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Gmail search on Android is about to get better

Gmail on Android is gaining features that Google released for Gmail on the web last year.
Written by Liam Tung, Contributing Writer

Google is improving search filter options in Gmail on Android smartphones to help users find the exact email they're looking for. 

Google is giving Gmail on Android a similar treatment to what it gave to Gmail on the web a year ago.

The Gmail on Android update improves search filters when running a search or when looking for items after a search from within the Gmail app. 

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It does this by way of four buttons below the search box that includes "From", "Sent to", Date", and "Attachments" buttons. Attachments include Text documents, Spreadsheets, and PDFs.   

"You can now quickly and easily filter email and search results on Android mobile devices to find the one specific email or information you're looking for," Google notes in a blogpost

Search filters can be used independently or post-search. The buttons provide drop-down lists for who the email was sent from or sent to, the date the email was sent, and attachment formats. Gmail users can also pull up results based on keywords.  

Users can also choose from a list of suggested senders or search for emails from multiple senders. 

The feature is being rolled out to all Gmail users, and there is no way for Workspace or G Suite Basic Business admins to enable or disable this feature. 

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The rollout starts on September 20 and is expected to be completed by the end of October 2021. 

There's no word from Google on whether or when the same feature will be available for Gmail on iOS. However, Gmail notifications on iOS 15 devices will change shortly to conform with Apple's new Focus feature, which will restrict when apps can deliver notifications to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Watch users.     

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