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Email 101

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Email Etiquette and Safety

Tips for email success

Here are some basic rules you can follow to write better emails, no matter who you're emailing. In some cases, it's OK to break these rules. Use these rules as a starting point, then tailor each email you send based on the situation.

Click the arrows in the slideshow below to learn more about basic email etiquette.

  • Click the arrows to learn more about basic email etiquette and common mistakes to avoid.
  • Just like a written letter, it's nice to add a greeting such as
  • People are more likely to read an email if they know what it’s about, so be sure to include a relevant subject line. Avoid long or rambling messages, but provide enough detail to make the email clear.
  • Your recipients may not be able to recognize irony or sarcasm in email, as in the example above, which can lead to misinterpretation or confusion. It's best to phrase things in the clearest way possible.
  • Double-check the Cc and Bcc fields when replying to a message. It’s easy to include recipients by accident. In the example above, the email was meant for the original sender, but includes extra recipients.
  • Be sure to check that your message is free from spelling and grammatical errors and that you’ve correctly entered your recipient’s email address. Remember, emails can’t be unsent!
  • Your email service may have various text formatting options, but be aware that formatting can make your emails difficult to read. Excessive text formatting can also look unprofessional.
  • Many people create elaborate signatures with lots of contact information. However, this can make it hard to know how you want to be contacted. Include only your preferred contact info.
  • Writing in all capitals is equivalent to shouting online. Your recipient may mistakenly think that you're angry or upset. Also, emails written in all caps are much more difficult to read.
  • Chain emails can spread quickly because they are forwarded to lots of people, who then forward them to others, and so on. Many are hoaxes, and even those that aren't may annoy your recipients.
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