Gmail newer_than: search operator: how it works + examples (2026)

If you’ve ever tried to clean up a Gmail inbox and thought, “I only want emails from the last 30 days,” you’re looking for Gmail’s newer_than: search operator.

This guide shows:

• What newer_than: means (and when to use older_than: instead)
• The exact syntax + time units Gmail accepts
• Copy/paste examples for Promotions cleanup, unread, and specific senders
• The fastest safe way to bulk delete or bulk archive once you’ve filtered the right messages

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What does newer_than: do in Gmail?

newer_than: filters email by age relative to today.

• newer_than:7d = messages from the last 7 days
• newer_than:1m = messages from the last 1 month
• newer_than:1y = messages from the last 1 year

If your goal is “delete old mail,” you’ll usually want the opposite:

• older_than:1y = messages older than 1 year

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Gmail newer_than: syntax (with time units)

Gmail’s format is:

newer_than:<number><unit>

Units you’ll see in the wild:

• d = days (example: newer_than:14d)
• m = months (example: newer_than:6m)
• y = years (example: newer_than:2y)

Tip: if you want a clean “last 30 days” filter, newer_than:1m is usually good enough.

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Copy/paste searches (Promotions, unread, sender cleanup)

1) Promotions tab: last 30 days

category:promotions newer_than:1m

This is the fastest way to isolate recent marketing mail.

If you want unread Promotions only:

category:promotions is:unread newer_than:1m

Related: If you see Gmail using a hidden Promotions smart label, this guide helps:
- https://sweeper.email/blog/gmail-promotions-smartlabel-promo

2) One sender: last 90 days

from:(news@sender.com) newer_than:90d

You can also use just a domain:

from:(@sender.com) newer_than:6m

3) Receipts / attachments: last 12 months

has:attachment newer_than:1y

Or PDFs:

filename:pdf newer_than:1y

4) “Keep recent, delete old” (older-than cleanup)

If your inbox is huge, you often want to remove the old stuff:

category:promotions older_than:6m

Or for a sender:

from:(@sender.com) older_than:1y

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After filtering: how to bulk delete or bulk archive safely

Gmail’s UI makes bulk actions a bit annoying:

• You can “Select all” on a page (usually 50 conversations)
• There’s a “Select all conversations that match this search” link, but it’s easy to miss

If you want a safer, faster workflow (especially for thousands of messages):

• Bulk delete (by sender/search): https://sweeper.email/features/bulk-delete
• Bulk archive (keep mail searchable): https://sweeper.email/features/bulk-archive
• Bulk unsubscribe (stop future mail): https://sweeper.email/features/unsubscribe

For Promotions-specific cleanup, this walkthrough is also helpful:
- https://sweeper.email/blog/delete-all-promotional-emails-gmail

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FAQ

Does newer_than: work in the Gmail mobile app?

Yes — the operator works anywhere Gmail search works (web or mobile). The main difference is that bulk actions are usually easier on desktop.

Is newer_than: the same as after:?

Not exactly:

• newer_than: is relative (“last 30 days”)
• after: uses a fixed date (example: after:2026/06/01)

If you run the same cleanup every month, newer_than: is usually simpler.

Can I combine newer_than: with other operators?

Yes — that’s the whole power.

Common combos include:

• category:promotions newer_than:1m
• is:unread newer_than:14d
• from:(@domain.com) older_than:1y

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Quick checklist (best “inbox cleanup” search to start with)

If you just want to start cleaning without overthinking it:

1) Promotions: category:promotions newer_than:1m
2) Old Promotions: category:promotions older_than:6m
3) Big senders: from:(@domain.com) older_than:1y

Then delete/archive in bulk — and unsubscribe so it doesn’t come back.