Key takeaways

• Gmail groups are actually contact labels created in Google Contacts
• Free Gmail accounts can send to 500 recipients per 24 hours; Workspace accounts allow 2,000
• Contact labels work best for groups under 100 contacts
• Creating labels on iPhone requires the desktop web interface at contacts.google.com
• Use BCC to send group emails without showing all email addresses

If you often send messages to the same group of people, learning how to create a group email in Gmail is essential. Whether contacting colleagues, family members, or your professional network, email groups eliminate repetitive typing and ensure messages reach everyone who needs them.

With the heaviest email users spending 8.8 hours per week on email alone, streamlining communication saves valuable time. In this article, you'll learn how to create a group email in Gmail on computer, iPhone, and Android devices, plus best practices for managing your contact groups effectively.

What is a group email in Gmail?

A group email in Gmail is a method of sending a single message to multiple recipients simultaneously using contact labels in Google Contacts. Rather than typing each recipient's address individually, you assign contacts to a named label (such as "Marketing Team" or "Family") and then enter that label name in the To field when composing a message. 

Gmail automatically expands the label to include every contact assigned to it, delivering your message to the entire group in one action. This feature is built into Gmail at no extra cost and works across desktop, iPhone, and Android devices.

How does Gmail group email work?

Picture yourself entering each email address manually every time you need to send a message to a specific group of people. It's time-consuming and error-prone.

By creating a label in Google Contacts, you can send messages to many contacts simultaneously. When you need to email them, type the label name in the To field, and your message goes to everyone in that group.

This simplifies communication and saves significant time. For example, project managers who frequently update their team, upper management, and external stakeholders can create a contact label, add all relevant parties, and send updates to everyone with a single action.

Gmail's contact labels offer basic email distribution up to Gmail's 500-email daily sending limit for free accounts or 2,000 for Google Workspace accounts. For advanced team collaboration features like shared inbox management and task assignment, Google Groups provides enterprise-grade capabilities beyond what contact labels offer.

Google contact labels vs. Google Groups

Before diving into the steps, understand a critical distinction that confuses many users. What most people call "Gmail groups" are actually contact labels in Google Contacts.

Contact labels (what this guide covers):

• Personal organization tools you create and manage in Google Contacts
• Perfect for sending emails to the same group of contacts
• Best for groups under 100 contacts
• Examples: "Marketing Team," "Book Club," "Family"

Google Groups (a separate enterprise platform):

• Enterprise-grade collaborative platform with discussion boards, moderation, and shared inboxes
• Created and managed through groups.google.com
• Features Collaborative Inbox for shared email management with task assignment
• Ideal for large organizations and complex permission management

For personal use and small teams with basic distribution needs, contact labels are sufficient. They allow you to quickly email multiple contacts without setting up a full Google Group. For teams requiring shared email management or conversation tracking, Google Groups provides more robust functionality.

How to create a group email in Gmail on computer

Here are the steps to make a group in Gmail on computer using the web browser:

1. Log in to your Gmail account.
2. Click the dot grid button on the top right menu.

3. Click 'Contacts' to view your contact list, or go directly to Google Contacts.

4. In the left menu, click the '+' icon next to Labels to create a new label. Type the name and hit 'Save'.

5. Check the boxes next to the contact names you want to add, click the label icon, select the label name, and hit 'Apply'.

How to create a group email in Gmail on iPhone

Important note: Creating contact groups (labels) is not supported in the Google Contacts iOS app. You'll need to create labels via the desktop web interface at contacts.google.com. Once created, labels sync to your iOS device for viewing and use.

To create the label:

1. On your iPhone, open a web browser and visit contacts.google.com
2. Click "Create label" in the Labels section (left sidebar)
3. Enter your group name and click Save

To add contacts to the group:

1. In Google Contacts, select the contact(s) you want to add
2. Tap "Manage labels"
3. Select your newly created group/label
4. Tap "Apply"

Once created, you can type the label name directly in the "To" field when composing a message in the Gmail app. Note: Ensure you've synced Gmail contacts with the Contacts app on your iPhone.

How to create a group email in Gmail on Android

Here are the steps to create a group email in Gmail on Android:

1. Open Google Contacts. (Don't have the app? Get it from the Play Store.)
2. Tap the menu icon (three lines) on the top left corner.
3. Tap 'Create label', enter the label name, and tap 'OK' to save.
4. Check the boxes next to the contact names you want to include.
5. Click the 'Manage labels' icon at the top of the screen.
6. Select the label you just created and tap 'Apply'.

How to send email to label group in Gmail app

Need to send a new email to that group? When you compose a new message, type and select the group name in the 'To' field. One email reaches multiple contacts at once.

How to create a group email in Gmail without recipients showing

Gmail displays all recipients' email addresses by default when sending to groups. To send group emails without exposing all recipients' addresses, add your own email address in the To field and place the group name in the BCC field instead.

This approach ensures each person receives the email separately, and their email address stays private. It also prevents reply-all storms, keeping everyone's inbox clean. Learn more about CC vs BCC in email for best practices.

Managing contacts in Gmail groups

Adding contacts to a group

To add contacts to an existing group:

1. Open 'Contacts' in Gmail
2. Check the boxes next to the contacts you want to add, click the label icon, and select the label name
3. Hit 'Apply'

Importing contacts via CSV file

For large contact lists, use Google Contacts' import feature:

1. Open Google Contacts and click 'Create label' in the Labels section
2. Click 'Select file' and hit 'Import'

This is particularly useful when you run an email campaign or send a newsletter targeting a specific group.

Removing contacts from a group

1. Go to the Google Contacts page
2. Click the label name on the left sidebar
3. Select contacts you want to remove and click the three dots beside their name
4. Click 'Remove from label'

Gmail group email limits and restrictions

Before sending group emails, understand Gmail's limits:

Important: Gmail calculates recipients by combining EVERY recipient across all To, CC, and BCC fields. The hard cap is 2,000 total recipients per single message. Exceeding the free account limit triggers a temporary sending block lasting 1 to 24 hours.

For groups exceeding 100 contacts, Gmail contact labels demonstrate reliability issues, often silently skipping certain recipients. Tools like Superhuman Mail offer superior deliverability and reliable group management without these constraints.

Common Gmail group email problems and solutions

Emails not reaching all group members

Messages may silently fail to reach some recipients due to invalid email addresses, aggressive spam filtering, or Gmail's anti-spoofing mechanisms.

Solution: Regularly audit your contact groups to remove outdated addresses. For large group distributions, consider batch sending or alternative solutions.

Contact labels not appearing in compose fields

Contact groups may fail to appear due to syncing delays between Google Contacts and Gmail.

Solution: Wait a few minutes after creating or modifying a group. Try refreshing your Gmail tab, clearing your browser cache, or signing out and back in.

Cross-device sync issues

Contact groups created on desktop frequently experience delays syncing to mobile devices because Google Contacts and Gmail operate as separate systems.

Solution: Ensure you're signed into the same Google account on all devices. Force a sync by opening Google Contacts on each device and pulling down to refresh.

Best practices for Gmail group emails

• Create clear group labels. Choose descriptive names that indicate the purpose or members, such as "Marketing Team" or "Summer '26 Holiday Planning." Avoid ambiguity to prevent miscommunication and accidental sends to the wrong group. Hit 'send' too soon? Gmail lets you unsend an email.
• Update group members regularly. Teams evolve and social circles shift. Setting up a quarterly schedule for reviewing group members ensures your groups remain accurate. Block time in your calendar to manage your groups regularly.
• Use BCC when required. Using BCC in group emails keeps members' email addresses private. This is especially useful for sensitive communications where protecting recipient visibility matters.
• Communicate the group's purpose. When creating a group, explain its intended use and share guidelines for communication. This minimizes irrelevant messages and keeps communication focused.
• Tailor messages to the group. Before hitting send, ask: Is this message relevant to every group member? Will everyone find it helpful? If not, don't send it to the group.

Emailing groups in Superhuman Mail

Superhuman Mail helps teams save 4 hours per person every week on email management. While Superhuman Mail doesn't recognize labels in Google Contacts directly, you can create a Snippet for any group you contact regularly:

1. Hit Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows) → Create Snippet
2. Name your Snippet in the Enter description field
3. Hit Cmd+Shift+O or Ctrl+Shift+O to select the To field
4. Enter the addresses you'd like to group
5. Hit Cmd+Enter or Ctrl+Enter to save

When ready to email this group, hit Cmd+; or Ctrl+; to pull up your Snippets and choose the one you need.

With Superhuman Mail for Teams, you can share message snippets within your team, track Read Statuses for follow-up context, and know when team members are responding to prevent duplicate efforts. Teams respond 12 hours faster and reply to twice as many emails in the same amount of time.

Start sending group emails in Gmail today

Creating groups of contacts in Gmail is a practical solution for efficient email organization. Gmail groups save time by eliminating repetitive typing, keep contacts organized for easier management, and ensure everyone receives messages simultaneously. You can customize messages using contact groups for different purposes, keeping communications targeted and relevant. Use groups in Gmail to save time, stay organized, and engage your contacts effectively.

If you're looking to take your team's email communication to the next level, try Superhuman Mail today. Fly through your inbox and save 4 hours per week every week.

FAQs

How do I create a group email list in Gmail?

Open Google Contacts, click the '+' icon next to Labels in the left menu, name your label, and click Save. Then select the contacts you want to add, click the label icon, choose your label, and click Apply. You can now type the label name in Gmail's To field to email everyone at once.

How to create an email address with multiple recipients in Gmail?

Gmail doesn't create a single email address for multiple recipients. Instead, create a contact label in Google Contacts containing all desired recipients. When composing an email, type the label name in the To field, and Gmail automatically adds all contacts from that label.

How do I create my own email group?

Go to contacts.google.com, click 'Create label' in the left sidebar, name your group, and save. Select contacts you want to include, click 'Manage labels,' choose your new label, and click Apply. Your email group is ready to use in Gmail.

How do I make a contact group from a list of email addresses?

In Google Contacts, you can import a CSV file containing your email addresses. Click 'Import' in the left sidebar, select your file, and import. Then select all imported contacts, click 'Manage labels,' and add them to a new or existing label.

Can I send a group email without showing all email addresses?

Yes. Add your own email address in the To field and place the group name in the BCC field. Each recipient receives the email without seeing other recipients' addresses, protecting privacy and preventing reply-all chains.

What's the maximum number of recipients I can email in Gmail?

Free Gmail accounts can send to 500 recipients per 24 hours, while Google Workspace accounts can send to 2,000 recipients per 24 hours. A single email can have a maximum of 2,000 total recipients across To, CC, and BCC fields combined.

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