Use Smart Drafts on demand

Smart Drafts is the on-demand way to write with Chiefy. Whenever you’re replying to a thread or starting a new email, you can ask Chiefy for a draft, give it a short instruction, and shape the result before it goes anywhere. It works inside Gmail compose, so you never leave your inbox.

This is the manual companion to Autodraft, which prepares replies automatically. With Smart Drafts on demand, you choose exactly when to ask.

Before you start

You’ll need the Chiefy extension installed and your inbox connected. New to Chiefy? Start with Getting started first.

Write a draft on demand

1. Open a compose window

   In Gmail, reply to a thread or start a new email. Smart Drafts works in both modes — replying to an existing conversation or composing something fresh.

2. Start Smart Drafts A

   In the compose toolbar, select the Chiefy button (Write with Chiefy, or press Ctrl+J / ⌘J) to start Smart Drafts. A small writing panel opens inside the compose window.

   New Message

   To Bayview Cottages

   On Tue, Aug 12, Bayview Cottages wrote:

   How would you like to respond to this email?

   Send A

3. Describe what you want to say

   Type a brief instruction — for example, “confirm the two rooms and ask for an arrival time” or “thank them and decline politely.” You don’t need full sentences; a short prompt is enough. If something important is missing, Chiefy may ask a quick clarifying question before it writes.

4. Review the draft

   Chiefy writes the draft and shows it in the panel. Read it over before you do anything with it — you can refine it right there if it isn’t quite right.

5. Adjust tone and length (optional)

   With the draft showing, the refine box appears below it. Open it and pick a tone — casual, formal, professional, friendly, or direct — or a length — very short, short, medium, or long. Chiefy rewrites the draft in that style. These controls work the same way whether you’re replying or composing a new email.

6. Insert and send

   When you’re happy with the draft, insert it into the compose body, make any final edits, and send it yourself. Chiefy never sends for you.

How Chiefy writes in your voice

Smart Drafts isn’t a generic text generator. Before it writes, Chiefy reads the thread you’re replying to for context and can search your earlier emails and contacts so the draft sounds like you and fits the relationship. That’s why a Smart Draft usually lands closer to “ready to send” than a blank-page prompt would.

The more specific your instruction, the better the result — but a one-line nudge is often all it needs.

Refine without starting over

If the first draft isn’t quite right, you don’t have to rewrite your instruction. Open the refine box below the draft and pick an action:

• Rewrite — write it again from scratch using the same intent and context
• Improve and polish — tighten clarity and flow while keeping the meaning
• Simplify — plainer language and shorter sentences
• Fix typos and grammar — clean up spelling, grammar, and punctuation only

You can also adjust the tone or length, or type your own instruction (for example, “make it warmer” or “add a sign-off”), and Chiefy rewrites the draft. Refine as many times as you need until it reads the way you want.

Reply mode and new email mode

Smart Drafts works two ways:

• Replying to a thread — Chiefy uses the conversation history so the reply answers what was actually asked.
• Composing a new email — Chiefy starts from your instruction and your writing style, since there’s no thread to draw on.

The flow is the same either way: describe what you want, review the draft, adjust tone and length, then send.

Smart Drafts never sends for you

Every Smart Draft waits for you. Chiefy writes and refines, but it never sends — you review the draft, make any edits, and click Send yourself. You stay in full control of what leaves your inbox.

Want Chiefy to prepare replies before you even open a thread? Turn on Autodraft. To get more out of every draft, see Tone, voice, and directives.