# Labels FAQ

Can I move an email to a label instead of applying it?

Yes, we offer two ways to apply a label to a conversation: 1. **Label as:** this will add the conversation and its messages to the label; it won't remove it from the currently selected mailbox. Label as is the default action when clicking the label icon at the top of the conversation view. 2. **Move to:** this will move the conversation and its messages to the label while removing them from the currently selected mailbox. You can select the **Move to** action from the conversation context menu:

Label as: This action is also available in the conversation
context menu or the Command bar, see below.

**Move to label...** from the conversation context menu

If you prefer using your keyboard, you can quickly select the **Move to** action with the [Command bar](https://missiveapp.com/docs/advanced-features/command-bar):

Press `⌘/Ctrl` + `E`, then type **move** and select the right option

You can also change the default behavior when dragging and dropping a conversation into a label; read [How to copy/move a conversation to a label when drag and dropping...](#how-to-copy-move-a-conversation-to-a-label-when-drag-and-dropping-on-it) below.

Can conversations be copied when dragged into a label instead of being moved?

When dragging a conversation into a label, you can either: * Remove the conversation from the current label (**Move**). * Add the conversation to the new label while keeping the current label applied (**Copy**). You can change this behavior in your **Preferences**:

How to copy/move a conversation to a label when drag and dropping on it?

Go to your **Preferences**, search for *drag*, then change the setting **When dragging a conversation**:

How can I mark a label as favorite?

To mark a label as favorite, open it to have it listed in your left sidebar, then hit the “…” menu next to it (or long-press it on mobile), then you will see the **Mark as favorite** option:

When a label is marked as a favorite, it will then be easily accessible at the top of the label menu for easy access:

How can I navigate to a label?

You can either: * Search and navigate to a label using the search box at the top of the second column.

* Use the ⌘/Ctrl + E shortcut to access the [command bar](https://missiveapp.com/docs/advanced-features/command-bar) and navigate to a label. * Open a label from the **+ Pin to sidebar** in the sidebar.

How can I quickly apply a label when I have hundreds of them?

You can quickly search and apply a label to a conversation using ⌘/Ctrl + Shift + L. The label menu automatically shows your recently used labels at the top for quick access. This makes it easy to reapply labels you use frequently. You can also mark a label as a favorite so the label is always easily accessible at the top of the menu. To do so, just right-click any label in the sidebar and select Mark as favorite.

Image showing how to quickly apply a label

How can I see the number of total or unread conversations in a label or mailbox?

You can right-click the label or mailbox in the right sidebar to toggle the total or unread count display.

How do I rename labels?

To rename a label, go to **Settings** > **Labels**, select the label, and click **Edit**.

Is it possible to assign labels via the API?

You can assign labels via the Missive API using the [Post endpoint](https://app.gitbook.com/s/egxqkD7AXM4n11rNf5qI/rest-api/endpoints) combined with the `add_shared_labels` attribute. It should be noted that it only works with Missive organization labels and not email account labels.

Is there a way to hide labels from the sidebar?

To hide a label from the sidebar, right-click on it, then select the **Unpin** option:

If you do not see the **Unpin** option in the label menu, it means you pinned all of the labels of your email account to the sidebar. To hide them, you need to scroll up, click the "..." next to your email account name, then select the **Remove** option:

This will close all labels of the email account, you can reopen them individually from the **+ Pin to sidebar** menu.

What are the differences between Gmail labels and organization labels?

Gmail labels are synced back and forth between Gmail and Missive. Anyone you give full access to your email account on Missive will have access to the labels of this account. Note that this applies to **shared accounts** only, not **shared addresses**. Labels under your **Organization** settings are Missive-only labels that are not synced to Gmail. Their purpose is to allow labeling non-email conversations, which include SMS, Messenger, Instagram, and chat-only conversations. Gmail labels cannot be applied if a conversation contains no emails. They are also valuable to label emails across multiple email accounts.

What does Label is visible to mean?

The **"Label is visible to"** setting determines who can view and apply the label to their conversations.

The **"Auto-shared users"** setting controls which users automatically gain access to conversations within the label. Only the organization owner and admins can modify the **Label is visible to** and **Auto-shared users** settings on existing labels. When creating a new label, any member can configure these settings -- but once the label is saved, those settings are only editable by the owner and admins.

What is the maximum amount of organization labels I can create?

The current maximum amount is 10,000 organization labels per organization.

How many shared labels can a conversation have?

A conversation can have up to 100 shared labels applied to it.

Where are my email folders / labels?

Missive supports folders and sub-folders. They are called Labels in the Missive interface. You can open them by clicking the **Pin to sidebar** menu in the left sidebar and look for the **Email Labels** section. [How to video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYw7SY-qTzA) {% hint style="info" %} You can enable an option to always show a label if there is one or many unread conversations in it. Right-click on the label name in your sidebar and select the **Watch** option. {% endhint %}

Why are labels not showing up in my coworker’s sidebar?

* The idea is that members of an organization may have different responsibilities and be interested in different labels. * Listing all labels in everyone’s sidebar by default may feel cluttered for those interested in just a few labels. We automatically show newly created labels in the sidebar for the person creating the said label, since they are likely to be interested in it. * Everyone can manage labels as they see fit: hidden labels can be opened by clicking **+ Pin to sidebar**, and hidden again with **right-click > Unpin**.

Image showing how to customize the labels shown in your sidebar — Example of labels pinned in the sidebar

Who can edit organization labels?

Any member can edit organization labels (rename them, change their color, etc.). Only the owner and admins can delete organization labels.

Why can't I delete labels?

Only the owner and admins can delete organization labels. If you are a regular member, you can edit labels but not delete them. Email account labels can be deleted from Missive if you are the organization owner, the owner of the email account, or an organization admin. Otherwise, you need to delete them from your email service provider (Gmail, Outlook, etc).

Can I convert an email label to an organization label?

No. Email labels (those synced with Gmail, Office 365, or IMAP) cannot be converted to organization labels. These two label types serve different purposes and are managed separately. If you need organization label functionality for conversations currently using email labels, create a new organization label under **Settings** > **Labels** in the Organizations section. You can then apply this new label to your conversations. Organization labels have advantages like working across all message types, triggering rules, and appearing in Analytics. Learn more about [label types](https://missiveapp.com/docs/core-features/understanding-label-types).

Why does the unread count in Missive differ from Gmail or other email clients?

Unread counts in Missive can differ from Gmail, Outlook, and other email clients. This is expected behavior. **Why counts differ:** Missive tracks unread status for internal comments between teammates. When a colleague posts a comment in a conversation, it marks the conversation as unread for you in Missive - but these internal comments don't exist in your email provider, so Gmail or Outlook won't show those conversations as unread. This also applies to labels. A label might show 3 unread conversations in Missive but only 1 unread in Gmail because 2 of those conversations have unread Missive comments. **Other factors that affect counts:** Unified inboxes and sub-inboxes can also show different counts. A conversation containing emails from 2 accounts counts as 1 in the unified inbox but appears in both sub-inboxes. For this reason, working from your top-level unified inbox gives you the most accurate view of what needs attention across all your accounts and conversations.