Mayfield Learning
Email & messages

Reply to an email

Someone took time to write to you. A reply keeps you close to family and friends. It is easier than it looks. You do not start from a blank page. The email is already there, waiting for you.

~5 min Always free
Buddy, your friendly guide

Replying means you write back to the person who emailed you. Let us do it one calm step at a time. You cannot break anything.

Find your device below, then follow those steps. The buttons may look a little different on yours, that is okay.

On a phone (email app)
  1. Open your email app.
  2. Look for an envelope or letter icon.
  3. Tap the email you want to answer.
  4. It opens up.
  5. Look for the Reply button.
  6. It is a curved arrow.
  7. It may be at the top or bottom.
  8. Tap the curved arrow.
  9. A small menu may pop up.
  10. If it does, tap Reply.
  11. Do not tap Reply All for now.
  12. A space to type appears.
  13. The person's address is already filled in for you.
  14. Tap that space and type your message.
  15. When you are happy with it, look for Send.
  16. It is often a paper-plane shape.
  17. Tap Send.
  18. Your reply is on its way.
  19. Look for a folder called Sent.
  20. Your reply will be there. Well done.
On a computer
  1. Your email may already be open on the screen.
  2. If so, skip to the next step.
  3. If not, open a web browser.
  4. Go to your email site, such as Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo.
  5. Then sign in.
  6. Click the email you want to answer.
  7. It opens up.
  8. Look for the Reply button.
  9. It is a curved arrow, near the top or bottom.
  10. Click the curved arrow.
  11. If a small menu appears, click Reply.
  12. Do not click Reply All for now.
  13. A box to type appears.
  14. The person's address is already filled in for you.
  15. Click in the box and type your message.
  16. Look for the Send button.
  17. It is often blue, with the word Send.
  18. Click Send.
  19. Look for a folder called Sent.
  20. Your reply will be there. You did it.
Buddy, your friendly guide
Buddy’s tip

You may see Reply All next to Reply. Reply goes only to the one person who wrote you. Reply All goes to everyone on the email. When in doubt, choose Reply.

The curved arrow means Reply. Choose Reply, type, then Send.

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Take it at your own pace. You can re-read this any time, and nothing here can break. Want a hand from AI later? Meet it gently.