This wikiHow teaches you how to choose the most appropriate email or "email" service for you and how to create an account. Once you have an email account, you can send emails to other people through their email addresses.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Create an account
Step 1. Choose an email provider
There are countless email providers. Most of them allow you to create an account and use the service at no cost. However, the three most popular are as follows:
- Gmail: Google's mail. If you sign up for Gmail, a Google account will also be created for you, which can be very useful for YouTube and other major social media sites.
- Outlook: the mail created by Microsoft. Outlook accounts are required to access some Microsoft services, such as Microsoft Word (or Office 365), Windows 10, Skype, and Xbox LIVE.
- Yahoo: Yahoo is a simple email provider with other services like news in your inbox and 1 terabyte of online storage.
- The three email providers mentioned above have their own mobile application, which you can download for free for your smartphone. So you can send and receive emails from your smartphone through your favorite provider.
Step 2. Go to your email provider's website
Next, you will see the website of each of the providers:
- Gmail:
- Outlook:
- Yahoo:
Step 3. Click the "Register" button
This button could say "Create Account" or something similar. It's usually in the upper-right corner of the email provider's page.
- If you are on the main Yahoo website, you will need to click the button first Pay in and then in Check in at the bottom of the "Login" page.
Step 4. Enter your details
Although they may ask you for other additional information, the ones normally asked by all email providers are the following:
- your name
- a phone number
- the email address you want to use
- the password you want to use
- your date of birth
Step 5. Complete the setup process
In some cases they will ask you to verify your identity over the phone (such is the case with Yahoo!), while other email providers simply ask you to prove that you are human by clicking on a box. Once you have completed the setup process, you are ready to send emails.
Part 2 of 4: Send an email with Gmail
Step 1. Open Gmail
Go to the site https://www.gmail.com/ from any web browser on your computer. Doing so will bring up your Gmail inbox if you are already signed into your account.
If you are not yet signed in to Gmail, enter your email address and password to continue
Step 2. Click ＋ Compose
It's in the upper-left corner of your inbox. Clicking will bring up a pop-up window at the bottom right of the page.
Step 3. Enter the email address of the recipient of the email
Click the "To" text box at the top of the pop-up window and enter the email address you want to send your email to.
Step 4. Write a subject
Click on the "Subject" text box and write what your email is about.
The subject line usually serves to provide the recipient with an idea about the purpose of your email
Step 5. Write your email
Click in the text box below the "Subject" field and enter the body of the email.
- You can select a part of the email text and click on one of the formatting options at the bottom of the window (for example, B for bold).
- If you want to add photos or files to your email, click the clip or photo icon at the bottom of the window and select an option.
Step 6. Click Submit
It's a blue button in the lower-left corner of the pop-up window. Clicking will send the email to the specified recipient.
Step 7. Send an email from the Gmail mobile application
If you downloaded the Gmail app to your smartphone or tablet (Android devices generally come with Gmail pre-installed), you can also send emails from there:
- Open the Gmail mobile app.
- Touch
Android7edit in the lower right corner of the screen.
- Enter the recipient's email address in the "To" field.
- Write a subject in the "Subject" text box.
- Write the body of the message in the "Write an email" text box.
- Add images or files if you want by tapping on the clip icon and selecting an attachment.
- Tap the "Send" icon
Android7send to send your email.
Part 3 of 4: Send an email with Outlook
Step 1. Open Outlook
Go to https://www.outlook.com/ from any web browser on your computer. Doing so will bring up your Outlook inbox if you are already signed in.
- If you are not yet logged in, click Log in if necessary, and then enter your email address and password when prompted.
Step 2. Make sure to use the beta version
To use it, click the gray switch that says "Try beta" at the top right of the page.
If you see a dark blue switch that says "Outlook beta version," it means that you are already using that version
Step 3. Click ＋ New Message
It's in the top corner of the page. Doing so will bring up a pop-up window.
Step 4. Enter the email address of the recipient of the email
Click the "To" text box at the top of the pop-up window and enter the email address you want to send your email to.
Step 5. Write a subject
Click on the "Add a subject" text box and write what your email is about.
The subject line usually serves to give the recipient an idea about the purpose of your email
Step 6. Write your email
Click in the text box below the "Subject" field and enter the body of the email.
- You can select a part of the email text and click on one of the formatting options at the bottom of the window (for example, B for bold).
- If you want to add photos or files to your email, click the clip or photo icon at the bottom of the window and select an option.
Step 7. Click Submit
It's a blue button in the lower-left corner of the pop-up window. Clicking will send the email to the specified recipient.
Step 8. Send an email from the Outlook mobile application
If you downloaded the Outlook application to your iPhone or Android, you can also send emails from there:
- Open the Outlook mobile app.
- Tap the "Compose" icon
Iphonequick_compose (or
Android7edit on Android).
- Enter the recipient's email address in the "To" field.
- Write a subject in the "Subject" text box.
- Write the body of the message in the large text box.
- Tap the clip icon and select one of the file options if you want to attach a photo or file.
- Tap the "Send" icon
Android7send in the upper right corner of the screen to send your email.
Part 4 of 4: Send an email with Yahoo
Step 1. Open Yahoo
Go to https://mail.yahoo.com in any web browser on your computer. Doing so will bring up your Yahoo inbox if you are already signed in.
If you are not yet signed in to Yahoo, enter your email address and password when prompted to continue
Step 2. Click Write
It's in the upper-left corner of the page. Doing so will open an email form.
Step 3. Enter the recipient's email address
Click the "To" text box at the top of the form and enter the email address to which you want to send your email.
Step 4. Write a subject
Click on the "Add a subject" text box and write what your email is about.
The subject line usually serves to give the recipient an idea about the purpose of your email
Step 5. Write your email
Click in the text box below the "Subject" field and enter the body of the email.
- You can select a part of the email text and click on one of the formatting options at the bottom of the window (for example, B for bold).
- If you want to add photos or files to the email, click the clip icon at the bottom of the window and then select an option.
Step 6. Click Submit
It's a blue button in the lower-left corner of the pop-up window. When clicked, the email will be sent to the specified recipient.
Step 7. Send an email from the Yahoo mobile application
If you downloaded the Yahoo app on your iPhone or Android device, you can also send emails from there:
- Open the Yahoo Mail mobile app.
- Tap the pencil icon in the lower right corner of the screen.
- Enter an email address in the "To" text box.
- Write a subject in the "Subject" text box.
- Write your email in the main text field.
- Add photos or files by tapping one of the icons at the bottom of the email section.
- Touch Send to send your email.
Advice
- It is important that you keep a draft of the email as you write it. Gmail automatically saves draft messages, but other email providers don't.
- It would be nice if you have two email addresses (for example, one for work and one for socializing) to better focus the topics of your inbox.