Gmail mail merge sends a separate personalized copy to each recipient. Before composing, decide whether recipient details will come from directly entered contacts or a linked spreadsheet. Mixing those assumptions can produce incorrect names or missing merge fields.
Prepare a small, accurate recipient list
Use the eligible account and an ordinary rich-text Gmail draft on a computer. Enable mail merge beside the To line. For directly entered recipients, review their names in Google Contacts or in the address text you enter.
For a linked spreadsheet, Google’s guide requires contact information in the first tab and text-only recipient data. Select the correct file and map the email, first-name, and optional last-name columns. Keep a complete original and use a small test list first.
Insert supported merge tags
Type @ in the message body and choose a merge tag. Direct-recipient tags include name and email fields; spreadsheet tags derive from the selected column headers. Use the actual offered tag rather than typing a visual imitation and assuming it will merge.
Review missing-field errors and choose an appropriate default greeting or correct the source data. Gmail does not support merge tags in subject lines or hyperlinked text. If every recipient should receive different confidential material, remember that an attachment added to the draft is included in every recipient’s copy.
Test and reconcile the sent copies
Send only to controlled test addresses first. Check the received name, body, links, unsubscribe footer, sender identity, and attachments. With spreadsheet recipients, the guide excludes Cc and Bcc; with directly added recipients, an allowed copy recipient receives a copy of each outgoing message and consumes sending capacity.
When the real campaign is authorized, keep a record of the intended recipients and inspect Sent for mail-merge copies. Replies arrive as separate conversations. A completed compose action is not a guarantee that every address accepted delivery, so review errors before resending anything.
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References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.