Advanced Filters in Gmail Multiple Inboxes

So Gmail just added a multiple inboxes feature in labs, and there are some pretty cool tricks you do with the feature whether you want multiple inboxes or just want to see filtered items.

Enable the multiple inboxes feature from labs and go to your Settings section. Here you will be able to make selections for each of the multiple "panes" in your inboxes.

The primary issue I had with this feature was that it showed all of the messages whether they were in the inbox or not. While CNet suggests that you add a filter and tell the messages in your other accounts to just skip the inbox, I wanted it to work a little different.

I wanted to see my Starred messages, but not ALL of my starred messages forever... once I archive it I stop caring. Turns out by exploring the filters a bit I could get exactly what I wanted. The secret to multiple queries in mail searching is to use parenthesis to select more than one thing.

is:(Starred) in:(Inbox) produced exactly the results I needed.

Some other combinations
is:(Starred) to:(myemail@myschool.edu) shows my important school messages only
is:(Inbox) ebay shows only the messages in my inbox that have the text 'ebay' in the subject or body

Many other cool combinations can be found by testing the define filter dialog...

If you need more help setting it up, Cnet has a good article on how to set up multiple inboxes at http://news.cnet.com/how-to-use-gmails-multiple-inboxes-for-extra-gmail-accounts/