How to Use Gmail Templates (Canned Responses) for Quick Replies

Do you type the same email again and again? “Thanks, we got your message,” “Here’s our price list,” “Your order has shipped”? Gmail templates, which Gmail used to call canned responses, let you save a message once and drop it into any email with two clicks. You can even have Gmail send a template automatically with a filter. This guide walks through each screen in Gmail on a computer.

Quick answer

Turn it on: Settings → See all settings → Advanced → Templates: Enable → Save Changes. Save one: write a message, then click More options (three dots) → Templates → Save draft as template → Save as new template. Use it: in any new message or reply, click More options → Templates and pick it under Insert template.

Gmail templates at a glance

Task	Where to find it
Where to turn it on	Settings (gear) → See all settings → Advanced → Templates → Enable
Where to use it	In the compose window: More options (three dots) → Templates
What is saved	The subject and message text of your draft. The template name is prefilled with the subject.
Edit a template	Save draft as template → under Overwrite Template, pick it → Save
Delete a template	Templates → Delete template → pick it → Delete (can’t be undone)
Automatic replies	A filter with the Send template action. Only new mail gets the reply.
Devices	Gmail on a computer only, not the Gmail app

Source: Gmail Help: Create a template in Gmail. Menu names checked in Gmail on the web, October 2026.

Step 1: Turn on templates

Templates are switched off by default, so you need to turn them on once.

1. In Gmail on a computer, click the gear icon (top right), then See all settings.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Find the Templates row and select Enable.
4. Click Save Changes. Gmail reloads and takes you back to your inbox.

Step 2: Create a template from a draft

1. Click Compose and write the message you want to reuse. Add a subject if you like; leave the To field empty.
2. At the bottom right of the compose window, click More options (the three dots).
3. Hover over Templates, then Save draft as template.
4. Click Save as new template.

In the Enter a new template name box, Gmail suggests your subject as the name. Keep it or type something you’ll recognize, such as “Thanks for reaching out”, then click Save. You can now discard the draft; the template is saved separately.

Step 3: Insert a template into a reply or new email

1. Open a reply, or click Compose for a new message.
2. Click More options (three dots) → Templates.
3. Under Insert template, click the template you want.

Gmail adds the template’s text to the message. In a new email it also fills in the subject. Add the recipient, change anything that needs a personal touch, and click Send. You can insert more than one template into the same message.

Step 4: Edit (overwrite) a template

Gmail doesn’t have an edit button for templates. Instead, you replace the old version with a new one:

1. Insert the template into a new message (Step 3) and make your changes.
2. Click More options → Templates → Save draft as template.
3. Under Overwrite Template, click the template you want to replace, then click Save to confirm.

Step 5: Delete a template

1. In any compose window, click More options → Templates → Delete template.
2. Click the template you want to remove.
3. Gmail asks Delete saved template? Click Delete.

A deleted template can’t be recovered, so copy the text somewhere first if you might want it again.

Step 6: Send automatic replies with a template and a filter

Pair a template with a filter and Gmail will answer certain emails for you, for example every message with “Price list request” in the subject.

1. In the search box at the top of Gmail, click Show search options (the sliders icon).
2. Enter what the emails have in common, such as a From address or words in the Subject, then click Create filter.
3. Tick Send template and choose your template from the menu.
4. Add other actions if you like (such as a label), then click Create filter.

As Gmail notes in that box, old mail won’t receive a templated response. Only new messages that match the filter get the automatic reply. To stop it, go to Settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses and delete or edit the filter.

Tips and limits

• Computer only. You can turn on and use templates only in Gmail on a computer, not in the Gmail app on a phone or tablet.
• Name them clearly. The menu lists templates by name, so names like “Order shipped” or “Meeting follow-up” are easier to find than “Reply 1”.
• Leave blanks to fill in. Add placeholders such as [NAME] or [DATE] so you remember to personalize each email before sending.
• Keep your signature out of it. Gmail adds your email signature for you, so saving it in a template can make it appear twice.
• Be careful with auto-replies. Make the filter specific so you don’t send a template to newsletters or other automatic mail, and remember that each auto-reply is sent from your address.
• Deleting is permanent. There is no undo for a deleted template.

FAQ

Are Gmail templates the same as canned responses?

Yes. Canned responses is the feature’s old name. Google later renamed it Templates.

Why don’t I see Templates in the More options menu?

Templates are probably still switched off. Go to Settings → See all settings → Advanced, set Templates to Enable and click Save Changes. If you use a work or school account, your administrator may control which features are available.

Can I use templates in the Gmail app?

No. Templates work only in Gmail on a computer.

Can a template reply automatically?

Yes, with a filter that uses the Send template action (Step 6). It only answers new mail that matches the filter.

Sources

1. Gmail Help: Create a template in Gmail: turning on templates, Save draft as template, Overwrite Template, Delete template, Insert template, computer only.
2. Gmail Help: Create rules to filter your emails: Show search options, Create filter, editing and deleting filters.

Last checked October 30, 2026. Screenshots are from Gmail on the web with a demo template, which was deleted afterwards.