Gemini for Gmail: What Is It & How to Use It

Remember the times when you’re typing an email, and your device predicts the next word before you even finish the sentence? Or when you’re about to hit send and, voilà, a prompt reminds you to add that missing attachment you totally forgot about. Maybe you’ve seen that little nudge to fill in a subject line, just in case you skipped it. All of these features are because of AI.

Over the last few years, Google has improved Gmail with AI-driven tools, to simplify inbox management. With Gemini integrated into Gmail, it has become even easier for people to manage emails on their mobile devices.

Gemini’s AI capabilities allow users to react quickly to and sort emails, reducing time spent managing inboxes. In fact, recent studies indicate that Gmail users save an average of five hours weekly by using these AI-powered tools. 

Read on to learn about it, its key features, and how to use Gemini to simplify your Gmail workflow. 

Table of Contents

• What is Gemini for Gmail?
• Key Benefits and Features of Gemini for Gmail
  • 1. Summarize email threads
  • 2. Find specific emails in Gemini
  • 3. Turn emails into actionable data
  • 4. Quickly find information in your inbox
  • 5. Get the perfect response
  • 6. Expanding language support in Gemini for Gmail
  • 7. Real-time translated captions in Gmail conversations
• How to Use Gemini for Gmail
  • On the Web:
  • On Android, iPhone & iPad:
• Common Mistakes to Avoid While Using Gemini for Gmail
• Collaborate Better By Integrating Hiver With Gemini for Gmail

What is Gemini for Gmail?

Gemini for Gmail is an AI feature built into Google Gmail that helps you manage your inbox. It uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to offer smarter solutions for drafting, organizing, and responding to emails. Gemini can also quickly find important information in your messages, making it feel like a personal assistant for your email. 

You can access it with Google Workspace plans or a Google One AI Premium subscription for personal use.

Interestingly, the power of Gemini isn’t limited to just email. Let me give you a few examples. 

Snap deployed the multimodal capabilities of Gemini within their “My AI” chatbot, leading to more than 2.5x the engagement within Snapping to My AI in the United States. 

Similarly, Volkswagen US incorporated Gemini into their myVW app, allowing drivers to ask questions like, “How do I change a flat tire?” or “What does this digital cockpit indicator light mean?” Users can even point their smartphone cameras at their dashboards to get real-time context and information, thanks to Gemini’s multimodal features.

Key Benefits and Features of Gemini for Gmail

Google’s Gemini isn’t just another generative AI tool. Like other AI systems, it can help with brainstorming, writing, and research. 

However, what sets Gemini apart from ChatGPT is its seamless integration with Google Workspace. This lets you access Gmail and all your Workspace tools directly within Gemini, giving you a smoother, more connected experience.

Let’s explore the key benefits of using Gemini for Gmail:

1. Summarize email threads

We’re sure you’ve already read quite a few times before that Gemini summarizes email threads. However, what we didn’t tell you about is the “how” part.

We all get flooded with newsletters we never quite have time to read. Gemini makes it easy to keep up by summarizing those long emails in seconds. 

Here’s how you can do it:

• Type @ in Gemini’s text box and select Gmail. 
• Then, ask Gemini to summarize your emails from a particular day or period. For example, you can type: “@Gmail give me a summary of the newsletters I received this week.” Gemini will generate a quick summary so you can stay on top of things without opening each email. 
• If you’re interested in a specific email, click the link to open it directly in your Gmail inbox.

Gemini also lets you narrow your search by sender or subject. For instance, you can type @Gmail in the text box and ask for a summary of emails from a particular sender or with a specific subject line. This makes it easier to track key conversations without sifting through your inbox.

One Reddit user, WoolHarrington, shared how much time Gemini saved them. As a freelance marketer, they rely heavily on G Suite for emailing and work. After using Gemini to draft email replies, summarize meeting notes, and create initial structures in Google Sheets, they said, “I’ve done about 1-1.5 days worth of work today alone, and it’s only 1 pm.” They were impressed by how quickly it handled these tasks, saving them loads of time.

2. Find specific emails in Gemini

If you’re tired of endless scrolling or searching through a cluttered inbox, Gemini has got your back.

Simply type @Gmail followed by a search term, like “@Gmail find all emails from Mark Zuckerberg.” 

Gemini will pull up all relevant emails matching your criteria. You can do this with any sender, subject, or date range. Just click the link to open the email directly in Gmail.

3. Turn emails into actionable data

Emails should make your work easier, not harder. With Gemini, you can turn emails into actionable data so you spend less time scrolling through your inbox. 

Here’s how you can do that:

• You can ask Gemini to sort your emails by sender, subject, or date. For instance, if you want all emails about AI, you could type: “@Gmail find all emails about AI this year.” Gemini will return a list of all related emails. 

But what if you need to view the information in a more organized way?

• You can easily organize these results in a table by typing a command like “Organize the above information in a table with dates.” 
• If you prefer working with spreadsheets, click “Export to Sheets” at the bottom of the table. Gemini will automatically create a Google Sheet with all the data. 
• You can also export it to a Google Doc if that’s more your style.

This makes it easy to manage and analyze the info without manually copying and pasting.

4. Quickly find information in your inbox

Need to track down something specific in your inbox? Whether it’s the rules for your fantasy football draft or the schedule for a school meet-and-greet, Gemini can help you locate information quickly.

With Gmail Q&A, Gemini lets you search your inbox for exactly what you need without scrolling through long threads. 

For example, you can ask: “What do I need to bring to next week’s tailgate and who is hosting?” or “Who is on the same flight for Robert’s wedding?” Gemini will search your inbox and pull out the relevant info in seconds.

5. Get the perfect response

When you’re short on time or just need a little help finding the right words, Gemini’s Contextual Smart Reply has you covered.

This feature builds on the already helpful Smart Reply, offering entirely crafted email suggestions for the conversation.

Instead of drafting a reply from scratch, Contextual Smart Reply presents three response options based on the email’s context. Each response comes with a header, so you can quickly gauge the tone of the reply before choosing the one that fits best. 

For example, if a friend asks about signing up for harp lessons, you might see options like:

• Request more information
• Confirm sign-up
• Decline sign-up

If you select “request more information,” Gemini might suggest a complete response like this:

“Hi Ann, I’d love to sign up for harp lessons together this winter. Can you send me details about the program, like the cost, location, and scheduling options? Thanks, Anne.”

With this feature, Gemini takes the guesswork out of email replies, allowing you to respond quickly and confidently to both personal and professional conversations.

6. Expanding language support in Gemini for Gmail

Gemini for Gmail now serves a more diverse global user base. Recent updates have expanded its linguistic range, which was once limited to just a few languages. 

Now, you can use the “Help me write” feature in Gmail to draft emails in Spanish and Portuguese, with more languages on the horizon. This improvement is part of Google’s ongoing effort to make its tools more inclusive and accessible to non-English speakers. 

The goal is to allow users to compose emails in their preferred language with the same ease and efficiency they would experience in English. As Gemini evolves, Google plans to add more languages, ensuring even more people can benefit from its advanced AI features.

7. Real-time translated captions in Gmail conversations

Another exciting feature of Gemini for Gmail is it can provide real-time translated captions. This is useful in multilingual environments, where language barriers can slow down communication. 

With automatic language detection, Gemini can identify the language of an incoming email and instantly translate it into over 60 languages. This makes it easier to understand and respond to emails without relying on third-party translation tools.

How to Use Gemini for Gmail

In Gmail, you can use Gemini to create emails based on your prompts. Simply click the “Help me write” button to:

• Create a new draft from a free-form prompt. For example, ask Gemini to write a birthday invitation or a business introduction.
• Refine an existing draft. If you’ve started with a rough outline, Gemini can polish it and make it more formal.

Let’s see how you can do these tasks on different devices.

On the Web:

A] Write a New Draft with Gemini in Gmail

To write a new draft with Gemini in Gmail, follow these simple steps:

1. Open Gmail on your computer.
2. In the top left, click Compose (or reply to an email thread).
3. In the bottom left of the email window, click Help me write.
4. Enter your prompt. For example:
   • “An appreciation email for capturing monthly sales leads”
   • “A graduation party for my 20-year-old”
   • “Ask my friend for tourist places in Italy”
5. Click Create.

After Gemini generates your draft, you can:

• Recreate: Generate a new draft based on your prompt. Once you create a new version, you can’t return to the previous one.
• Refine: Edit the draft text. Choose from:
  • Formalize: Make the draft more formal.
  • Elaborate: Add more details to the draft.
  • Shorten: Make the draft more concise.

Remember, this part is optional and totally depends on if you want to use these functions.

If your draft looks good, click Insert to add it to your email.

Tips:

• For better results, include specifics like:
  • The recipient
  • The topic
  • The tone you want to express (e.g., “A leave of absence to my manager due to sickness”).
• If you don’t like the first draft, it may take a few tries. To change the prompt, click the Close button in the top right, and enter a new prompt.

B] Refine a Draft with Gemini in Gmail

1. Open Gmail on your computer.
2. Click Compose in the top left (or reply to an email thread or open an existing draft).
3. Write your message.
4. In the bottom left, click Help me write.
5. Choose one of the following options to refine your draft:
   • Polish: Refine the draft.
   • Formalize: Make the draft more formal.
   • Elaborate: Add more details.
   • Shorten: Make the draft more concise.

After refining your draft, you can:

• Recreate: Generate a new draft based on the revised prompt. Once you create a new version, you can’t go back to the previous one.
• Refine: Continue editing the draft.

When you’re satisfied, click Insert to add it to your email.

C] Give Feedback About a Draft

Gemini is always learning, and sometimes, it may not get things exactly right. If the generated draft isn’t inaccurate or seems off, you can provide feedback.

1. Below the generated text, click Good Suggestion or Bad Suggestion.
2. For detailed feedback, click Tell us more.
3. For general feedback, click Feedback.
4. Click Submit.

💡Pro Tip: To send feedback with screenshots, click Help in the top right of Gmail, then select Send feedback to Google. If you want to report a legal issue, create a request.

On Android, iPhone & iPad:

A] Write a New Draft with Gemini in Gmail

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Gmail app.
2. In the bottom right, tap Compose (you can also reply to an email thread).
3. In the top right of the window, tap Help me write.
4. Enter your prompt. For example:
   • “An appreciation email for capturing monthly sales leads”
   • “A graduation party for my 20-year-old”
   • “Ask my friend for tourist places in Italy”
5. Tap Create.

To generate another draft, tap Recreate. Note that once you create a new version, you can’t go back to the previous one.

To edit the draft:

• Tap the generated text and make any changes you need.

If your draft looks good, tap Insert.

B] Refine a Draft with Gemini in Gmail

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Gmail app.
2. In the bottom right, tap Compose (you can also reply to an email thread or open an existing draft).
3. Write your email draft.
4. In the top right of the window, tap Help me write.
5. Choose one of the following options:
   • Polish: Refine your draft.
   • Formalize: Make the draft more formal.
   • Elaborate: Add more details.
   • Shorten: Condense the draft.

To generate another draft, tap Recreate. Note that once you create a new version, you can’t go back to the previous one.

To edit the draft:

• Tap the generated text and make any changes you need.

To accept the new draft, tap Replace to update your message.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Using Gemini for Gmail

While Gemini for Gmail is a powerful tool, it’s important to use it effectively to avoid some common pitfalls. Here are a few mistakes to watch out for:

1. Skipping customization in prompts – Gemini works best when given clear, specific prompts. Simply asking for “an email draft” can lead to generic responses. Instead, include details like your email’s recipient, tone, and purpose. 
   
   For example, “Write a formal thank you email to my boss after an interview” will give you a more relevant response than a vague “Write a thank you email.”

2. Relying on Gemini for sensitive or complex emails – While Gemini can help draft basic emails, it’s not foolproof when it comes to highly sensitive or complex topics. 
   
   For personal or emotional matters, such as a heartfelt apology or a delicate business negotiation, it is always a good idea to manually review the response or draft it yourself. 

3. Ignoring tone settings – One of Gemini’s strengths is that it can adjust the tone of your emails, but it’s easy to forget to specify the tone you want. Whether you want the email to be formal, friendly, or neutral, make sure to clarify your tone in the prompt. 
   
   If you don’t, Gemini might default to a tone that doesn’t suit the situation.

4. Not refining drafts enough – It’s easy to accept the first draft that Gemini generates, but it’s worth taking a moment to refine it. Use options like Formalize, Shorten, or Elaborate to make sure your email fits your exact needs. 
   
   If you’re not happy with the result, don’t hesitate to try refining or recreating the draft.

5. Not proofreading generated drafts – Even though Gemini’s AI is impressive, it’s not error-free. It can make mistakes or miss context. 
   
   Hence, you should always read through the draft before sending it. Also, check for accuracy, especially when dealing with names, dates, or technical information. 
   
   It’s better to catch any issues yourself rather than rely on Gemini alone.

6. Overlooking language support – If you’re drafting emails in languages other than English, remember that Gemini’s language support is still expanding. While it now includes Spanish and Portuguese, you might face limitations if you work in other languages. 
   
   Be sure to check the language capabilities before using Gemini for non-English communication.

Collaborate Better By Integrating Hiver With Gemini for Gmail

Gemini for Gmail is a handy tool for keeping your inbox organized and free from unnecessary clutter. It helps you focus on the emails that matter most while effortlessly sorting through the rest. In this blog, we’ve covered everything you need to know to get started with Gemini, including detailed steps to make the most of its features.

If you’re looking for something more advanced to manage your inbox, especially for team workflows, Hiver is worth exploring. It lets you handle emails directly in Gmail and Outlook, making collaboration easy and efficient.