Draft emails with AI

Important: This article is referring to Google Workspace Labs, which is a trusted tester program for users to try new AI features. Workspace Labs is currently available to trusted testers in US English, and may not be available in your country. To check if you have access to Workspace Labs features, start a new message in Gmail and look for the Help me write button at the bottom of the compose window.

In Gmail, you can use artificial intelligence to draft messages based on your prompts. You can use the Help me write button in Gmail to:

  • Write a new draft using a freeform prompt. For example, you can ask Gmail to write a birthday invitation, or write an introduction to a potential business contact.
  • Refine a draft. For example, you can rephrase the draft, or make the draft more formal, more concise, or more detailed.

Before you use Workspace Labs

  • Workspace Labs feature suggestions don’t represent Google’s views, and should not be attributed to Google.
  • Don’t rely on Workspace Labs features as medical, legal, financial or other professional advice.
  • Workspace Labs features may suggest inaccurate or inappropriate information. Your feedback makes Workspace Labs more helpful and safe.
  • Don’t include personal, confidential, or sensitive information.
  • Google uses Workspace Labs data and metrics to provide, improve, and develop products, services, and machine learning technologies across Google. When you interact with Workspace Labs features, Google collects your Workspace Labs data, including your prompts and input, prompt and input refinements, generated output, generated output refinements, and feedback. Google also collects metrics on the usage of these features.
  • To help develop Workspace Labs features, human reviewers may read, annotate, and process your Workspace Labs interactions data. 

You can review the Google Workspace Labs Privacy Notice and Terms of Service.

How Workspace Labs data in Gmail is collected

When you use the "Help me write” prompt in Gmail, Google uses and stores the following data:

  • Prompts you enter or select
  • Generated text
  • Your feedback on generated text
  • Text in the draft you refine
  • Up to four previous email messages in the thread when you use the “Help me write” prompt to reply to an email

You can review the Google Workspace Labs Privacy Notice and Terms of Service to understand how this data will be used.

Use AI to write a new draft

  1. On your computer, open Gmail.
  2. At the top left, click Compose.
    • You can also reply to an email thread.
  3. In the bottom left of the window, click Help me write (Labs)  and then Help me write .
  4. Enter a prompt. For example:
    • “A thank you letter for my job interview”
    • “A birthday invitation for my 5-year-old”
    • “Ask my friend for restaurant recommendations in Toronto”

      Tips:
      • For better results, consider including the recipient, the topic, and the tone you want to convey in your prompt. For example: "An apology to my child's teacher for their absence."
      • It may take a few tries before you get a draft that you like. To submit a different prompt, click Close and enter a new prompt.
  5. Click Create.
  6. (Optional) After generating your draft, you can:
    • Send feedback about the generated text: Click Good suggestion or Bad suggestion . To share more details, click Tell us more or Feedback Feedback.
    • Create a new version of the text: Click Recreate.
      • Important: After creating a new version, you can’t go back to the previous version.
    • Refine the generated text: Click Refine and choose an option:
      • Formalize: Makes the draft more formal.
      • Elaborate: Adds details to build upon the text.
      • Shorten: Shortens the draft.
      • I'm Feeling Lucky: Updates draft with creative details.
  7. When you’re finished, click Insert.

Use AI to refine your draft

  1. On your computer, open Gmail.
  2. At the top left, click Compose and write your message.
    • You can also reply to an email thread or open an existing draft.
  3. In the bottom left of the window, click Help me write (Labs) .
  4. Choose an option from the menu:
    • Formalize: Makes the draft more formal.
    • Elaborate: Adds details to build upon the text.
    • Shorten: Shortens the draft.
    • I'm Feeling Lucky: Updates draft with creative details.
  5. (Optional) After refining your draft, you can:
    • Send feedback about the generated text: Click Good suggestion or Bad suggestion  To share more details, click Tell us more or Feedback Feedback.
    • Create a new version of the text: Click Recreate.
      • Important: After creating a new version, you can’t go back to the previous generated version.
    • Continue refining the suggested text: Select a different option in the “Refine” menu and repeat step 4.
  6. Click Insert to accept the new draft, or click Close to keep your existing draft.

Give feedback about a draft

If the generated draft is inaccurate or looks unsafe, you can let us know by submitting feedback. Your feedback can help improve AI-assisted Workspace features and broader Google efforts in AI.

  1. Below the generated text, click Good suggestion or Bad suggestion .
  2.  To share detailed feedback, click Tell us more
    • You can also click Feedback Feedback to share general feedback.
  3. Click Submit.

Important:

Troubleshooting issues with Workspace Labs features

  • Sometimes, you may not be able to select the Help me write button. When this happens, try again later.
  • If you're having trouble entering prompts or have issues generating drafts, try reloading your browser (if you’re on a computer) or closing and reopening the Gmail app (if you’re on Android or iOS).
  • To use Workspace Labs features in the Gmail app, make sure your device language is set to US English. Learn more about changing language settings.

Turn off Workspace Labs

To turn off any of the features on Google Workspace Labs, you must exit Workspace Labs. If you exit, you will permanently lose access to all Workspace Labs features, and you won’t be able to rejoin Workspace Labs. Learn more about how to exit Workspace Labs.

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