amount of time.
- Use a different email client:
Some email clients, such as Outlook, do not automatically save drafts. You can switch to using one of these clients if you prefer not to have auto-save.
- Manually delete drafts:
If you want to keep auto-save enabled but delete specific drafts, you can open them and click the “Discard draft” button.
- Filter drafts:
In Gmail, you can create filters to automatically delete or archive drafts based on criteria such as sender, subject, or age.
- Use a script:
For more advanced users, there are Google Apps Script solutions that allow you to automatically delete drafts that meet certain conditions.
Deleting Drafts While Composing an Email
While composing an email, there may be instances when you decide to abandon the draft and start anew. Gmail provides a convenient way to delete such drafts.
To delete a draft while composing an email:
1. Open Gmail and navigate to the “Compose” page.
2. Click on the “Trash” icon located above the email body.
3. A confirmation dialog will appear. Click on “Discard changes” to permanently delete the draft.
Additional Details
1. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Backspace” or “Cmd + Backspace” (for Mac users) to quickly delete drafts.
2. If multiple drafts are visible, you can select and delete them all at once by clicking on the “Select All” checkbox in the drafts list and then clicking on the “Trash” icon.
3. Drafts are automatically saved as you type, so even if you accidentally close the compose window, you can retrieve the draft from the “Drafts” folder.
4. Deleted drafts cannot be recovered, so make sure you are certain before deleting them.
5. If you are using a mobile device, tap on the “Discard” button in the top right corner of the compose window to delete the draft.
6. Drafts that are older than 30 days are automatically deleted by Gmail to free up space.
7. You can disable the auto-save feature in Gmail settings to prevent accidental drafts from being saved.
8. Drafts can also be deleted using IMAP commands.
9. The following table summarizes the steps for deleting drafts while composing an email:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open Gmail and navigate to the “Compose” page. |
| 2 | Click on the “Trash” icon located above the email body. |
| 3 | Click on “Discard changes” to permanently delete the draft. |
Tips for Efficient Draft Management
To effectively manage your Gmail drafts and keep your inbox organized, consider implementing the following strategies:
1. Regularly Review and Delete Drafts
Make a habit of periodically reviewing your drafts and deleting any that are no longer needed. This will help declutter your inbox and prevent drafts from accumulating over time.
2. Use Labels and Filters
Utilize Gmail’s label and filter system to categorize your drafts based on their content or intended purpose. This allows you to easily sort and find specific drafts when required.
3. Prioritize Drafts
Identify important drafts and mark them as starred or with a high priority. This ensures that they stand out in your inbox and you are reminded to complete them.
4. Schedule Sending
If you don’t have time to finish a draft immediately, schedule it to be sent at a specific time. This helps ensure that your messages are delivered at the optimal moment.
5. Collaborate with Others
Use Gmail’s sharing features to collaborate on drafts with colleagues or external contacts. This streamlines the review and editing process.
6. Utilize Third-Party Tools
Explore productivity extensions or apps that integrate with Gmail, such as Sortd or Boomerang, to enhance your draft management capabilities.
7. Keep a Backup
Consider exporting your drafts regularly to an external drive or cloud storage service as a backup. This provides an extra layer of protection against data loss.
8. Use Draft Templates
Create reusable templates for frequently used drafts to save time and maintain consistency. This also ensures that you don’t forget to include essential information.
9. Utilize Canned Responses
Set up canned responses for standardized messages or commonly used phrases. This allows you to quickly insert predefined text into your drafts, saving time.
10. Archive Old Drafts
If you have drafts that are no longer actively being worked on or are of long-term archival value, consider archiving them to remove them from your inbox. This can be achieved using Gmail’s “Move to Archive” feature.
How To Delete Drafts In Gmail
If you have composed an email in Gmail but have not sent it, it will be saved as a draft. Drafts can be useful for saving emails that you plan to finish later, but they can also clutter up your inbox. If you want to delete a draft, you can do so by following these steps:
1.
Open Gmail.
2.
In the left-hand sidebar, click on “Drafts.” This will display a list of all your draft emails.
3.
Hover over the draft you want to delete and click on the “Delete” icon. This is a trash can icon that appears when you hover over a draft email.
4.
A confirmation message will appear. Click on “Delete” to confirm that you want to delete the draft.
Once you have deleted a draft, it will be permanently removed from your Gmail account. You will not be able to recover it.
People Also Ask About How To Delete Drafts In Gmail
How do I delete multiple drafts in Gmail?
To delete multiple drafts in Gmail, you can follow these steps:
1.
Open Gmail.
2.
In the left-hand sidebar, click on “Drafts.” This will display a list of all your draft emails.
3.
Click on the checkbox next to each draft email that you want to delete.
4.
Click on the “Delete” button at the top of the page.
5.
Confirm that you want to delete the drafts by clicking on “OK.”
Can I recover a deleted draft in Gmail?
No, once you delete a draft in Gmail, it is permanently removed from your account. You will not be able to recover it.
How do I prevent drafts from being saved in Gmail?
If you do not want drafts to be saved in Gmail, you can disable the “Auto-save” feature. To do this, follow these steps:
1.
Open Gmail.
2.
Click on the “Settings” icon in the top-right corner of the page.
3.
Click on the “General” tab.
4.
Scroll down to the “Auto-save” section and uncheck the box next to “Auto-save Draft.” This will disable the auto-save feature.
