What Is Email aka Electronic Mail?

Electronic mail, commonly known as email, is a digital message between two or more people. To compose an email, the sender uses a keyboard (or sometimes, voice) to type a message on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Email messages are sent digitally to the receiver via the program's Send button or icon.

What Do I Need to Send an Email?

An email address is required to send or receive an email message. The address is unique to each user. To access and store emails, you need an internet-based application or a dedicated program on your computer.

All emails contain the same core elements:

• A To section to indicate recipients.
• A Send button.
• A subject line.
• Typically, CC, BCC, and Send All are among the additional options.

What Is an Email Address?

Emails are sent to an email address from another email address. Email addresses are written with a custom username at the beginning, followed by the email service provider's domain name, with an @ sign separating the two. Here's an example: name@gmail.com.

If you're not sure what your email address is, there are ways to find out.

What Does 'Send an Email' Mean?

When you finish composing an email message and have addressed it to another email address, sending it allows the message to reach the intended recipient. A Send button or icon is part of every email program.

Then, servers transmit the message from your address to the recipients. SMTP is the protocol used to send email messages, and POP or IMAP servers are needed to download electronic mail to the email client.

What Is an Email Client?

An email client is a computer program used to read and send electronic messages. Typically, the client downloads messages from the server for local use (or for use within a browser) and uploads messages to the server for delivery to its recipients.

How Do I Open New Mail?

Tap the new email (on a phone) or click it (on a computer) to open and read the message. Every email program works a little differently. For example, Gmail lets you open a new email in the same window as your inbox, or you can choose to open the message in its own window.

What Are File Attachments?

You can attach a picture or other file type to send to the recipient. These add-ons are called file attachments.

Why Is Email Popular?

The speed at which an email can be sent and received is a benefit to most people. Most of us can now communicate in minutes or seconds from anywhere, whether it's in the same building or around the world.

Emails are usually faster and easier than a phone call. Plus, there's no danger of being put on hold or forced to engage in lengthy conversations. If you have a quick question for someone, send them an email. It's simple to attach a file to an email message.

Email accounts are like large folders for private messages, files, and other important information. Good email clients make it easy to organize, archive, and search your messages, so any information contained in an email is readily accessible.

Email provides a record of a conversation, which you don't get with verbal communication. It's easy to print emails or store your emails in the cloud (space your service provider has allotted to you).

Unlike texting, you can write as much as you want in an email's unlimited space. Email services are typically free, too.

Most email providers give you an email account at no charge. Select your own email address, send and receive all the electronic mail you want, and store everything online without ever paying a dime. Some email services are built specifically for privacy and security, so you can be confident that messages and files are hidden from everyone but the intended recipients.

The Problem of Spam

Email's biggest problem is unsolicited mail, more commonly known as spam. With hundreds of these junk emails in your inbox, the occasional good email can get lost. However, sophisticated filters exist to remove the advertising and other unwanted material automatically.