How to compose an email message using Gmail

In this tutorial, you will see how to compose an email message in Gmail.

This tutorial assumes you have already logged in to Gmail.

To start writing a new message, click Compose Mail.

Clicking this icon will allow you to compose your message in a new window.

First, use the To field to specify who should receive your message.

Notice — Gmail will suggest possible recipients from your Contacts as you type. If you see the correct person, simply click on his name…

…and he will automatically be added to the list. If you wish to add additional recipients, separate them with a comma.

If you prefer, you can choose from your Contacts list instead of using the autofind functionality. Click the To link and your Contacts will show up in a new window.

Select a contacts category.

Use these links to select All of the contacts listed below or None of them.

You can also search through your contacts using this box.

Or, simply choose one contact at a time.

We don’t need to send this email to the same person twice, so let’s remove the duplicate entry. Simply click on a box…

…and the entry disappears from the list.

Click Done to close this window.

You can also add Carbon Copy and Blind Carbon Copy recipients in a similar fashion. Click the Add Cc and Add Bcc links to use this functionality.

Carbon Copy is meant for listing additional recipients who should not be a primary recipient of this email. The only difference between that and a Blind Carbon Copy is that everyone who gets the email will know who is in the Cc list, while the Bcc list will not be visible to anyone.

Now, let’s give our message a Subject.

If you’d like to Attach a file, click this link to do so.

Now let’s write the body of the message. Scroll down.

Notice that a message has appeared down here informing you that your email in progress has been autosaved to Drafts. Gmail will automatically save a draft of your email every few minutes.

All drafts can be accessed by clicking this link in the menu.

Type your message in this field, as shown.

Since you’ve edited your email, the Saved button has changed to Save Now. Clicking this button will allow you to manually save a draft.

You can also do so by pressing CTRL+S whenever your cursor is in a text field.

Use the menu bar above to apply formatting to your text, or to insert an emoticon or hyperlink.

If you ever question the purpose of a button in the menu bar, you can hover your mouse over the button to see its title.

You may also want to use Gmail’s spellcheck feature. If you’ll be writing in a language other than your default chosen language, just click the arrow to choose the correct language.

Then, click Check Spelling.

Words that have been spelled incorrectly, if any, will be highlighted in yellow.

If you no longer wish to send this message, click Discard.

Otherwise, press the Send button.

If all went well, your message has now been sent.

Click View message to see it.

You can also find this message under Sent Mail, along with any other messages you’ve sent using Gmail.

This completes the tutorial. You now know how to compose and send a message using Gmail.