Gmail Quick Links stopped working. Here's how to get one-click saved searches back.
Updated October 5, 2026 ยท By Otter Potter, the maker of Quick Links for Gmail (not neutral; the free options come first).
"Gmail Quick Links" was a small Chrome extension that put saved searches in Gmail's sidebar. It was built on Chrome's old extension system (Manifest V2), which Chrome switched off in 2025; the remaining Manifest V2 listings were removed from the Chrome Web Store in August 2026. If your sidebar links disappeared, these are the ways to get them back.
1. Bookmark the search (free, works today)
Every Gmail search has its own address. Run the search, then bookmark the page. For example, a search for from:boss is:unread lives at https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/from%3Aboss+is%3Aunread. Put the bookmarks in a "Gmail" folder on your bookmarks bar and you have one-click searches again. The catch: they live in the bookmarks bar, not in Gmail's sidebar, and /u/0/ means your first signed-in account (use /u/1/ for the second).
2. Labels and filters (free, built into Gmail)
If the search is really "emails from this person" or "emails with this word", turn it into a filter: search, open the search options, choose Create filter, and apply a label. Matching mail gets the label automatically, and the label sits in Gmail's sidebar. This works well for senders and keywords. It doesn't cover searches that change over time, like is:unread, older_than:7d or larger:10M, because a filter labels mail when it arrives.
3. Quick Links for Gmail (we make this)
Quick Links for Gmail is a modern rebuild of the old extension. It adds a Quick Links section to the top of Gmail's sidebar: open any search, label or view, press +, and it's saved as a link. Links sync through your Chrome account and work with several Gmail accounts. It never reads your emails. Free for up to 5 links; Pro is $9.99 once for unlimited links, colors and import/export.
Which should you use?
| Bookmarks | Labels + filters | Quick Links for Gmail | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free | Free (5 links) or $9.99 once |
| In Gmail's sidebar | No | Yes | Yes |
| Searches like is:unread, older_than:7d | Yes | No | Yes |
| Setup per link | Bookmark it | Create a filter | Press + |
A handful of saved searches you don't mind keeping in the bookmarks bar? Bookmarks are enough. Want them back in the sidebar, including searches that filters can't do? That's what the extension is for.
Questions
- Is the old Gmail Quick Links coming back?
- Its code is open source, but it was never updated for Chrome's current extension system, and its listing is gone.
- Is Quick Links for Gmail made by Google?
- No. It's made by Otter Potter and is not affiliated with Google.