How to set up automatic email reminders in Gmail

It’s normal to forget to reply to an email. With all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, forgetting to pay your online shopping bill is probably way down the list of things to remember. That’s why Gmail’s two reminder features called Nudges and Snooze (which sounds like a comedy double-act), will help save your skin. Here’s how to set up automatic email reminders in Gmail.

Read more: How to enable read receipts in Gmail

Gmail’s Nudges feature (desktop)

If you’ve enabled it in Settings, Nudges is a notification that appears next to the subject line of a message in the Gmail inbox. It tells you when the message was received and asks you if you want to reply. The notification only appears on messages Google thinks need your attention, not every spam message you get offering you Viagra prescriptions.

Gmail Nudges likes to show off and go a bit further than that, though. Google will also search through your Sent folder and find messages you sent to someone that they subsequently didn’t reply to, and remind you that you should follow up with them and beat them with a stick for ignoring you.

To switch it on on the desktop, go to Settings >General >Nudges. Switch them both on, or only the one you want.

If you don’t like this new feature and find it too intrusive and spooky, don’t worry. Google lets you turn it off. Just head into your Gmail Settings again, and untick the two Nudges features — one for inbox nudges and one for your Sent folder. Or turn only one of them off if you like having one but not the other.

Gmail’s Nudges feature (mobile)

On the Gmail mobile app, go into Settings and tap on your email address. You’ll then find this.

Tap on Replies and follow-ups and enable the feature by toggling them on.

Gmail’s Snooze feature (desktop)

Snooze is when you don’t need a specific email sitting in your inbox at that moment in time. So you tell Gmail to take the email away and bring it back at a specified later date. This is ideal for Inbox Zero fanatics who get stressed out seeing emails sitting in their inbox all the time.

To snooze an email on the desktop, tick the box next to it and select Snooze. A box will then come up with options.

If the suggested dates are not good enough, select Pick date & time. A calendar will come up to choose the exact date and time for your email to return. Make your choice and click Save.

The email will then disappear from the inbox. But if you need to see it before it’s due to come back, go to the Snoozed folder.

Gmail’s Snooze feature (mobile)

Select your email on the Gmail mobile app and then tap the three horizontal dots in the top right-hand corner. This brings up a menu where you can select Snooze.

Then choose the date you would like the email to return.

The email will now shoot off to the Snoozed folder, where you can find it if you need it sooner.

Read more: How to set up email forwarding in Gmail

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