Locked up tight: In Gmail, click the little padlock icon at the bottom of a new email for Confidential mode. Set an expiration date and a passcode for your recipient to open the email. You’ll both feel like James Bond.
A clutter-free inbox: Your simple guide to email zen in 2025
© Kaspars Grinvalds | Dreamstime.com
Right now, I’m sitting here beaming because my inbox is empty. Really! Did I read and reply to every single message? Well, no. I’m not an “Inbox Zero” person. Watch this quick video if you have no clue what that means.
Before I took back control, I had 409 unread emails. But I have a trick to starting each year with a clean slate. You can do it, too!
Clear out your inbox
You could try sorting your emails into a maze of folders, but who has the time for that? Here’s a surprisingly easy fix to start the new year right: Archive your inbox. It’s like a magic wand for your digital clutter!
What’s email archiving, you ask? Picture this: A digital vault where every email you’ve ever sent or received is safely stored, complete with attachments. No more scrolling endlessly through a jam-packed inbox!
So, are you ready to beat the email bloat? Here’s your quickstart guide to mastering your inbox with the power of archiving.
🤖 Steps to archive emails in Gmail
- Open your Gmail account on a computer and click the Inbox folder on the left.
- Above your emails, there’s an empty checkbox. Click the small arrow next to it, and choose All to get the conversations visible on your screen.
- To select all emails, click Select all [number] conversations in Inbox, then hit the Archive icon. (It looks like a folder with a downward-pointing arrow.)
Gmail will take some time to process your request, so be patient. You may have to do this step a few times to get everything.
Once you’ve archived a message, you can hit All Mail to the left, under “Inbox” and your other email folders, to find it. Search by a term you know was in the email or by the sender.
🍎 Using Apple Mail? Here’s what to do
- Open the Mail app on your Mac. Look through your inbox or other folders and find those emails you want to stash away. Click on an email to select it, or, if you’ve got a bunch, hold down Cmd and click each one you want to archive.
- Got an Archive button (it looks like a small box) on your toolbar? Click that and you’re golden. No button? Click Message at the top, then choose Archive from the dropdown. For a shortcut, hit Ctrl + Cmd + A to send those emails right into your archive.
- To see your archived emails, head to the Archive folder in the sidebar under “Mailboxes.” Got more than one email account? Each has its own “Archive” folder.
6 ways tech can solve life's little annoyances
Minor tech annoyances can seem small at the moment. But in the grand scheme of things, they can cause stress and wasted time. If you don’t want tech issues to have a significant impact, cut them off with these tech life hacks.
Find out who's selling your Gmail with this simple trick
Getting flooded with spam? Companies might be behind it. Here’s how to find out who’s sharing your email.
Heads-up, Gmail user: Starting Sept. 30, you won’t be able to use your Google Workspace account to log into third-party apps or devices that require only a username and password to sign up. If you see errors like “Invalid username,” “Invalid password” or “Unable to log in,” create a new account with the site instead of trying to log in with Google.
How to make sure emails you want to see don't end up lost in spam
ChatGPT
Have you ever felt like spam is that one friend who just can’t take a hint? You know, the one who keeps inviting you to their pyramid scheme parties? Out of nowhere, your inbox is flooded with offers of “get rich quick” pitches. Some email providers block these kinds of messages before they cause trouble.
Google Search alternatives that respect your privacy
© Alexandersikov | Dreamstime.com
Between Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, and all the rest, the tech giant knows a ton about you. Let’s not forget about YouTube, the second-largest search site behind Google.
I recently showed you how you could take control of what appears when you search for yourself. Here’s my guide to doing an exhaustive search. Once you find what’s publicly available about you, take steps to delete anything that doesn’t sit well with you, from images of your home to personal photos.
Tesla’s bartender bots were controlled by humans at ‘We, Robot’ event
Many expected autonomous robots at Tesla’s ‘We, Robot’ event, but humans were actually pulling the strings. Also, #Facebook shifts focus to Gen Z, a man sues for $647 million over a lost crypto hard drive, and a new Gmail scam is making rounds.
Google’s deleting inactive Gmail accounts
Don’t let your digital life vanish! Many tech companies are deleting profiles, and you could lose everything. Here’s why.
This mom goes screen-free
Most kids are glued to the computer. But Stacy Liberatore, Deputy Science and Technology Editor at DailyMail.com, takes a different approach — she says no to screens for her daughter. Plus, updates on ChatGPT-4o, Gmail AI features, and fast food freebies.
Threads vs. Twitter, plane ticket scams, & the resurgence of floppy disks
Plus, ChatGPT has become faster but less intelligent — here’s the reason why. Sent an embarrassing email? I have the steps to retract it. Discover three alternatives to Photoshop, use a Gmail hack to determine who’s selling your data, and find ways to prevent your phone from overheating.
Gmail hack to see who sells your data
Want to know who sells your email address to spammers? Here’s how you can easily see who’s responsible, in one minute.
Data-hoarding free TV, HP printer ink sham & Apple's AI voice update
Plus, is your email lurking on the Dark Web? Find out using Google’s new Gmail tool. I help a guy facing money laundering allegations after investing $20K in crypto. The subscriber secret to YouTube cashflow, cloud data safety and fast-track your travels with this mobile passport app.
Massive Peloton recall, WFH in bed & mosquito-attracting soap
Plus, spam-filled Gmail? I give my advice to a gal that wants to delete hers, without losing what’s tied to it. Stay alert: Zelle scamming teens, Fortnite in the Olympics and the truth about “unsent” texts. And think twice before clicking on these suspicious email subject lines.
Elon Musk's Twitter, use Gmail offline, medication reminders
Elon Musk is moving forward with his plan to buy Twitter. Kim has the scoop on what it could look like. Plus, a trick criminals can use to get past your security system, the latest on Tesla’s humanoid Optimus robot, how to use Gmail in offline mode, and setting up medication reminders on iOS 16. In WTH news of the week, a real-life invisibility jacket is in the works.
Tesla kills, VR love story, Gmail makeover
Do you have a Tesla? Don’t trust Autopilot. One driver did – and his car killed a man. More tech news you need to know: Hackers are targeting your Office suite, Gmail is changing and how to NEVER miss an important call again.
A new scam targeting Gmail and Outlook users
Did you just get a scary email from Amazon or PayPal? Listen now to tell if it’s real or a scam.
Gmail is lying to you
Who hasn’t sent an email that you’ve later regretted? Google now claims that it has self-destructing emails. Send a message, after a set time, the message vanishes. Here’s how it works.
Practical Tech Tip: How to change your mobile email signature
© Hanohiki | Dreamstime
You have work to get done, but you’re also running from one errand to another today. So, you do the sensible thing: you reply to emails from your phone.
When you finally get back to a desktop computer, you discover those emails you sent have that pesky “Sent from my iPhone” message at the bottom and it looks unprofessional. Tap or click here to see what today’s email etiquette looks like.
What does Google know about you?
Have you ever wondered how much Google knows about you? There is a way to find out. Learn all the data Google has on you with a few simple clicks. In this podcast, Kim looks at Google’s new way for users to take a look at all the data they’ve collected from them whether it’s Gmail, Chrome or any other Google product. The depth of the results may shock you.