The Best and Worst of Google’s New Gemini in Gmail Features

This guide shows how to use the new Gemini features in Gmail, what is available right now, and which parts of the initial rollout are most useful or disappointing. You’ll learn how to enable smart features, ask Gemini questions about your inbox, test natural language search availability, and use Gemini to draft or refine email replies.

• Gmail users with lots of emails
• Anyone who wants to ask their inbox questions
• Google Workspace or AI Pro users

You will set up a repeatable Gemini-in-Gmail workflow for checking your settings, asking inbox questions, drafting replies, refining email tone or length, and trying scheduling assistance from an email thread.

• Enabled Gmail smart features
• Example inbox questions you can reuse with Gemini
• A draft-reply workflow using Help me write, Recreate, and Refine
• An optional scheduling workflow using Help me schedule

• Access to gmail.com
• A Google Workspace plan for a work email account, or
• A personal Google account with a Google AI Pro membership

• Try the “Help me schedule” button in a draft pane so Gemini can read the email thread, check your calendar, and suggest meeting times.
• Use @ mentions to reference specific Google Drive files in Gemini, remembering that this access is read-only.
• If you are considering upgrading to AI Pro mainly for natural language search in Gmail, consider waiting until Gemini in Gmail is fully implemented.