So, you've let your Gmail inbox get a little cluttered. If you're sick of looking at 14,160 unread emails, just delete them. The quickest way is by accessing Gmail from the web on your laptop or desktop. If you're too scared to delete something precious, perhaps just archive all your unread mail. We'll tell you how to do that, too.

Read: 14 of the best email apps to help you achieve inbox zero

How to delete all your Gmail emails in one fell swoop

From Gmail on the web via your computer, you can quickly delete multiple Gmail emails at once with just a couple clicks. 

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.com.
  2. Check the boxes to the left of the messages you wish to delete.
  3. Or, check the box at the absolute top left of your messages if you want to delete them all.
    • You can use the drop-down next to the box to select all or none. 
  4. If you have more than one page of messages, click Select all conversations.
  5. Select the trash can icon at the top of your inbox, below the search field.

If you want to know more about how to delete Gmail emails, see Google Support.

What happens when you delete Gmail emails?

When you delete messages, they stay in your trash for 30 days. After that, they will be permanently deleted. To find and recover them, just go to your Trash.

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How to archive all your Gmail emails

If you want to remove a message from your inbox but don't want to delete it, you can archive the message.

  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.com.
  2. Check the boxes to the left of the messages you wish to archive.
  3. Or, check the box at the absolute top left of your messages if you want to archive them all.
    • You can use the drop-down next to the box to select all or none. 
  4. If you have more than one page of messages, click Select all conversations.
  5. Select the Archive icon (box with arrow) at the top of your inbox, below the search field.

If you want to know more about how to archive Gmail emails, see Google Support.

What happens when you archive Gmail emails?

Messages you archived aren't deleted, and you can find them any time.

For instance, when you search in Gmail, your results will include any messages that have been archived. Also, if a message has been archived, you can find it by opening the All Mail label. Just keep in mind Gmail messages that are archived still count against your storage quota.