Creating a mailing list in Gmail is simple and free. You can set one up in under 5 minutes using contact labels in Google Contacts. Once created, you just type the label name when composing an email, and Gmail fills in all the addresses automatically.
This guide walks you through creating Gmail mailing lists step by step, explains the limitations, and helps you decide when you might need a more powerful tool.
How to Create a Gmail Mailing List in 3 Steps
Step 1: Create a Contact Label
- Open Google Contacts at contacts.google.com (or click the 9-dot menu in Gmail and select Contacts)
- Look for the Labels section in the left sidebar
- Click the Create label button (the plus icon)
- Give your label a clear name like Newsletter Subscribers, Project Team, or Family Updates
- Click Save
Step 2: Add Contacts to Your Label
You have three ways to add contacts to your new label:
For Existing Contacts
Find the contacts in your main list, check the boxes next to their names, click the Labels icon, select your label, and click Apply.
For New Contacts
Click Create contact, enter the name and email address, and add your label during creation.
For Bulk Imports
Use Google Contacts import feature with a CSV file. After importing, apply your label to all the new contacts at once.
Step 3: Send Emails to Your List
- Open Gmail and click Compose
- Start typing your label name in the To field
- Click the suggested label (it shows the contact count in parentheses)
- Gmail fills in all the email addresses automatically
- Write your message and click Send
Understanding To, Cc, and Bcc Fields
Which field you use matters for privacy and how recipients can respond. Here is a quick comparison:
To Field
- Recipients can see each other: Yes
- Reply All available: Yes
- Best for: Known teams and internal groups
Cc Field
- Recipients can see each other: Yes
- Reply All available: Yes
- Best for: Keeping people informed
Bcc Field
- Recipients can see each other: No
- Reply All available: No
- Best for: Customer lists and privacy-critical emails
For external lists, always use Bcc. This keeps email addresses private and prevents reply-all problems.
Gmail Sending Limits
Gmail has strict limits on how many emails you can send:
Free Gmail Accounts
- 500 recipients per day
- Maximum 500 addresses per message
Google Workspace Accounts
- 2,000 recipients per day
- 2,000 addresses maximum per message (500 external)
If you exceed these limits, Gmail locks your sending ability for 24 hours.
What Gmail Mailing Lists Cannot Do
Gmail was not built for email marketing. Here is what it lacks:
- No automatic unsubscribe mechanism
- No analytics (open rates, click tracking)
- No built-in personalization beyond basic mail merge
- No bounce tracking
- No compliance tools for CAN-SPAM or GDPR
- No deliverability controls
Best Practices for Gmail Mailing Lists
- Always use Bcc for external lists to protect privacy
- Test group emails with a small test label first
- Use multiple labels to organize sub-groups
- Watch your sending frequency to avoid hitting limits
- Remove bounced addresses quickly to keep your list clean
- Add context to Bcc emails explaining why people received the message
- Use Gmail templates for repeated messages
- Keep emails mobile-friendly with short paragraphs
- Consider Google Workspace at $6 per user per month for business use
- Switch to dedicated email tools when you outgrow Gmail
Managing Your Mailing Lists
Adding Members
Add contacts and apply the label. Changes take effect immediately.
Removing Members
Go to your label in Google Contacts, find the person, and choose Remove from label.
Renaming a Label
Hover over the label name, click the three-dot menu, and select Rename label.
Deleting a Label
Use the same three-dot menu and select delete. This removes the label but keeps your contacts in the system.
Quick Facts About Gmail Mailing Lists
- Group emails reduce addressing errors by about 80 percent
- Gmail allows attachments up to 25 MB per message
- You can create unlimited labels
- Contact labels are invisible to recipients
- No hard limit on contacts per label, but messages cap at 500 recipients
When to Move Beyond Gmail
Consider switching to a dedicated email marketing tool when:
- Your contact list exceeds a few hundred people
- You send emails multiple times per week
- You need analytics and tracking
- You want proper deliverability controls
- You must comply with CAN-SPAM or GDPR regulations
- You need automatic unsubscribe handling
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create unlimited mailing lists?
Yes. Create as many labels as you need.
Is there a maximum number of contacts per label?
No hard limit exists, but single messages are capped at 500 recipients.
Can I use Gmail for newsletters?
It works for under 500 subscribers with infrequent sends. For larger lists or regular newsletters, use a dedicated tool.
Can I add attachments to group emails?
Yes, up to 25 MB per message.
