Handoffs · guide
Email handoff
Open the inbox, reply, send a message, and find a thread. The point is a clear next action without pretending the system can make the relationship decision for you.
Who it is for
Someone who needs to read the inbox, reply, send a new message, and find an old thread.
Handoff means you can do those four things without the builder sitting there. Do not write the password on this page.
Steps
- Open mail.google.com (or the Gmail app) and sign in with the work email.
- Look at the Inbox list. Bold lines are usually unread. Click or tap a message to open it.
- To answer, click or tap Reply, type, then Send. That keeps the same thread.
- To start a new message, click or tap Compose (or the pencil). Fill To, Subject, and the body, then Send.
- To find a thread later, use the search box at the top. Type a name, a subject word, or part of the message, then open the result.
Button names move a little between the web and the app. Stay in the same places: Inbox, Reply, Compose, and Search.
Official help
Access and ownership docs from Google. US links; your region may differ. Last checked: October 2026. Never put the password on this page.
- Delegate a Gmail mailbox
https://support.google.com/mail/answer/138350 - Recover admin access (Google Workspace)
https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/users/recovering-administrator-access-to-your-account - Recover a Google Account or Gmail (personal; work accounts may need an admin)
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7682439
Same steps as above, as a file you can keep or print.
Video
Three beginner videos: Gmail on the web, reply and search on the phone app, then search operators when the inbox is a mess.
What to do next
- Download the PDF if you want the same steps offline.
- Try the steps once in the real account. No passwords on this page.
- If a button name moved, open Official help above.
- When this tool feels solid, go back to All handoffs and take the next guide in learn order.