Gmail tabs
The categories Gmail's default inbox sorts mail into: Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates and Forums. A message in a tab has reached the inbox.
What it means
With the Default inbox type, Gmail sorts incoming mail into categories shown as tabs. Google's help lists Primary (mail from people you know and anything not shown in other tabs), Social (social networks and media-sharing sites), Promotions (deals, offers and other promotional email), Updates (automated confirmations, notifications, statements and reminders) and Forums (online groups and mailing lists). Users can add or remove categories, so not every Gmail user sees tabs.
A message filed under Promotions or Updates was delivered to the inbox and classified by type, a separate outcome from the Spam folder.
Google's sender guidelines ask senders not to mix types of content in one message, for example no promotions inside sales receipts, and to give each category of message a consistent From address.
Related terms
On this site
Sources
What this definition rests on. The wording is ours; the facts are theirs.
- Gmail Help: Organize your emails into categoriessupport.google.com
- Google: Email sender guidelinessupport.google.com
All 432 terms in the glossaryThe wiki: blocklists and bounce codes