Google appears to be testing custom label support in the Gmail app for Android, a feature that has long been available on iOS and desktop but conspicuously absent on Google’s own mobile platform.
According to Android Authority, the feature was spotted after enabling hidden options in Gmail for Android version 2025.12.29.855765709.Release. Once active, users gain the ability to create, rename, and delete custom labels without leaving the app. If rolled out publicly, this would finally bring Android users to feature parity with Gmail on the iPhone, iPad, and the web.
In the test build, Google has added a “Create label” option to Gmail’s main sidebar menu. Tapping it prompts users to enter a name for a new custom label, which then appears alongside existing system labels. The process closely mirrors how label creation already works on iOS, where users access the option through the sidebar and tap “Create New.”
Managing labels on Android is also reportedly straightforward. Users can head to Settings, then Inbox, followed by Manage labels, where custom labels can be renamed or deleted. Labels created on iOS or desktop Gmail can also be edited or removed from the Android app, provided they were created by the user.
As with other versions of Gmail, custom labels remain private. Only the account holder can see them, and they are not shared with email recipients. Deleting an email removes it not just from the inbox but from the associated label as well.
Google already offers a support page explaining how to create and manage labels on desktop and iOS, reinforcing the idea that Android has been the odd one out. The current test suggests that gap may finally be closing, though Google has not officially confirmed a wider rollout.
It is still possible that Google may choose not to release the feature publicly, as the functionality was enabled through testing rather than appearing in a stable update. Even so, custom labels will continue to be available on iPhone, iPad, and desktop Gmail regardless of what happens on Android.
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