What is the purpose of labels in Google Gmail?

Labels in Google Gmail serve the purpose of enhancing searchability and organizing emails. They allow users to categorize their emails in a way that suits their individual workflow. By applying labels, you can group similar messages together, making it easier to locate relevant emails when needed. This organization system is flexible, as you can create custom labels and apply multiple labels to a single email, providing a versatile way to manage your inbox.

For example, if you're working on various projects, you might create separate labels for each project. When you receive emails related to those projects, you can apply the appropriate label, allowing you to filter through your emails more efficiently. This also aids in performing searches, enabling you to quickly find emails associated with specific labels.

The labeling feature contrasts with functionalities like filtering spam, which serves a different purpose by automatically redirecting unwanted emails. Scheduling emails and managing attachments are also distinct functions that do not pertain to the organization and search enhancement that labels provide.