Select All Emails in Gmail (* then a)
Press * (asterisk) then a to select all conversations on the current page. Press * then n to deselect them all. Keyboard shortcuts must be enabled.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select all conversations (page) | * then a | * then a | |
| Deselect all (none) | * then n | * then n | |
| Select read | * then r | * then r | |
| Select unread | * then u | * then u | |
| Select starred | * then s | * then s | |
| Select unstarred | * then t | * then t |
Select everything on the page
Press * (Shift+8) and release, then press a. Gmail ticks every conversation shown on the current page. To clear the selection, press * then n. These are two-step chords: tap the asterisk, let go, then tap the second key — don't hold them together.
Select all across the whole inbox, not just one page
Gmail only loads ~50 conversations per page, so * a selects that page. After you select the page, Gmail shows a banner: “Select all conversations that match this search.” Click it to act on every matching message — then archive, delete, or label them all at once.
Select by state: read, unread, starred
The asterisk menu lets you select a subset instead of everything, which is faster than ticking boxes by hand:
- * r — select all read conversations (handy to bulk-archive what you've already seen).
- * u — select all unread (e.g. to mark them read with Shift+i).
- * s — select all starred.
- * t — select all unstarred.
Combine them: * u to grab every unread, then act on just those.
Enable keyboard shortcuts first
None of these work until shortcuts are on: Settings (gear) → See all settings → General → Keyboard shortcuts on → Save Changes. This applies the same way in Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox, on both Mac and Windows — Gmail's selection keys are browser shortcuts, not OS ones, so there's no separate Mac/Windows combo.
FAQ
How do I select all emails in Gmail with the keyboard?
Press * (asterisk) then a to select every conversation on the current page. To cover the whole inbox, then click the 'Select all conversations that match this search' banner.
How do I deselect all?
Press * then n (none).
How do I select only unread emails?
Press * then u to select all unread conversations on the page; * then r selects read ones.
How do I select starred emails?
Press * then s for starred, * then t for unstarred.
Can I select every email in the inbox, not just one page?
Yes — after * a, click the banner 'Select all conversations that match this search', which extends the selection beyond the current page.
Is the select-all shortcut different on Mac and Windows?
No. Gmail's selection shortcuts are the same * then a chord on Mac and Windows because they run in the browser, not the operating system. You just need Keyboard shortcuts turned on in Settings.