Reply to email

This guide helps you switch from Outlook to Gmail on computer. If you're switching to Gmail on mobile, or need detailed instructions for troubleshooting, visit these Gmail topics instead.

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Gmail helps you reply to email quickly with Smart Reply suggestions and templates.

On this page

• Reply to email
• Respond directly to the content of a previous message
• Send a prewritten reply
• Change the subject in a reply

Note: The instructions in this guide are primarily web only. Get switching information for mobile devices. 

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Reply to email

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• In Outlook: On the ribbon, click Reply.
• In Gmail: In the message, click Reply. For fast replies, use Smart Reply suggestions.

Learn how

Reply & Reply all

1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
2. Open the message.
3. Below the message, click Reply or Reply all.
4. Click Send. If you click Send + , the conversation will also be archived, or removed from your inbox until someone else replies. Learn more about archiving.

Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

Reply options at a glance

	To reply to a single email or the last email in a thread, click Reply  .
	To reply to an email within a thread, click Reply all .
	To forward a single email or the last email in a thread, click Forward  .
	To forward an email within a thread, click More Forward.
	To see previous email in a thread, click Show trimmed content .
	To forward an entire conversation, at the top, click More Forward all.
	To use a Smart Reply, at the bottom of the email, click a suggested reply. You can then edit the email before sending it.

 

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Respond directly to the content of a previous email

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• In Outlook: In your reply, write, "see my response inline below." Then type into the previous message.
• In Gmail: Copy text from the previous message into your reply, and apply the quote format. Then enter your response.

Learn how

1. Open Gmail, and copy the part of the email you want to reply to.
2. Click Reply .
3. Click Formatting options Quotes .
   This adds a gray bar, marking where you quote the original message.
4. Next to the gray bar, paste the original message text.
5. Press Enter and enter your response below the original message.
   Your response has no gray bar, so it stands out from the original text.
6. Click Send.

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Send a prewritten reply

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• In Outlook: In the message window, insert Quick Parts.
• In Gmail: Use email templates.

Learn how

Enable templates

1. Open Gmail.
2. At the top right, click Settings See all settings.
3. At the top, click Advanced.
4. In the Templates section, select Enable.
5. At the bottom, click Save Changes.

Create or change a template

1. Open Gmail and click Compose.
2. In the Compose window, enter your template text.
3. Click More Templates.
4. Choose an option:
   • To create a new template, click Save draft as templateSave as new template.
   • To change a previously saved template, click Save draft as template and under Overwrite Template, choose a template and click Save to overwrite it.
5. (Optional) To send an email, compose your message and click Send.

Insert a template

1. Open Gmail and click Compose.
2. Click More Templates.
3. To insert a template, under Insert template, choose a saved template to insert in your email.
4. Compose the rest of your message and click Send.

Tip: If you're a Workspace Individual subscriber, you can create a branded email and send it to many recipients at once.

Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

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Change the subject in a reply

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• In Outlook: In the subject line, type a new subject.
• In Gmail: Edit the subject in the reply window.

Learn how

Edit an email subject 

1. Next to Type of response , click the Down arrow Edit subject.
2. Enter a new subject.

Learn more at the Gmail Help Center

               

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