How to Reply to an E-mail Message

"Replying" to a message simplifies your correspondence, since you do not have to enter the recipient's e-mail address manually. Most popular e-mail applications follow a similar procedure.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• E-mail Accounts
• Computers
• E-mail Software

1. Click on the closed e-mail message to select it, or open the message.

2. From the Message menu, click on Reply, or click Reply in the toolbar. A new message window will open. The recipient's address will appear automatically in the To field. The Subject will be the same subject as in the original message, and the content of the original message will usually be included, preceded by > signs.

3. Add your new content to the message. If desired, you can delete part or all of the content from the original message. You can also add new content at any place in the message so it resembles a conversation. This is called "continuing the thread."

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on your e-mail software, you might be able to use a function called Reply To or Select Recipient. This will send the message to anyone whose name you select from your list of nicknames or from your Address Book. The name of the function may be different in various software programs, so look for a similar command.
• Leaving all content from the original message is a waste of bandwidth and may hamper the recipient's ability to download the message if the e-mail is especially long. It's a good idea to delete much of the original content and leave only enough so the recipient can remember what was said in the earlier message.