How to Write an Email to a Friend

Email is a fast and easy way to stay in touch with friends. While the style of writing is up to you, some basic guidelines listed below can help. If you're writing to a friend you haven't spoken to in a while, it's polite to apologize for the gap in communication and update them on what you've been up to. Feel free to attach images and emojis to make your email more fun, and don't forget to proofread before sending it off.

Find their email address. Before you start, make sure you have their correct email address. If you've emailed them before, you can find it in your contacts. Alternatively, you could ask another friend for it.

• Type their email address into the 'To' field.

Choose a subject that summarizes the content of your email. The subject field is located right below the “To” field and is labeled “Subject.” Summarize the content of your email in a few words so that the recipient knows what to expect.

• If you're just writing to say hello, your subject could simply be “Hello!”
• If you're writing to invite them to your birthday party, you could use “Birthday Invitation” as your subject.

Start with a greeting. Begin your email with a greeting, followed by the recipient's name and a comma. Since this is an email to a friend, you can use a more casual greeting such as “Hi,” “Hey,” or “Hello.”

• For example, “Hi An,” is a simple greeting.

Ask how they are doing. After one line, write a question like “How have you been?” or something similar like “Hope everything is going well with you.” This shows that you care about them.

Let them know why you're writing the email. You might want to check in on how their holiday went or how they’re feeling after being sick. Either way, start your email by stating the purpose of your message.

• For example: “I heard you were sick? I was worried and wanted to know how you're doing.”

Present what you want to say in a few paragraphs. Once the introduction is complete, it's time to focus on the main message. Break up your content into 3 to 4 sentences per paragraph to make the email more readable.

Avoid writing entire sentences or paragraphs in all caps as much as possible. In many cases, you might feel the urge to write in all caps to express your excitement. However, it can come across as shouting. Instead, use asterisks or bold text to highlight key points.

Occasionally ask questions. Pose questions related to what you're discussing. This shows that you care about their thoughts.

• If you're talking about your beach trip, you could add a question like: “Did you go to the beach this summer? If not, you should!”

Apologize for not being in touch. It's common to lose contact, but it's still nice to apologize as an opening gesture.

• You can say: “It's been a while since we talked. Sorry about that, I've been really busy lately.”

Update them on your life and ask about theirs. Since it's been a while since you've talked, you’ve probably missed out on a lot. Share any exciting developments in your life and ask them what’s new with them.

• You could say: “Since we last met, I’ve started dating! It’s going great. Are you seeing anyone yet?”

Discuss common interests. Take some time to talk about things you both enjoy. If you're a big football fan, you can use a few lines to talk about your favorite team's latest match. And don't forget to ask for their opinion too!

• For example: “The game last week was crazy! What did you think of that last goal?”

Add an invitation or request near the end of the email, if you'd like. If you want to invite them to hang out or ask them to your party, now’s the time to do it.

• You could say: “I’m hosting a baby shower next Tuesday evening. Can you make it?”

Experiment with different fonts and colors. Explore the formatting bar to try out different options: it’s the row with several icons either at the top or bottom of the window.

• If you’re writing about a serious topic, stick to a basic font with black text.
• If they use a different email server, some fonts may not display correctly. Arial, Times, Verdana, Trebuchet, and Geneva are usually safe choices.
• Try not to overdo it with fonts and colors to keep the email easy to read.

Include emojis if appropriate. If you're writing a casual email to a close friend, occasionally using cute emojis can make your message feel extra friendly. However, if the subject is more serious, avoid using emojis as they might make the email seem too informal.

• Be careful not to use too many emojis: it could distract the reader.

Wrap up by sending them your best wishes. Send your friend your best wishes so they know you're hoping to hear back soon and to meet up with them again.

• You could say: “Hope you have an amazing week. Looking forward to hearing from you!”

End the email and sign off. Close your email with a final farewell like “best,” “see you soon,” or “love you.” Then, leave a few lines and type your name.

Attach images if you'd like. Click the “insert photo” button (this usually looks like a camera or image icon), which is next to other formatting options. From there, you can select a photo from your computer to upload.

• If you're writing to share news about your new puppy, you can attach a photo of it!
• Try to only attach a few images. If you attach too many, your email might end up in the spam folder.

Read through and review your email. Once you're done, read it over once or twice to catch any spelling or grammar mistakes. A letter free from errors is much easier to read. If you're a child, you can ask a trusted adult to review it for you.

• Double-check to make sure their email address is correct.

Click send. When your email is ready to be sent, click on the “send” button located at the bottom of the email. And that's it, you're all done!

• Your writing style and email format should match the nature of your relationship with the recipient.
• Include a postscript (P.S.) if you forgot to mention something. The P.S. is added below your signature.
• There are many sites that allow you to create free email accounts. You can try some popular free email websites like Hotmail, Gmail, or Yahoo! Mail.

• Don't go overboard with decorating your email. Using too many colors, fonts, or emojis can make the email difficult to read.