Archive is not delete.
The message remains searchable in Gmail and stays in All Mail.
← Back to Inbox Zero guide
Free Gmail walkthrough
A calmer, clearer way to work email.
How do I set up Inbox Zero in Gmail?
Move old email out of the way, create three useful labels, and turn Gmail into a system you can actually maintain.
DefaultArchive
Nothing remains
01Action
Your meaningful next move
02Waiting
Their next move
03FYI
Intentional later attention
Step 01 of 07
Start here
Inbox Zero is not a permanently empty inbox. It is a simple operating system for deciding what each message means before it becomes mental clutter.
The shiftYour inbox becomes a receiving area. Archive is the normal destination; Action, Waiting, and FYI hold only messages that still deserve intentional attention.
Three rules before you begin
Start on a computer.
Use this walkthrough on your phone while completing the setup in desktop Gmail.
Archive first.
If nothing remains—or you finish it in two minutes—archive it. Use a label only when attention is still unfinished.
1 | Action
I owe a meaningful next move that cannot be completed now.
2 | Waiting
Someone else owes the next move.
3 | FYI
Information intentionally retained for later reading or reference.
When you are ready
Where can I find the other Inbox Zero walkthroughs?
Keep your Inbox Zero resources handy.
Return to these free walkthroughs whenever you need a refresher, or choose a guide for another email platform.
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