Compose a new email

This guide walks you through the essential process of composing and sending emails in Gmail. You'll learn how to create new messages, add recipients, write content, and successfully deliver your emails.

When to Compose New Emails

Gmail's compose feature is used whenever you need to create and send new email messages, whether for business communication, personal correspondence, or quick updates to contacts. The compose window provides all the essential tools for creating professional and effective emails.

Understanding the Compose Interface

The Gmail compose window includes several key fields:

• To field - Where you enter recipient email addresses
• Subject line - Brief description of your email's topic
• Message body - Main content area for your email text
• Send button - Delivers your email to recipients

How to Compose and Send an Email

To access Gmail's email composition feature, navigate to your Gmail inbox first. The compose function is readily available from your main Gmail dashboard.

1

Click the Compose button located in the left sidebar of your Gmail interface. This opens a new email composition window where you can create your message.

2

After clicking Compose, a new message window appears. You can see the sender information displayed (in this case yuxiyu) and the composition interface is now ready for input.

3

Click in the To field and enter the recipient's email address. You can type the email address directly, or Gmail will suggest contacts as you type based on your contact list and previous email history.

4

Click in the message body area below the subject line to position your cursor where you want to start typing your email content. This is the main content area where you'll write your message.

5

Type your email message in the body area. In this example, we're entering "test content!" as the message content. You can write as much or as little as needed for your communication.

6

Once you've finished composing your email, click the Send button to deliver your message to the recipient. The button is typically located at the bottom left of the compose window.

7

After clicking Send, Gmail displays a "Message sent" confirmation notification at the bottom of the screen. This confirms that your email has been successfully delivered to Gmail's servers and is on its way to the recipient.

Best Practices for Email Composition

• Always include a clear, descriptive subject line to help recipients understand the email's purpose
• Double-check recipient addresses before sending to avoid misdirected emails
• Keep your message concise and focused for better readability
• Use professional language appropriate for your relationship with the recipient

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Email not sending: Check your internet connection and verify recipient email addresses are correctly formatted
• Compose window not opening: Refresh your browser page or clear your browser cache
• Missing sent email: Check your Sent folder to confirm the email was delivered

Advanced Composition Features

Gmail offers additional composition tools including:

• CC and BCC fields for sending copies to additional recipients
• Text formatting options like bold, italic, and color changes
• File attachments for sharing documents and images
• Scheduled sending to deliver emails at specific times

Conclusion

You now know how to compose and send emails in Gmail using the basic composition interface. This fundamental skill enables you to communicate effectively through email, whether for personal or professional purposes. The compose feature provides a straightforward way to create, customize, and deliver messages to your contacts.

Practice using the compose feature with test emails to familiarize yourself with the interface before sending important communications. Remember to always double-check your recipient addresses and content before clicking Send.