Gmail is in the process of (once again) making changes to your inbox. The new design incorporates the use of tabs to sort your incoming mail into one of five categories; “Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates and Forums.”

It’s a nice idea, and I’m sure it could make sorting your mail much easier.

Unfortunately, Gmail lumps all newsletters under the “Promotions” tab, even if they’re not promoting anything and are full of useful and amusing articles like our eZine.

Here’s how you can fix this:

If you use Gmail, look at your account to see if the new “tabbed” inboxes have been turned on (you’ll see the new tabs across the top of your emails).

If so, here’s how to make sure you’re seeing what you’ve asked to see –

  1. Click on the Promotions inbox tab.
  2. Drag any emails from people you actually want to hear from (hopefully, that includes me) and drop them onto the tab that says Primary. Then, when it asks if you want future emails to go into your Primary inbox, just click yes.

For the next few weeks, as Gmail phases these new tabbed inboxes in, be sure to check your Promotions inbox to make sure nothing else you really want is getting caught in it.

Oh, and BTW, If you wanna totally turn off the new tabbed inboxes (which I did asap, because I don’t want anyone else “censoring” the email I’ve asked to receive), just click on the Settings “gear” image at the upper right corner of your inbox and select “Settings.” Click the “Inbox” tab and uncheck ALL of the categories except “Primary” then save your changes.

* Easy fix-it instructions cribbed from Jonathan Fields, because he did such a perfect job of writing them out!