Gmail’s new “Manage subscriptions” feature makes it easier to see, sort and cancel email subscriptions without scrolling through pages of inbox results or searching for a tiny unsubscribe link at the bottom of a message. Think of it like a control panel for all of your recurring email senders. It gives you a bird’s-eye view of who’s contacting you most, shows how often they’ve sent you messages in the last few weeks and lets you click into each sender for a complete list of what they’ve sent.

Right next to each sender is a one-click “Unsubscribe” button. Gmail sends a request to the sender on your behalf; no need to fill out an “are you sure?” survey. It’s fast and satisfying, like crossing off to-do list items. For anyone who’s been putting off inbox maintenance, this is your chance to tidy up.

You’ll find the new tool by clicking the navigation menu in the top-left corner of Gmail on the web or mobile app. Look for “Manage subscriptions.” If it’s not there yet, the feature is still rolling out and should be available to you soon.

If you’ve used Gmail for a while, you may have already seen unsubscribe nudges. When you haven’t opened marketing emails from a sender in a while, say from a retailer or a newsletter, Gmail often adds a small banner at the top of your inbox asking if you’d like to unsubscribe. These prompts are based on your behavior, giving you a quick out when a sender is no longer relevant, but they’re few and far between. Gmail also automatically filters a lot of marketing and bulk mail into your Promotions folder, keeping your main inbox focused on messages from real people.

Now, with the new tool, you’re not limited to managing messages one at a time. It’s closer to the way you might sort through your photo gallery: grouped, sortable and easy-to-delete. And because Google is combining this with its growing AI-based defenses, which the company says have cut scam emails by 35%, the changes should help you stay safer. Scams and spam often come disguised as subscriptions.

Still, it’s worth remembering that unsubscribing only works when the sender honors the request. Responsible companies will, but some illegitimate senders may ignore the unsubscribe or use it to confirm your email address is active. Gmail’s filters usually catch those cases, but if you notice repeated messages from the same offender, it’s better to report them as spam.

One thing missing from Gmail’s subscription manager is a way to see when you signed up for a subscription or whether you ever opened the emails. That kind of context could help you decide what to keep. Maybe we’ll get that in a future update. Still, this is a strong first step in making inbox management feel less like a chore and more like something you can achieve in a few clicks.

And no, Outlook users don’t have a similar tool — at least not yet. Microsoft does offer a sweep function, which deletes all messages from a sender and can auto-delete future ones. But it doesn’t cancel the subscription. Unless you use a third-party tool or unsubscribe manually, those messages keep coming. Gmail’s move should put some pressure on Microsoft to catch up.

Email is still essential for work and online services, but only when it helps more than it distracts. Gmail’s new tool won’t fix everything, but it’s a smart fix for a small but persistent problem, and one that could save you a surprising amount of time.

What I like about the feature is that it’s built into Gmail, eliminating the need for third-party apps that offer unsubscribe services. There are plenty of those on the market, and many are surprisingly expensive. My advice: Skip third-party apps whenever you can, and keep paid subscriptions to a minimum.

Leslie Meredith has been writing about technology for more than a decade. As a mom of four, value, usefulness and online safety take priority. Have a question? Email Leslie at asklesliemeredith@gmail.com