AI prompts for Gmail

Steps

1. 1

   Pick one email that's been sitting there.

   Start with the reply you keep putting off. That's where AI saves the most time.

2. 2

   Copy the email and the facts.

   Copy the email text. Then jot down the 2 or 3 facts the reply needs, like a date, a price or a yes or no.

3. 3

   Paste both into your AI with a prompt below.

   Say how long the reply should be and how it should sound.

4. 4

   Read it out loud before you send.

   Fix anything that doesn't sound like you. Check every date, name and number.

5. 5

   Use Gemini in Gmail if you have it.

   On some Workspace plans you'll see a Gemini button or a "Help me write" option when you write an email. Type the same kind of ask there.

6. 6

   Save the replies you send a lot.

   Gmail has templates (turn them on in settings under Advanced). Keep your best AI drafts there so you don't write them twice.

Prompts you can copy

Reply to this email

Here is an email I got:
[paste email]

Write my reply. Facts to use: [your facts].
Keep it under 80 words. Plain and friendly, like a person typing fast, not a company. Answer every question they asked. End with one clear next step. No "I hope this finds you well".

Turn my notes into an email

Turn these messy notes into a short email to [name, their role].
Notes: [paste notes]
Rules: under 100 words, short sentences, one ask at the end. Give me a subject line of 2 to 4 words too.

Follow up when they went quiet

I emailed [name] on [date] about [topic] and they haven't answered.
Write a 2 to 3 line follow up that adds something useful, like [a new fact, a date, a short idea], and ends with one easy question.
Do not say "just checking in", "circling back" or "following up". Do not guilt them.

Sort my inbox

Here are the subject lines and senders from my inbox:
[paste list]

Sort them into 4 groups: reply today, reply this week, read later, delete or unsubscribe.
For "reply today", say in 5 words why each one matters.

Example

This is a made-up example. A customer writes: "Can you get us 40 cases by Friday instead of next Tuesday? Also is the price the same as last order?" Your facts: you can do 30 by Friday and 10 on Monday, and the price went up 3 percent. A good AI reply says that plainly in about 50 words, gives the split, states the new price, and asks "Want me to set it up that way?" You read it, change one word, and send.

Tips

• Tell the AI who the reader is. "My boss", "a new customer" and "a supplier who is late" all need different replies.
• Ask for 2 versions, one short and one warmer, and pick.
• Paste only what the reply needs. Leave out account numbers and anything private.

FAQ

Can AI read my Gmail inbox for me?

Gemini in Gmail can sum up threads and draft replies on some Google Workspace plans. Other tools need you to connect your account, so check your company's rules before you do that.

Will people know AI wrote my email?

Not if you keep it short, use your own facts and read it before you send. Long, polite, perfect emails are what give it away.

What's the best prompt for a reply?

Paste the email, give the facts, set a word limit and ask for one next step at the end. That one prompt covers most replies.

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First posted October 28, 2026. Last updated October 28, 2026. Free to copy and use, CC BY 4.0.