How to Use Gemini in Gmail (2026): Free vs Paid, Steps, Fixes and 25 Prompts
Quick answer: Gemini in Gmail works once Gmail’s smart features are on. Most of it needs a Google AI or Google Workspace plan; free accounts get thread summaries.
- Open Gmail on a computer and click Ask Gemini at the top right. On Android, tap Ask Gemini next to the search bar.
- Type a request, such as “list action items from unread emails this week”, and click Submit.
- To write an email, click Compose, type your brief in the prompt bar (or click Help me write) and select Create.
- To catch up on a long thread, open it and click Summarize this email.
- Check every draft, and review the confirmation card before Gemini archives or deletes anything.
- ✓What a free Gmail account gets versus Google AI and Workspace plans · feature by feature
- ✓25 Gmail prompts with what to select and what to check · catch-up, replies, clean-up, follow-ups
- ✓Fixes when Gemini is not showing · plans, smart features, language, admin settings
On Google Workspace but still drowning in email? Hands-on Gemini sessions on your team’s own inboxes and replies, live online or on-site. Send an enquiry · Book a free call
Compiled by an AI trainer whose clients include teams at companies like these
Is Gemini in Gmail free? What each plan actually gets
Partly. Google has split Gemini in Gmail into separate features, and each one has its own list of plans, countries and languages. A free personal account outside the US gets thread summaries; drafting, the side panel and inbox clean-up need a paid plan.
| Feature | Free personal Gmail | Google AI Plus | Google AI Pro / Ultra | Google Workspace (work account) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thread summaries (AI Overview) | Yes, worldwide, in 8 languages | Yes | Yes | Business Starter and above |
| Help me write | US only | Yes | Yes | Business Starter and above |
| Suggested Replies | US only, English | Yes (English) | Yes (English) | Business Starter and above |
| Ask Gemini side panel | No, except Workspace Experiments testers | Yes | Yes | Business Starter and above |
| Proofread | Testers only | Yes (web) | Yes (web) | Business Starter and above |
| AI Overview in Gmail search | Testers only | Listed on the features page; Google’s plan table lists Pro and Ultra | Yes (English) | Business Starter and above |
| AI Inbox (beta) | No | US, English | US, English | Business Standard and above (US, English) |
| Gmail Live (voice) | No | Phones, English | Phones, English | Not listed |
Free account outside the US
- Thread summaries, if smart features are on
- No Help me write, Suggested Replies or side panel
Google AI plans (personal)
- AI Plus: the main Gmail features
- AI Pro / Ultra: adds Docs, Sheets and Slides
- Prices: Google AI plans
Google Workspace
- Most features on every edition, including Starter
- Your admin can switch Gemini off
You must be 18 or over. Sources: Learn about Gemini features in Gmail, Get started with Google Workspace with Gemini and AI Overview in Gmail search, Google Help, checked October 2026. Google’s own pages disagree in places, and features roll out gradually, so treat the table as a guide and check your inbox.
How to turn on Gemini in Gmail in five steps
Gemini depends on two smart-feature settings, which are off by default in the EEA, the UK, Switzerland and Japan.
Open the settings
In Gmail on a computer, click Settings (the gear icon), then See all settings.
Turn on the Gmail setting
On the General tab, turn on Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet.
Turn on the Workspace setting
Under Google Workspace smart features, click Manage Workspace smart feature settings and turn on Smart features in Google Workspace. Click Save.
Check your language
Set your Google Account language to a supported one, such as English. Hindi is not on Google’s list for the Gmail side panel.
Reload Gmail
Refresh the browser, or close and reopen the Gmail app. Look for Ask Gemini at the top right.
Work account? If Ask Gemini still does not appear, your administrator controls access. Ask IT which Workspace edition you are on and whether Gemini is enabled for your group. Sources: Smart features and controls and Supported languages for Google Workspace with Gemini, checked October 2026.
How to use the Gemini side panel in Gmail
The side panel searches, summarises, drafts, organises and creates files on request. Steps from Google’s Collaborate with Gemini in Gmail article, checked October 2026.
Open the panel
In Gmail on a computer, click Ask Gemini at the top right. Use View to switch between a side and a wide layout.
Type a request
Use the prompt box at the bottom. Be specific about people, dates and the output you want: a list, a table or a draft.
Add sources if needed
Click Add sources and then Add from Drive, or type @ and pick a file, so Gemini works from your document rather than guessing.
Submit and read
Click Submit. Check names, dates and numbers against the original emails before you reuse anything.
Confirm any action
For archive, delete, label, star or mark-as-read requests, Gemini shows a confirmation card or the matching emails first. Nothing happens until you confirm.
Keep what works
Copy the answer, or reuse your best prompts. From More options you can reopen history, use a Gem or change settings.
Find and catch up
- “Show unread emails from this week”
- “When is my package arriving?”
- “Create a list of action items for me based on this email”
Turn email into work
- Create a Google Doc, Sheet or Slides deck from a prompt
- Create, move or check Google Tasks
- Schedule or reschedule events on your primary calendar only
- Move, rename, copy or share Drive files
Know the limits
- For web answers, include “Use Google Search” in the prompt
- It only applies labels that already exist
- It won’t mark several emails as spam at once
- Requests matching more than 10,000 threads are not processed
How to draft and reply with Help me write
Help me write drafts a new email or rewrites the one you started. The web steps come from Google’s Draft emails with Gemini in Gmail page, checked October 2026.
Start an email
Click Compose, or reply to an email, or open a draft.
Write your brief
In the prompt bar at the bottom of the compose window, type what you need. If you can’t find it, click Help me write.
Create
Select Create. Gemini can pull details such as booking codes or dates from your other emails and Drive files; click Sources to see which ones it used.
Refine
Type a follow-up (“mention the Friday deadline”) or use Formalize, Friendly or Shorten. Use Undo and Redo to compare versions.
Edit and send yourself
Read it as the recipient would. Fix anything Gemini assumed, then send.
A weak brief
“Reply to this.”
You get a polite, generic reply that answers nothing the sender actually asked.
A strong brief
“Reply to Priya. Confirm we can deliver the 40 units by 14 November, not 10 November, because of the holiday. Offer a partial shipment of 15 units on the 10th. Warm but firm, under 120 words.”
You get a reply you can send after a quick check.
On Android: tap Compose, then Help me write at the top right, type your prompt and tap Create. To rework your own text, choose Polish, Formalize, Elaborate or Shorten, then tap Replace. If you tap Recreate, you can’t go back to the earlier version.
How to summarise emails and search your inbox with questions
Summarise a thread
- Open a long email thread
- At the top, click Summarize this email
- Read the AI Overview of key points and replies; click Minimize to hide it
If a thread mentions a task with a due date, click Remind me. The reminder shows in Google Tasks and Calendar and at the top of your inbox on the day. Source.
Ask Gmail search a question
Type a natural question in the search bar, such as “What’s the check-in code for my rental?” or “Get outstanding invoices from emails with vendors”, and press Enter. An AI Overview appears above the results.
It doesn’t appear if you use operators such as from: or is:unread. It is English-only and still rolling out. Source.
Use Suggested Replies
Gmail may offer a reply in your usual tone at the bottom of an email. Edit it before you click Send. Source.
How to organise your inbox with Gemini
Gemini can archive, delete, label, star and mark emails as read from one sentence.
What to ask
- “Archive emails from [newsletter] older than 30 days”
- “Label emails from [client] as [Client-A]”
- “Mark all unread emails from [tool] as read”
- “Star emails from [manager] that mention ‘budget’”
How Google protects you
- Nothing changes until you confirm the card or reply “yes”
- You have 60 seconds to undo; a new prompt ends that window
- Deleted emails stay in Trash for 30 days
AI Inbox (beta)
On eligible plans in the US, in English, an AI Inbox view in the left panel lists suggested to-dos and topics to catch up on, drawn from your Primary tab. Turn it on under Settings → See all settings → Inbox → Show AI Inbox. The first items can take up to 7 days to appear. Source.
Proofread (web, eligible plans) underlines phrases with tone and style suggestions; click to accept or Ignore. Source, checked October 2026.
Gemini in the Gmail app on Android and iPhone
Ask Gemini on a phone
- Open the Gmail app and tap Ask Gemini to the right of the search bar
- Tap a suggestion chip or type a prompt
- Search, summaries, events and web answers work; Google’s Android page does not list inbox clean-up or file creation
Quick actions in the inbox list
- Tap RSVP Yes on an invitation when your calendar is free
- Tap Remind me next to an email with a to-do
- App only, with smart features on and list density set to Default
Sources: Gemini in Gmail on Android and Help me write on Android, checked October 2026.
Want your team spending less of the day in Gmail?
Hitesh’s sessions are built on the email work your team actually does: client replies, escalations, follow-ups and weekly updates. People practise on their own inboxes and leave with prompts they reuse. Tell us your team size, your Google Workspace edition and the email tasks that eat the most time.
- Sales and account teams: replies, follow-ups, proposal emails
- Operations and support: triage, escalations, status updates
- Leaders and assistants: inbox catch-up, briefings, scheduling
- Prefer to talk first? Book a free 30-minute call or WhatsApp Hitesh’s team
25 Gemini prompts for Gmail, grouped by the job you are doing
Swap anything in [brackets] for your details. Each card tells you when to use the prompt, what to open, select or add first, and what to check before you trust the answer. The formula behind them: who + what + time range + output format + tone + length.
Catch up and find (1-5)
1. Monday catch-up
When to use: First thing after a weekend or leave.
Summarise unread emails from [my manager] and [key client] since [Friday]. Group them by decision needed, information only and can wait. Keep each line under 20 words.
Attach or reference: Nothing; run it in the Ask Gemini panel.
Check before you use it: Open the emails behind every item in the “decision needed” group.
2. Action items from a thread
When to use: A long thread where your tasks are buried.
Create a list of action items for me based on this email. Include who asked, the deadline and the exact wording of the request.
Attach or reference: Open the thread first.
Check before you use it: Deadlines and owners match the emails.
3. Find a number fast
When to use: You know it is in an email somewhere.
What was the final quoted price from [vendor] for [item], and in which email was it agreed?
Attach or reference: Nothing; or ask in the Gmail search bar.
Check before you use it: Open the email and confirm the figure before you quote it.
4. Who is waiting on me
When to use: End of the day, before you log off.
Show emails from the last [5] days where someone asked me a direct question and I have not replied.
Attach or reference: Nothing.
Check before you use it: Spot-check a few; Gemini can miss questions phrased indirectly.
5. Explain a technical thread
When to use: A thread full of jargon from another team.
Explain this email thread in plain English for someone outside [IT]. What is the problem, what has been tried, and what is being asked of me?
Attach or reference: Open the thread.
Check before you use it: Ask the sender if the stakes are high.
Draft and reply (6-10)
6. Reply that says no politely
When to use: Declining a request without burning a bridge.
Help me write a reply to [name] declining [request] because [reason]. Offer [alternative]. Warm, clear, under 100 words.
Attach or reference: Reply to the email, then use Help me write.
Check before you use it: The reason is true and the alternative is something you can deliver.
7. Follow-up after no reply
When to use: A quote or proposal with no response.
Write a short follow-up to [name] about the proposal I sent on [date]. Restate the one decision we need and offer a 15-minute call. Friendly, not pushy.
Attach or reference: Reply in the original thread so the context is there.
Check before you use it: Dates and the proposal name are correct.
8. Client update from notes
When to use: Weekly status emails.
Draft a weekly update for [client] using @[status doc]: done this week, next week, risks, and decisions needed from them. Use short headed sections.
Attach or reference: Add the status document with @ or Add sources.
Check before you use it: Nothing internal or confidential slipped into a client email.
9. Introduction email
When to use: Connecting two people.
Write a double-opt-in introduction between [person A, role] and [person B, role]. One line on why they should talk. Under 90 words.
Attach or reference: Nothing.
Check before you use it: Both people agreed to the introduction.
10. Rewrite my rough draft
When to use: You wrote it fast and angry, or in bullet points.
Polish this draft so it is professional and calm, keep every fact and the deadline, and cut it by a third.
Attach or reference: Write your draft first, then use Help me write or Formalize and Shorten.
Check before you use it: It still says what you meant.
Clean up the inbox (11-15)
11. Newsletter clean-out
When to use: Promotions you never read.
Archive all emails from [sender] older than 30 days.
Attach or reference: Nothing; Gemini shows matching emails first.
Check before you use it: Review the matches before confirming; you have 60 seconds to undo.
12. Label a client
When to use: Pulling one account’s emails together.
Apply the label [Client-A] to all emails from [domain or name].
Attach or reference: Create the label in Gmail first; Gemini cannot create labels.
Check before you use it: The sender list caught the right people.
13. Mark tool alerts as read
When to use: Notification noise from apps.
Mark all unread emails from [tool] as read.
Attach or reference: Nothing.
Check before you use it: No real alert or approval request is hidden in the batch.
14. Star what matters
When to use: Building a short list for the week.
Star emails from [manager] this month that mention [budget or headcount].
Attach or reference: Nothing.
Check before you use it: Unstar anything that is resolved.
15. Find attachments
When to use: Hunting for a file someone sent.
Find emails from [name] in [month] with a spreadsheet or PDF attached about [topic].
Attach or reference: Nothing.
Check before you use it: Open the latest version, not the first match.
Turn email into work (16-20)
16. Tracker from emails
When to use: Too many requests to track in your head.
Create a sheet to track requests from [team] in the last two weeks with columns for date, requester, request, deadline and status.
Attach or reference: Nothing; Gemini creates a new Google Sheet.
Check before you use it: Every row links back to a real email.
17. Meeting from a thread
When to use: A thread that needs a call.
Create a 30-minute meeting with [names] this week to decide [topic], and add the three open questions from this thread to the description.
Attach or reference: Open the thread.
Check before you use it: Gemini books only on your primary calendar; check the attendees.
18. Task from an email
When to use: A to-do you will forget.
Add a task to [send the revised quote to name] by [Thursday].
Attach or reference: Open the related email.
Check before you use it: The due date is right in Google Tasks.
19. Doc from a thread
When to use: Turning a long discussion into a record.
Create a Google Doc summarising this thread as a decision log: background, options discussed, decision, owner and next steps.
Attach or reference: Open the thread.
Check before you use it: Share the doc only with people who were on the thread.
20. Save an attachment to Drive
When to use: Filing as you go.
Save the attachment from this email to my [Prospects] folder.
Attach or reference: Open the email with the attachment.
Check before you use it: Review the suggested action before you confirm it.
Tricky emails (21-25)
21. Calm reply to a complaint
When to use: An upset customer.
Help me write a reply to this complaint. Acknowledge the problem without admitting liability, explain what we will do by [date], and give one named contact. Calm, human, under 150 words.
Attach or reference: Reply to the email.
Check before you use it: A manager checks anything with legal or refund implications.
22. Pushback to a senior person
When to use: You need to disagree upward.
Rewrite this so it disagrees respectfully with [name]’s proposal, gives two reasons with evidence, and suggests a next step.
Attach or reference: Write your own draft first, then refine it.
Check before you use it: The evidence is yours, not invented.
23. Chase a payment
When to use: An overdue invoice.
Write a firm but polite reminder to [client] that invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date]. Ask for a payment date and offer to resend the invoice.
Attach or reference: Reply in the invoice thread.
Check before you use it: Amount, number and date match your accounts.
24. Simplify for a non-native reader
When to use: Writing to a global team.
Rewrite this email in simple, clear English for a reader whose first language is not English. Short sentences, no idioms.
Attach or reference: Select or write the draft.
Check before you use it: Nothing technical lost its meaning.
25. Prepare for a meeting
When to use: Ten minutes before a call.
Brief me for my meeting with [name] today: our last three email exchanges, any open commitments on either side, and two questions I should ask.
Attach or reference: Nothing; Gemini searches your mail and calendar.
Check before you use it: Open the commitments it lists before you rely on them.
Back from leave to 400 unread emails, start to finish
A composite from Hitesh’s sessions, with details changed.
The real situation
A key-account manager returns from a week’s leave to 400 unread emails, three of them from her largest client.
Triage first
In Ask Gemini: “Summarise unread emails from [client] and my manager since last Monday, grouped by decision needed and information only.” Two items need decisions today.
Read the source
She opens both threads. One summary missed a revised delivery date in a forwarded message.
Reply with a brief
Help me write: “Confirm the revised date of 22 November, apologise for the delay in replying, and propose a call on Thursday to agree the next order. Under 120 words.” She edits two lines and sends.
Clear the noise
“Archive emails from [newsletter senders] older than 7 days.” She reviews the confirmation card before approving.
Make it stick
“Create a sheet to track open requests from [client] with date, request, owner and deadline.” The prompts go into her team’s shared prompt list.
Why it works: Gemini sorted, drafted and cleaned up; she kept the judgement. Step 3, opening the source email, is what makes a fast summary safe.
Gemini not showing in Gmail? Nine reasons and what to do
Work down the list. The plan and the smart-feature settings explain most cases.
| Symptom | Likely reason | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No Ask Gemini button at all | Free personal account, or a Workspace edition or admin setting without Gemini | Check the free-vs-paid table above; on a work account, ask IT |
| Thread summaries work, but no Help me write | Free personal account outside the US | Help me write needs a Google AI plan or Workspace outside the US |
| Gemini disappeared after a settings change | Smart features were turned off | Turn on both smart-feature settings (see the setup steps) and reload |
| Gemini is “not available” or blank | Account language not supported | Switch your Google Account language to English or another listed language |
| Help me write button greyed out or failing | Temporary service issue | Try again later; reload the browser or reopen the app |
| No AI Overview in Gmail search | Search operators used, plan not eligible, or a personal account in the EEA, UK, Switzerland or Japan | Ask a plain-English question without operators; check your plan |
| AI Inbox missing or empty | US and English only, or still processing | Turn on Show AI Inbox; allow up to 7 days |
| Gemini would not apply a label | The label does not exist | Create the label in Gmail first, then ask again |
| A bulk request did nothing | More than 10,000 matching threads | Narrow it by sender or date range |
Sources: Gemini features in Gmail, Help me write troubleshooting, AI Overview in Gmail search and AI Inbox, checked October 2026.
Is Gemini in Gmail safe? Privacy, accuracy and switching it off
Your data
- Google says Gemini in Workspace apps does not use your content to train or improve Gemini or other generative AI models, for Google AI plan users
- Gemini in Gmail conversations are not saved to Gemini Apps Activity
- Workspace Experiments testers are covered by separate terms
Accuracy
- Google warns Gemini may be inaccurate
- Check codes, dates and prices it pulls from other emails
Turn Gemini off
- Settings → See all settings → General, then Manage Workspace smart feature settings and turn off Smart features in Google Workspace
- This also switches off other AI tools, such as AI-assisted writing and proofreading
- On a work account, your admin decides
Gemini in Gmail or Copilot in Outlook? On Google Workspace, Gemini is the native choice; on Microsoft 365, see how to use Copilot in Outlook.
Who wrote this guide
This guide is by Hitesh Motwani, an AI trainer and the author of Generative AI 360°. He has trained 200,000+ professionals across 16+ countries, his corporate clients include Google, Microsoft and Tata Group, and he runs leadership-focused AI training for founders and CXOs.
Every step, plan detail and limit here was checked on Google’s Gmail Help and Docs Editors Help pages in October 2026, with links beside each section. Where Google says a feature is rolling out or limited to the US, we say so. The worked example is a composite of exercises from Hitesh’s sessions, with details changed.
His sessions are hands-on: people use Gemini on their own inbox and documents and leave with prompts and workflows they use the next morning.
Gemini in Gmail: your questions answered
How do I use Gemini in Gmail?
Turn on smart features, then click Ask Gemini at the top right and type a request. To write, click Compose and use the Help me write prompt bar. To catch up, open a thread and click Summarize this email.
Is Gemini in Gmail free?
Partly. Thread summaries are free for all Gmail users worldwide. Help me write and Suggested Replies are free only for US personal accounts. The side panel, Proofread and AI Inbox need a Google AI or Workspace plan.
Why is Gemini not showing in Gmail?
Usually the plan, the smart-feature settings or the account language. On a work account, your admin may have turned Gemini off.
How do I turn on Gemini in Gmail?
Settings, See all settings, General: turn on Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet, then under Manage Workspace smart feature settings turn on Smart features in Google Workspace. Save and reload.
How do I turn off Gemini in Gmail?
In Settings, See all settings, General, open Manage Workspace smart feature settings and turn off Smart features in Google Workspace. This also turns off other AI writing tools. Work accounts are managed by IT.
Can Gemini summarise emails in Gmail?
Yes. Open a thread and click Summarize this email, or ask the side panel for action items. On eligible plans, a question in Gmail search returns an AI Overview.
Can Gemini delete emails in Gmail?
Yes, on eligible plans, after you confirm. You have 60 seconds to undo, and deleted emails stay in Trash for 30 days.
Does Gemini work in the Gmail app on Android and iPhone?
Yes. Tap Ask Gemini next to the search bar, or Help me write in a new email. Summaries, Suggested Replies and quick actions also appear in the app.
Is Gemini in Gmail safe to use for work email?
Google says Gemini in Workspace apps doesn’t use your content to train its models. Follow your company’s AI policy and check every draft.
Is Gemini in Gmail worth it?
If you spend hours a day in email, usually yes, provided you write clear briefs and check sources.
Can Gemini in Gmail use my Google Drive files?
Yes. Click Add sources, Add from Drive, or type @ and pick a file.
Does Gemini in Gmail support Hindi?
Not for the side panel at present. Indian users usually set their Google Account language to English.
How can my team learn Gemini in Gmail properly?
Practise on real emails and share prompts that work. For a team, a hands-on session is quickest: see Google Gemini corporate training or compare Gemini courses and certifications.
Keep going with Gemini
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- AI learning pathWhat to learn next
Gemini drafts the email. Practice makes it useful.
Teams get value from Gemini in Gmail when they use it on the email they actually write and read. Hitesh runs hands-on Gemini sessions on your team’s own inboxes, replies and follow-ups, live online or at your office.
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