How to Ungroup Emails in Gmail? Break Email Threads
Gmail users struggle with long promotional email threads only because they don’t know how to ungroup emails in Gmail. Don’t worry; here we teach you how to take back control of your inbox by splitting and segregating messages into individual replies.
Quick note: Before we implement any changes to email visualization, it is recommended that you safeguard your data. The best way to do that would be to get the ever-reliable SysTools Gmail Backup tool. Export emails, attachments, and labels so nothing gets lost during tweaks.
It is important that readers know what we are planning to achieve. So let us start by explaining what it means to ungroup.
What Does “Ungroup Emails in Gmail” Really Mean?
Those who have just started to use Gmail may not know that it is entirely possible that when you open your inbox, the topmost message is not the latest update on a conversation.
This happens because Gmail’s default setting is “Conversation View.” Moreover, this change is not new; it has been the norm since 2004. At that time, it was a revolutionary idea, as it transformed the emails into a more chat-like format. When this mode is enabled in your account, the following happens.
Emails that have the same subject/participants are put together in a single “Conversation.”
The newest message
All they see is that when the same respondent
Pros and Cons of Splitting Emails in Gmail
Before you proceed, weigh the benefits against the drawbacks:
Pros:
- Inbox becomes simple; you no longer have to expand email threads to locate what was said at the end.
- Manual searching is easier, and email stands out, so you can look for specific messages on your own.
- Users who prefer flat email lists find the non-conversation view better than the default version.
But not everything improves by disabling conversations. If it were Google would have reversed the default option long ago.
Cons:
- Loss of context, as emails are no longer linked to each other, may make it difficult to follow discussions.
- Increase clutter, your mailbox may appear more filled than usual, and duplicate entries with similar or the same exact subject occupy a major chunk of the space.
- Conversation View is used by Gmail to automatically send reminders to reply or follow up. If you turn the feature off, this facility will also disappear.
Now you know what will happen if you make the change. So if you are ready follow the guide.
How to Ungroup Emails in Gmail on the Web App?
We have two options here, one is quick and the other is permanent.
Quick Steps
Step 1. Log in to the Gmail app.
Step 2. Click on the settings gear (check the top right corner)
Step 3. Scroll to the bottom of the settings menu and uncheck the Conversation View option.
Step 4. A window appears, click Reload.
Also Read: New Feature to Manage Email Subscriptions on Gmail
You should now see every message separately. If you dont like the new look, you can always go back. If you want more customization options, you can check this next full settings tutorial.
Step 1. In your Gmail account, click on the gear icon and select the See all settings option.
Step 2. Stay on the General tab and look for the Conversation view section.
Step 3. Select “Conversation view off.”
Step 4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Save Changes.”
Many users use Gmail from their phones. So we have the tutorial to toggle these settings from the mobile UI as well.
Steps to Disable Conversation View on Mobile
Android users follow these steps:
Step 1. Open the Gmail app on your mobile.
Step 2. Tap the hamburger menu (☰) next to the search bar.
Step 3. In the app menu pane, find the settings gear ⚙ and tap it.
Step 4. Pick an account for which you are ungrouping emails in Gmail.
Step 5. Unmark the Conversation view checkbox.
Step 6. The app will reset, and all email messages will appear individually.
Also Read: How to Export Google Chat to PDF & Download Full History
For iOS, we have similar steps.
Step 1. Launch the Gmail app.
Step 2. Tap on the menu icon (three lines ☰) in the top-left.
Step 3. Tap “Settings” (you may have to scroll down).
Step 4. Choose your account (if you have multiple accounts)
Step 5. Go to “Inbox customizations” or “General settings” (Note: in some iPhones/iOS versions, the label name may vary).
Step 6. Toggle the “Conversation view” to the off position.
Step 7. Wait for a few seconds the app will refresh. (Don’t close the app when it’s happening)
Sometimes, mobile users complain that this option is greyed out or not present on their app. You can force close and restart the app, Uninstall and reinstall, check for updates, and retry after updating.
Conclusion
Here in this write-up, I have covered all the doubts people had on how to ungroup emails in Gmail. We not only explained what it is and what will change when you split the message threads, but also taught several ways on how to perform the task of segregating messages. Once again, before attempting any changes to your Gmail account, make a backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is it possible to ungroup just one set of messages?
No, the conversation view is an account-wide setting. You either have it for every message or none of them. For a folder or label, specific splitting filters might be the better option.
Q. Will ungrouping mail delete my messages?
No, ungrouping is just a view alteration. It does not affect the presence of mails; all your mails will still be there. Just to make sure, you should download/save the emails before making any changes.
Q. I use Gmail in the Outlook client. Does ungrouping on the web also make changes there?
No, the email clients have their mail grouping options. Any Gmail settings changes you make on the web will not affect the client. However, the settings do sync between your Gmail web and the Gmail mobile app.