Typing the same email again gets old fast. Gmail templates save your reusable wording so you can insert it into a new message and personalize it before sending. Start by enabling the feature on your computer, then save your first message using the steps below.
Enable templates in Gmail first
Open Gmail on your computer and click Settings, then See all settings. Open Advanced and find Templates. Select Enable.
Click Save Changes. Built-in templates work with personal Gmail and Google Workspace accounts. Creating and inserting saved templates requires a computer; the Gmail mobile apps don’t support this feature.
Create your first saved message
Click Compose and write the content you want to reuse. For an appointment confirmation, for example, leave the names and dates easy to spot so you can replace them before sending.
Open More options > Templates > Save draft as template. Choose Save as new template. Give it a descriptive name, such as “Appointment confirmation,” then click Save.
If Templates is missing, return to Settings > See all settings > Advanced. Select Enable for Templates, then click Save Changes.
Reuse a saved template
Ready to send another email with the same basic wording? Insert your saved message, then change the details for its recipient.
Click Compose. Open More options > Templates and select your saved message under Insert template. Replace any names, dates, or other details that need to change.
Add your recipients in To. Click Send.
Update an existing template
When your standard wording changes, overwrite the saved version.
- 1.Click Compose.
- 2.Open More options > Templates and select your saved message under Insert template.
- 3.Edit the content you want to update.
- 4.Open More options > Templates > Save draft as template.
- 5.Under Overwrite Template, select the original template, then click Save.
Remove templates you no longer need
Click Compose to open a message window. Go to More options > Templates > Delete template and select the template you want to remove. Check that you’ve selected the correct template, then click Delete. Google says deleted templates cannot be recovered.
Send a template automatically with a filter
Save your reply using More options > Templates > Save draft as template > Save as new template before creating the rule. Then click Show search options in Gmail’s search bar. Enter the matching criteria for messages that should receive your automatic reply.
Click Create filter. Check Send template. Choose your saved template. Click Create filter again to save the rule.
To change the rule later, open Settings > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses. Click Edit beside the rule. Adjust its matching criteria. Click Continue.
Adjust the rule’s actions. Click Update filter. To stop automatic replies instead, click Delete beside the rule. Click OK to confirm removal.
Tip: Choose specific matching criteria so the rule targets the messages you intend to answer automatically.
Use repeated text on your phone
The Templates menu is missing on your phone because Gmail’s mobile apps don’t support native saved templates.
For short phrases on an iPhone or iPad, open Apple’s Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Tap Add (+). Enter your reusable phrase and a shortcut.
Tap Save. Type that shortcut in Gmail’s message body to expand the saved phrase.
On Android with Gboard, copy the text you want to reuse. Tap Gmail’s message body to bring up the keyboard. Open Gboard’s Clipboard. Touch and hold the copied item, then select Pin.
In another message, open Clipboard. Select the saved text under Pinned to paste it.
These options let you reuse text on your phone. They don’t store messages in Gmail’s native template library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Gmail templates the same as Canned Responses?
Canned Responses is the older name used in tutorials that refer to Gmail’s former Labs settings. The current feature is called Templates and sits under Advanced in Gmail’s settings.
Can I insert a Gmail template with a keyboard shortcut?
Gmail has no documented native shortcut for saving or inserting templates. To speed up composing, open Settings > See all settings, scroll to the Keyboard shortcuts section, select Keyboard shortcuts on, and click Save Changes. Press c to compose, then use the Templates menu.
Should I use a signature or a template for repeated text?
Use a signature for repeated footer text, such as a closing or contact details. Use a template for reusable message content. While composing, click Insert signature to choose a saved signature.
Can Gmail templates automatically personalize names for multiple recipients?
Gmail’s separate mail merge feature handles that on eligible plans. It supports message-body tags such as @firstname and @fullname, but merge tags cannot be used in subject lines.