Gmail email groups let you send one message to multiple people at once

An email group in Gmail is a saved list of contacts that you can address as a single recipient. Instead of typing five email addresses into the "To" field every time you want to reach your book club, your project team, or your family, you type the group name once. Gmail calls this feature contacts groups, and it lives in Google Contacts, not in Gmail itself — but you can use it directly from Gmail's compose window.

The process takes about two minutes. You create the group in Google Contacts, add people to it, and then use it like any other email address when you compose a message. The group itself doesn't have an inbox or receive mail; it's purely a sending tool.

Key Takeaways

  • Email groups are created in Google Contacts, not in Gmail, but you can use them from Gmail's compose window without leaving the page.
  • You can add people to a group one at a time or import multiple contacts at once if you have them in a file.
  • Once created, a group appears in your contacts list and in Gmail's recipient suggestions when you start typing the group name.
  • You can edit a group later to add or remove people, and changes take effect immediately on all future emails you send.

How to create a new email group in Google Contacts

Open Google Contacts in a new browser tab — go to contacts.google.com. On the left side, you'll see a menu. Click the plus sign next to "Labels" (or "Groups" if you see that label). A box will appear asking you to name the group. Type a name like "Marketing Team" or "Monthly Dinner Friends" and press Enter or click Create.

The group now exists but is empty. You'll see it listed on the left side under your labels. Click on it to open it, and you're ready to add people. The group name appears in your contacts sidebar and is ready to receive members.

Adding people to your group

With the group open, click the "Add contacts" button (or the plus icon, depending on your interface). A search box appears. Start typing a contact's name or email address. When you see the person you want, click on them. They're added to the group immediately. Repeat this for each person you want to include.

If you already have contacts saved in Gmail, they'll show up in this search. If someone isn't in your contacts yet, you can type their full email address and add them anyway — they don't have to be a saved contact first.

To add many people at once, you can also export a list of emails from another source (like a spreadsheet), then import them into Google Contacts and add them to the group. This is faster than typing names one by one if you have a large team or mailing list.

Using your group to send an email

Open Gmail and click "Compose" to start a new message. In the "To" field, start typing the name of your group. Gmail will show it in the dropdown suggestions — it looks like a group icon next to the name. Click on it, and all the people in that group are added to the recipient field at once.

You can still add individual people to the same email if you want. The group is just a shortcut; it doesn't lock you into sending only to group members. Type your message and send as usual. Gmail remembers the group for future emails, so it will appear in your suggestions the next time you start typing its name.

Editing or removing people from a group

Go back to Google Contacts and click on the group name. You'll see all the people in it. To remove someone, hover over their name and click the trash icon. To add more people, use the "Add contacts" button again.

Changes to a group take effect immediately. The next time you use that group to send an email, it will include the updated list of people. Old emails you already sent are not affected — they went to whoever was in the group at the time you sent them.

Deleting a group

If you no longer need a group, go to Google Contacts, right-click on the group name on the left side, and select "Delete label" or "Delete group." The group disappears from your contacts, and you won't be able to use it to send emails anymore. The people in the group are not deleted — only the group itself is removed.

Once deleted, the group name will no longer appear in your Gmail compose suggestions. If you recreate a group with the same name later, you'll have to add all the members again from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can people see who else is in the group when I send an email to it?

Yes, if you use the "To" field. Everyone on the email can see all the other recipients. If you want to hide the list, use the "Bcc" (blind carbon copy) field instead — people won't see who else received the message, but the group will still work the same way.

What's the difference between a Gmail group and a Google Group?

A Gmail group (or contacts group) is just a list you use for sending. A Google Group is a full discussion space with its own email address, archive, and member management — it's much more complex. For simple mailing lists, use a contacts group. For ongoing team discussions, use a Google Group.

Can I use a group in Gmail on my phone?

Yes. Open the Gmail app, tap Compose, and start typing the group name in the "To" field. It works the same way as on a computer. You can also manage groups in the Google Contacts app on your phone.

If I remove someone from a group, do they know?

No. Removing someone from a group is silent — they won't get a notification. They simply won't receive future emails sent to that group. Past emails they received are still in their inbox.

Can I create a group of groups?

No. Gmail doesn't support nested groups — you can't add one group inside another group. You have to add individual email addresses to each group.