What an email is and how to find yours
An email is a message you send or receive through the internet. Instead of writing on paper and mailing it, you type a message on a computer or phone, and it arrives in seconds. To read emails, you need an email account — a mailbox that lives on the internet.
You probably already have an email account if you have ever signed up for anything online: a job process, a bank account, a store loyalty program, or a social media account. The company that created your account sent you to an email provider — usually Gmail (Google), Outlook (Microsoft), or Yahoo. That provider is where your emails actually live.
To read your emails, you log in to your email provider's website or app using your email address and password. Once you are logged in, you see your inbox — a list of all the messages people have sent you.
Key Takeaways
- Your email account lives with a provider like Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo, and you log in with your email address and a password you created.
- On a computer, go to the provider's website (gmail.com, outlook.com, or yahoo.com) and enter your login details in the boxes on the screen.
- On a phone, read the email app for your provider, then log in the same way — with your email address and password.
- Once logged in, your inbox shows a list of emails; click or tap any message to open it and read the full text.
- If you cannot remember your password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the login screen to reset it.
Opening email on a computer or laptop
Start by opening a web browser — the program you use to look at websites, like Chrome, Safari, Edge, or Firefox. In the address bar at the top (the long white box where web addresses go), type the website for your email provider. If you use Gmail, type gmail.com. If you use Outlook, type outlook.com. If you use Yahoo, type yahoo.com. Then press Enter.
The website will load and show you a login screen. You will see two boxes: one that says "Email" or "Username" and one that says "Password." In the first box, type your full email address — the one that ends in @gmail.com, @outlook.com, @yahoo.com, or whatever your provider is. In the second box, type your password. Then click the blue button that says "Sign in" or "Log in."
If the password is correct, you will see your inbox — a list of emails, usually with the newest ones at the top. Each email shows the sender's name, the subject line (the title of the message), and the date it arrived. Click on any email to open it and read the full message.
Opening email on a phone or tablet
On a phone or tablet, you can read email through a web browser the same way you would on a computer — go to gmail.com, outlook.com, or yahoo.com and log in. But most people use an email app instead, which is faster and easier.
To get an email app, open the app store on your phone. On an iPhone, this is the App Store. On an Android phone, this is Google Play. Search for your email provider's name — "Gmail," "Outlook," or "Yahoo Mail" — and tap the button that says "Get" or "Install." The app will read to your phone.
Once the app is installed, open it and tap "Sign in" or "Log in." Type your email address in the first box and your password in the second box, then tap the sign-in button. Your inbox will appear, and you can tap any email to read it.
What to do if you forgot your password
If you type your password and the login screen says it is wrong, do not try guessing. Instead, look for a link that says "Forgot password?" or "Can't sign in?" and click it. This will take you to a recovery page.
The recovery page will ask you to prove you own the account. Usually it asks for a phone number or a backup email address — something you gave the provider when you created the account. Once you confirm your identity, the provider will let you create a new password. Write it down somewhere safe, or use a password manager (a program that remembers passwords for you) so you do not forget it again.
Understanding the parts of an email
When you open an email, you see several pieces of information. At the top is the sender's name and email address — who sent it to you. Below that is the subject line, which is the title or topic of the message. Then comes the date and time it arrived.
The main part of the email is the message itself — the actual text the sender wrote. Below the message, you might see attachments, which are files (like photos, documents, or PDFs) that the sender included. You can click on an attachment to open it or save it to your computer or phone.
At the bottom of the email are buttons you can use to reply (send a message back to the sender), forward (send the email to someone else), or delete (remove it from your inbox).
Organizing emails so you can find them later
As you receive more emails, your inbox can get crowded. Most email providers let you create folders to sort messages by topic. In Gmail, these are called labels. In Outlook and Yahoo, they are called folders. You can create a folder for work emails, bills, family messages, or anything else.
To create a folder, look for a button or menu option that says "Create folder," "New label," or a plus sign. Name the folder, then drag emails into it or use a rule that automatically sorts incoming emails. This makes it much easier to find an old message when you need it.
Staying safe when you open emails
Not every email is what it claims to be. Some emails are scams — messages designed to trick you into giving away passwords, money, or personal information. Before you click a link or open an attachment in an email, check that it really came from who it says it came from.
If an email asks you to "verify your account" or "confirm your password," it is almost certainly a scam. Real companies never ask for passwords in emails. If you are not sure whether an email is real, do not click anything in it. Instead, go directly to the company's website by typing the address in your browser, or call them on the phone number on your bill or statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I do not know which email provider I use?
Look at your email address. If it ends in @gmail.com, you use Gmail. If it ends in @outlook.com or @hotmail.com, you use Outlook. If it ends in @yahoo.com, you use Yahoo Mail. If it ends in something else, that is your provider's name.
Can I have more than one email account?
Yes. You can create a new account with any email provider at any time. Many people have one email for work, one for personal use, and one for shopping. You log in to each one separately, and they each have their own inbox.
What does "reply all" mean, and when should I use it?
Reply all sends your message to everyone who received the original email, not just the sender. Use it only when everyone needs to see your response. If you just want to answer the sender, use "reply" instead.
Is it safe to open attachments from people I do not know?
No. Attachments from strangers can contain viruses or malware that harm your computer or phone. Only open attachments from people you trust, and be cautious even then if you were not expecting the attachment.
How do I delete an email permanently?
Click or tap the email, then look for a trash or delete button (usually a trash can icon). The email moves to a trash or deleted items folder. Most providers keep deleted emails for 30 days before removing them forever, so you can recover them if you change your mind.