A privacy-first Chrome extension that visually sorts and filters Gmail by date, sender, star, or unread status.
Gmail gives you labels, stars, and categories — but no way to sort your inbox by sender name or push unread messages to the top. InboxSort adds a clean, native-feeling toolbar directly into Gmail with one-click sorting, real-time filters, live search, keyboard shortcuts, and a stats bar.
Works visually using CSS transforms — your actual inbox is never modified.
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Oldest First | Surface buried emails you may have missed |
| Newest First | Restore Gmail's default order with one click |
| Sender A→Z | Group conversations alphabetically by sender |
| Sender Z→A | Reverse alphabetical order |
| Unread First | Push unread messages to the top |
| Starred First | Put starred messages first, then sort each group by newest date |
A visual overlay that clusters consecutive emails from the same sender, with color-coded badges and email counts (e.g., "Google (3)"). Alternating background tints make sender groups easy to spot at a glance. Works alongside any sort mode.
Toggle buttons in the toolbar to show only:
- Starred emails
- Unread messages
- Emails with attachments
Filters can be combined (e.g., unread + attachments). Click any stat in the stats bar to toggle it as a filter.
Type in the filter bar to instantly narrow the current page by sender name, subject line, or snippet. Match count displays as you type. Press / to jump to the search bar or Esc to clear.
A slim bar below your sort tabs showing real-time counts: total, unread, starred, and attachments on the current page. Click any stat to toggle it as a quick filter.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Alt+1 |
Sort: Oldest First |
Alt+2 |
Sort: Newest First |
Alt+3 |
Sort: Sender A→Z |
Alt+4 |
Sort: Sender Z→A |
Alt+5 |
Sort: Unread First |
Alt+6 |
Toggle Group by Sender |
Alt+7 |
Sort: Starred First |
Alt+0 |
Clear all active filters |
/ |
Focus the filter search bar |
? |
Open keyboard shortcut cheat sheet |
- Auto-sort on load — Your last-used sort applies automatically when Gmail opens
- Per-label preferences — Different sort settings for Inbox, Sent, Promotions, or any label
- Pause sorting — Temporarily suspend sorting for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 hour, with automatic restore when the timer expires
Show or hide individual sort tabs to keep the toolbar clean. Manage visibility from the extension popup.
Choose from six colors to match your style: blue, green, purple, red, orange, and teal. Applied to the active sort tab, filter highlights, group badges, and other interactive elements.
Export all your settings (sort mode, accent color, toggles, hidden tabs, per-label preferences) to a JSON file. Import them on another browser or machine.
Automatic detection of Gmail's dark theme — no configuration needed. Dedicated dark-mode color variants for all accent colors, badges, overlays, and toolbar elements. Follows your system preference and updates instantly when the OS theme changes.
- Zero data collection — No analytics, tracking, or telemetry
- No network requests — InboxSort never contacts any external server or API
- Minimal permissions — Only
activeTab(interact with the Gmail page) andstorage(save preferences locally) - Fully local — All processing happens in your browser. Your data never leaves
- Open source — The entire codebase is auditable
- Visit the InboxSort page on the Chrome Web Store.
- Click Add to Chrome.
- Confirm by clicking Add extension.
- Open Gmail. The sort toolbar appears below Gmail's action bar.
No account creation, sign-up, or configuration required.
InboxSort adds a toolbar directly below Gmail's action bar. Click a tab to sort, use the search bar to filter, and glance at the stats bar for a snapshot of your page. Everything happens visually using CSS transforms — emails are reordered on screen without moving, deleting, or modifying anything in your actual inbox.
Works on every Gmail view: Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Spam, Trash, Starred, Important, All Mail, custom labels, and categories like Promotions and Social. Handles pagination seamlessly and re-applies sort settings when navigating between pages or labels.
| Permission | Why It's Needed |
|---|---|
activeTab |
Read email row elements on the Gmail page and inject the sort toolbar. Only activates on mail.google.com. |
storage |
Save preferences (sort order, accent color, toggles) locally so they persist between sessions. |
InboxSort does not request identity, cookies, history, bookmarks, downloads, or any other sensitive permissions.
- Browser: Google Chrome (Manifest V3)
- Platform:
mail.google.com(desktop web interface) - Views: All Gmail views including Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Spam, Trash, custom labels, and category tabs
- Not compatible with: Mobile Gmail app, third-party email clients, Google Workspace custom domains outside
mail.google.com
v1.2.3 - See CHANGELOG.md for release history.
This project is provided for personal use. All rights reserved.
Alex Brecher — abrecher@gmail.com
InboxSort is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google or Gmail. Gmail is a trademark of Google LLC.