Google Contacts groups to the rescue!
Even if you have a top-notch Chromebook with an excellent keyboard, you don’t want to use it to tediously type the same email addresses of your colleagues every time you send an email. In situations like these, it’s easier and more sensible to create a group of your frequently contacted people and send them all an email in a jiffy. Gmail lets you do that with the help of Google Contacts. Here’s how you can create a group email in Gmail.
How to create a group email in Gmail
Before emailing a group, you must create a contacts label in Google Contacts. Then, you can send emails to groups in Gmail.
Creating a contacts group in Google Contacts on the web
- Go to contacts.google.com and log in to the same Google account you want to send the group email from.
- If your contacts list is empty, go to Frequently contacted in the left pane. You’ll find a list of people from your Gmail chat history here.
- Hover the pointer over the profile photos and click the checkboxes to select the contacts you want to add to a group.
- When you’re happy with your selection, click the Manage labels icon from the top menu.
- Select Create label.
- On the pop-up menu, give the group a name and select Save.
- Your new contacts group appears under Labels on the left pane within a few seconds.
Your work in Google Contacts is done.
You must manually select new contacts in a similar way if you want to add more people to the label in the future.
Sending a group email in Gmail on the web
Now you’re ready to send emails to your new group through Gmail.
- Reload the Gmail web page to ensure your recent changes in Google Contacts have synced.
- Click Compose to start a new email.
- In the New Message window, enter the contact’s group name into the recipient field.
- Group members are added instantly. This also works in the CC and BCC fields.
- Enter the subject and your email text as usual and click Send just like you would with a regular email.
Isn’t this a much faster way to send an email to a bunch of people in a single go? This nifty little Gmail tool comes in handy so often at workplaces!
Creating a contacts group in the Google Contacts app on Android
You can also create a contacts label on Google Contacts’ Android app. Here’s how it’s done:
- Go to the Google Contacts app. You’ll find your contacts on the main page. Filter your contacts by tapping Email contacts at the top of the screen.
- Long press one of the contacts. Then select all the contacts you want under the new label.
- Tap the vertical ellipses icon at the top and select Add to label.
- Select Create new and give the group a name. Tap OK.
- Now select the newly created group to add the selected contacts to it.
And that’s it.
Sending a group email using your phone
Unlike the desktop version of Gmail, its mobile app doesn’t let you send group emails directly. But you can do that from the Google Contacts app, and you aren’t restricted to Gmail. This is what you need to do:
- In the Google Contacts app, tap the hamburger menu.
- Tap the group name under Labels.
- On the next page, tap the vertical ellipses at the top and tap Send email.
- The share sheet shows the email apps installed on your phone. Tap Gmail (you also can choose any other app of your choice).
- You’re taken to Gmail’s compose page with the recipient field pre-filled with all the emails in your group.
- Enter the subject and your message and tap Send.
To add these group contacts to the CC or BCC fields from a phone, you must manually enter the email addresses. You can alternatively use Gmail on the desktop.
The possibilities are endless with Gmail
While Gmail has a familiar, user-friendly interface, it is packed with power-user features that automate your email management with categorizations and nudges for reply reminders. You can do endless things inside Gmail. Check out our handpicked selection of tips and tricks to make your experience better and your workday more productive.
