Google's Gmail app for Android now lets users create labels directly on mobile devices, closing a years-long feature gap with desktop and iOS versions. The update began rolling out this week following testing that started in December.
Android users can access label creation through the hamburger menu's navigation drawer, where a "Create label" option appears between "Manage subscriptions" and existing labels. A circular badge on the menu button and pill-shaped "New" tag indicate the feature is active for accounts that have received the update.
Label management extends beyond creation. Users can delete labels through Settings by selecting their email address, navigating to Notifications, then choosing "Manage labels." This mobile workflow eliminates the need to switch to desktop for basic inbox organization tasks.
The feature rollout operates on an account-by-account basis, meaning one Gmail address on a device might have access while another does not. Google hasn't officially announced the update, but multiple users report seeing it in version 2026.01.26.x of the Gmail app for Android.
Label color customization remains unavailable on Android, a capability still reserved for the web interface. iOS users gained label creation in 2019, making Android's seven-year wait for parity particularly noticeable for power users who organize inboxes by project, finance items, or newsletters.
Google began testing mobile label creation in December, part of ongoing quality-of-life improvements to the Gmail app. The company recently added select-all functionality for emails, addressing another long-standing mobile limitation.
Users who haven't seen the feature should update to the latest Gmail app version and wait for the gradual rollout to reach their accounts. The update brings Android closer to feature parity with competing email applications like Outlook and Spark that already offered mobile label management.
