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

A Gmail group is a saved list of email addresses that you can send messages to all at once. Instead of typing ten addresses into the "To" field, you type the group name. Gmail calls these groups "contacts groups" and stores them in your Contacts app, not in Gmail itself — so you set them up there, then use them in Gmail.

The process takes about two minutes. You pick a name for the group, add the people you want in it, and then you can send to that group name whenever you need to reach everyone at once. You can add or remove people from the group anytime.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail groups are created in Google Contacts, not in the Gmail app itself, even though you use them when sending emails.
  • You can create a group by opening Google Contacts, clicking "Create contact" and selecting "Create label," then adding people to it one at a time or by pasting multiple addresses.
  • Once a group exists, typing its name in the "To" field of an email will show it as an option you can click to add all members at once.
  • You can edit a group anytime to add new people, remove people, or change the group name.
  • Groups are stored in your Google account, so they appear on any device where you sign in to Gmail.

How to create a group in Google Contacts

Open Google Contacts in your web browser by going to contacts.google.com. Sign in with the same Google account you use for Gmail. On the left side of the screen, you will see a menu. Click the button that says "Create contact" — it usually has a plus sign next to it.

A dropdown menu will appear with two options: "Create contact" and "Create label." Click "Create label." A box will pop up asking you to name the group. Type the name you want — for example, "Book Club" or "Project Team" — then click "Save." The group now exists, but it is empty.

How to add people to a group

After you create the group, Google Contacts will show you the group page. You will see a button or field that says "Add members" or "Add contacts." Click it. A search box will appear where you can type names or email addresses.

Type the first person's name or email address. If they are already in your contacts, their name will appear as a suggestion — click it to add them. If they are not in your contacts yet, type their full email address and press Enter. Repeat this for each person you want to add to the group.

If you have a long list of addresses to add, you can paste them all at once. Click the add members field, then paste all the addresses separated by commas or line breaks. Google Contacts will add them all to the group in one go.

How to use a group when sending an email

Open Gmail and start writing a new email. Click in the "To" field and start typing the name of your group. As you type, Gmail will show your group as an option. Click the group name to add all its members to the email at once.

The group name will appear in the "To" field, and when you send the email, it will go to every person in that group. You can still add individual people to the same email if you need to — the group members and individual addresses can be mixed together.

How to edit or remove people from a group

Go back to Google Contacts and find the group you want to change. Click on it to open the group page. You will see a list of all the people in the group. To remove someone, hover over their name and click the trash or delete icon that appears.

To add more people later, click the "Add members" button again and follow the same steps as before. You can change the group name by clicking the pencil or edit icon next to the group name at the top of the page, typing the new name, and saving it.

What happens if someone's email address changes

If someone in your group changes their email address, you will need to remove their old address and add their new one. Go to the group in Google Contacts, delete the old address, then add the new one. The next time you send to the group, the email will go to the new address instead.

If you send an email to a group and one of the addresses is no longer active, Gmail will bounce that message back to you with a delivery failure notice. That tells you it is time to update the group.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a group on my phone?

You can create and manage groups on the Google Contacts app for iPhone or Android, though the steps are slightly different. Open the Contacts app, tap the plus sign to create a new contact, then look for the option to create a label instead. The process works the same way as on a computer.

Can I see who is in a group before I send an email?

Yes. When you type the group name in the "To" field, Gmail will show you a preview of how many people are in the group. Click on the group name to expand it and see the full list of addresses before you send.

What if I want to send an email to a group but exclude one person?

Add the group to the "To" field as usual, then delete the one person you do not want to include from that field. Their name will disappear, and the email will go to everyone else in the group. You can also add them to "Bcc" instead if you want them to see the email but not know others received it.

Can I create a group that includes other groups?

No. Google Contacts does not support nested groups — you cannot put one group inside another. If you need to send to overlapping sets of people, create separate groups for each set and add people to multiple groups as needed.

Will people know they are part of a group when I email them?

Yes, if you use the "To" field. Everyone will see all the other addresses in the "To" line. If you want to hide the list from them, use the "Bcc" field instead, and add the group there — then each person will only see their own address.