# Answer the mail that waits on you

> June tells you which recent mails need an answer from you and drafts the replies. It can also tidy Gmail or IMAP mail after approval.

Source: https://www.dearjune.ai/docs/recipes/inbox-triage

You get a short list of the mails that need an answer from you, and a reply drafted for each one you pick, waiting in your Drafts folder.

## What you need

- **A mailbox:** Gmail or IMAP on the **Mailbox** card ([Mailbox](/docs/integrations/mailbox)), or Outlook through [Microsoft 365](/docs/integrations/microsoft-365).

## Set it up

1. In one of your own chats, ask June to go through your mail for a period, and say what counts as needing you.
2. June lists what needs an answer, with one line on what each sender wants.
3. Pick the ones to answer. June saves a reply to each as a draft in the same mail thread. Change what you like in your mail app and send.

> Example prompt: Go through my unread mail since Monday. Which ones need an answer from me? Skip newsletters and notifications

> Example prompt: Draft replies to the first three. Short, and say I will confirm the date by Thursday

> Example prompt: Archive the newsletters and notifications you skipped

By default, in Gmail and IMAP, June shows a card that lists the mails and the change before changing messages. Gmail supports labels; IMAP supports flags and moves between mailboxes. Each card covers up to 50 mails. Review the account and selected messages before clicking **Approve**; saved permissions can allow later changes without a card. See [Approvals](/docs/settings/approvals).

You can also ask for a reminder to send the drafts, naming the time and time zone.

If a draft names a promise you did not make, correct it before sending; the instruction supplies the tone, not the facts.

For the list every morning without asking, use a schedule with the `integrations` toolset on, from the form or by asking June; see [two ways June comes back](/docs/recipes#two-ways-june-comes-back).

## Check the result

Open the original mail thread before using a draft. Check who will receive it, whether the reply answers the sender's question, and whether a date or promise needs changing.

You are done when the mails needing your attention are clear and the replies you chose are waiting as drafts. You can stop there; adding a reminder or a repeating readout is optional.

For a daily version, continue with [The morning readout](/docs/recipes/morning-readout). If the wrong mailbox was used, name the connection or email address in your next message; see [Integrations](/docs/integrations).

## What June does not do

- This recipe asks for drafts. Gmail can also send through June following your approval settings; IMAP and Outlook do not offer sending.
- Mail changes ask for approval by default. Gmail and IMAP support different changes; Outlook in this workflow supports reading and drafts. It never deletes a mail for good. Reading a mail does not mark it as read.
- It does not watch your inbox. It reads mail when you ask, or when a schedule runs.