How to send automated emails in Gmail

Automating emails in Gmail saves time and provides more timely communication by scheduling or triggering emails to send automatically. 

You can use built-in features or third-party tools to do this.

Ways to automate emails in Gmail

Luckily for us, there are several ways to automate your emails, and all have different applications.

  1. Schedule emails within Gmail
  • Write your email as usual.
  • Click the dropdown arrow next to “Send” and choose “Schedule send.”
  • Pick a date and time for Gmail to send it automatically.
  1. Enable templates (canned responses):
    • Access settings: Click on the gear icon in Gmail and select “See all settings.”
    • Navigate to advanced: Go to the “Advanced” tab.
    • Enable templates: Find “Templates” and click “Enable.” Save your changes.
  1. Create a template:
    • Compose email: Click “Compose” and draft the email content you wish to automate.
    • Save as template: Click the three-dot menu in the compose window, hover over “Templates,” select “Save draft as template,” then “Save as new template.” Name your template for easy identification.
  1. Set up a filter to automate sending:
    • Create filter: Click the down arrow in the Gmail search bar to open the search options.
    • Define criteria: Enter the conditions that incoming emails should meet to trigger the automated response (specific sender, subject keywords).
    • Apply template: Click “Create filter,” check “Send template,” and choose the template you created earlier.
  1. Set up out-of-office auto-replies:
    • Access vacation responder: In Gmail settings, under the “General” tab, locate the “Vacation responder” section.
    • Enable and compose message: Select “Vacation responder on,” specify the date range, and compose your automated reply.
    • Save changes: Click “Save Changes” to activate the auto-reply.
  1. Schedule emails for future sending:
    • Compose email: Draft your email as usual.
    • Schedule send: Click the arrow next to the “Send” button and select “Schedule send.” Choose your desired date and time for the email to be sent automatically.

Using these features, you can save time, keep your emails consistent, and make Gmail work more efficiently for you.

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