With 347 billion emails exchanged daily, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll have to send or reply to one yourself. But sometimes, composing that all-important email can be a hassle. Thankfully, Gmail offers a feature that helps you to compose emails faster and better using AI.
Writer or not, the tool can help you overcome writer’s block when sending emails. Here, we cover Gmail’s Help me write feature and how to use it effectively.
What Is Help Me Write in Gmail?
Gmail’s Help me write is an AI feature that helps you to draft emails quickly using prompts. For instance, once you tap on the Help me write button in Gmail, it asks you to enter a prompt, then automatically drafts a message based on that prompt.
The feature can also help you refine your already-written draft. So, whether you want to write a cover letter for a job application or respond to an official email, you can save time and effort by asking Gmail’s AI writing assistant for help.
Who Can Use Gmail’s Help Me Write Feature?
Gmail’s Help me write is a product of Google Workspace Labs. To use the feature, you must first enroll in Workspace Labs. Workspace Labs is a trusted tester program where users test new AI features before they roll out to the public.
Workspace Labs access is currently only available to trusted testers and in English. You can check if you have Workspace Labs access by opening a Google Docs document and looking for the Labs icon on the left.
You can also check your eligibility by opening Gmail and clicking on Settings. If you’re eligible, you’ll see a message stating that You’re part of the Workspace Labs program with a Learn more and an Opt out button.
Perhaps the best way to check if Help me write has been activated is to start composing an email, then check for the Help me write icon at the bottom toolbar of Gmail’s compose window.
How to Sign Up for Gmail’s Help Me Write Feature
If you already qualify as a trusted tester, you should get an invitation to try Help me write when you open Gmail on your desktop. This invite will be repeated several times, so no panic if you miss the first one. Whenever the prompt appears, simply click Got it.
If you’re not yet a trusted tester, go to Google Workspace Labs, click on Sign Up or Get started, review the information on the page, scroll down to the Consumer Acknowledgment section, and check all the boxes, then click Submit.
Now, wait to receive the invite, which can appear any day and at any time while using Gmail. When you get the prompt, click Got it. Keep checking your Gmail settings to know when you’ve been admitted. This can take days to reflect.
You’ll need to sign up separately as a Workspace Labs trusted tester for each Google account/user profile you own or manage if you want to access it on multiple accounts.
What You Need to Know Before Using Gmail's Help Me Write
Just like ChatGPT, Help me write and other Workspace Labs features contain limitations and should be used with discretion. For instance, they can suggest inappropriate or inaccurate information.
Personal, sensitive, or confidential info are among the things to never share with AI chatbots, including Help me write. This is because Google collects your Workspace Labs data including prompts, input, refinements, and more.
Collected Workspace Labs data serves as feedback which helps Google to improve on Workspace Labs product features. There are some other important facts to note before using Workspace Labs features.
How to Use Help Me Write in Gmail
With that out of the way, here’s how to use Help me write in Gmail:
- Open Gmail on your desktop and click Compose.
- Go to the bottom toolbar of the Compose window and click on the Help me write icon (the pen with a star)
-
You can also click on the Help me write button just above the Send button.
- Watch out for featured writing prompts. If none of the options capture the intent of your email, simply enter your own prompt and click Create.
- Wait for it to auto-generate an email draft, similarly to how ChatGPT works. Then review the draft, and click Insert if everything looks good.
-
Otherwise, you can recreate or refine the generated draft to your taste by clicking the appropriate button.
For instance, you can make your email sound more formal or ask Help me write to elaborate or shorten it.
- Proceed to edit the inserted draft by deleting or replacing placeholder texts.
- When done, simply click Send as you would normally do when sending emails.
Compose Emails Faster and Better With Gmail’s Help Me Write
AI-assisted writing has gained popularity since the launch of ChatGPT. With the introduction of Help me write via Workspace Labs, Google is making it even easier to draft or edit emails in Gmail. The feature has the potential to help you craft better emails faster.
Applied correctly, Help me write can help you to improve your communications and general productivity with emails. Looking to boost your productivity in Google's other products? There are plenty of AI extensions for your Google Workspace.
