Gmail has unveiled new ways to make searching for messages "faster and easier," the service announced Wednesday.

Google's email client now lets users search by size, by exact match, with more flexible date options and more, according to a blog post written by Gmail software engineer Christian Kurmann.

For example, type in "size:5m" or "larger:5m" to find emails larger than 5MB, while searching for "older_than:1y" produces emails sent over a year ago.

These changes "go hand in hand" with other recent improvements to Gmail, including a feature that shows instant results when you search and improved autocomplete predictions, Kurmann wrote.

Last month, Gmail started testing a new compose-and-reply format that makes it easier for users to reference other emails without having to close a draft. It also began testing the option to view profile pictures of contacts, so users can find who they want to email, faster.

Image courtesy of Deviantart, R2krw9