“You have reached a limit for sending mail”: what to do

You sent your mail merge, and partway through, Gmail stopped with "You have reached a limit for sending mail." Some of your emails went out. The rest didn't, and now you can't send anything at all.

This page explains what the message means, how long the block lasts, why it can appear well before 2,000 emails, and how to restart without hitting it again. It's written for Google Workspace users sending in bulk from their own work address.

What does "You have reached a limit for sending mail" mean?

It means your account went over one of Gmail's sending limits, so Google has paused new outgoing email for a while. Google sets these limits to keep accounts safe and to stop spam, and they apply to every Gmail account.

During the pause, your account still works. You can read new emails, and Drive, Calendar and your other Google apps work as normal. Only sending is blocked.

You might see slightly different wording for the same thing, such as "You reached a Gmail sending limit" or "You exceeded the maximum recipients." They all mean you've hit a limit.

How long does the sending block last?

For Google Workspace accounts, Google says you can't send new emails for up to 24 hours. After that, your limits reset and you can send again. For free @gmail.com accounts, Google says you should be able to send again within 1 to 24 hours.

There's a catch that trips people up: Gmail doesn't reset at midnight. Google counts your sends over a rolling 24 hours. So the emails you sent at 3pm yesterday still count against you at 10am today.

That's why trying again "tomorrow morning" sometimes fails. Give it a full 24 hours from your last big batch.

Why did you hit the limit before 2,000 emails?

Because 2,000 a day is only the headline number. Several smaller limits sit underneath it, and the first one you reach is the one that stops you.

A few things that catch people out:

• You're on a trial. Workspace trial accounts are limited to 500 emails a day, and Google doesn't raise that during the trial.
• You used Gmail's mail merge. Once your regular emails and merge emails add up to 1,500 in a day, Gmail stops sending merge emails. The last 500 are kept for normal email.
• Other sending counts too. Emails from an alias (another address on your account), from someone with delegated access, and automatic vacation replies all count.
• Cc and Bcc count. Every address on every email counts, so one Bcc on a 500-person merge doubles your total.

If your account is new, read why new Google Workspace accounts can only send 500 emails a day.

For every limit side by side, see our guide to Gmail and Google Workspace sending limits.

Can you get sending back sooner?

Sometimes, if someone at your company manages your Google Workspace account (your admin). Google lets admins switch sending back on from the Admin console:

1. In the Google Admin console, go to Menu > Directory > Users.
2. Click the person's name to open their account page.
3. At the top right, click Reactivate, then click Reactivate again to confirm.

Google says sending is back within 15 minutes. If the Reactivate button isn't there, you have to wait up to 24 hours.

Google allows this 5 times per account each calendar year. After that, nobody can reset it early, including Google Support. So treat it as a one-off, not a routine.

Don't switch to a colleague's address to finish the send. Each address has its own limits, and you'd be starting the same problem on a second inbox.

How do you restart sending without hitting the limit again?

Wait, then send less each day than you did before. Here's how:

1. Count what's already gone. Open your Sent folder and note how many emails went out in the last 24 hours, including anything you sent by hand.
2. Take out the people who already got it. Most mail merge tools mark who was sent to. Remove those rows so nobody gets the email twice.
3. Split the rest across days. Break the remaining list into smaller daily batches that leave room for your normal email.
4. Check your add-ons. Tools that send from your Gmail account use the same daily allowance as emails you send yourself.

How big should each batch be? That depends on your inbox's history, not just Google's limit. Our guide on how many emails you can send a day without landing in spam explains how to work it out.

Staying under the limit isn't the same as landing in the inbox

Google's limits are a ceiling, not a target. An inbox with little sending history that suddenly sends hundreds of emails can look suspicious to Gmail and Outlook, even if it stays under 2,000. Your emails get sent, but many can land in spam.

Warmup builds trust in your inbox. It can't make people want an email they didn't expect. The other half is up to you:

• Email people who expect to hear from you. Google recommends getting clear consent before sending bulk or commercial email.
• Make it easy to opt out. Gmail's mail merge adds an unsubscribe link for you. Stop emailing anyone who asks.
• Keep it clear and relevant. People who don't find your emails useful are more likely to mark them as spam, and those reports hurt your reputation fast.

If you're worried about what's in the email itself, read what really sends a mail merge to spam.

Before you hit send

• Has it been a full 24 hours since your last big batch?
• Is today's batch below your daily limit, with room left for normal email?
• Does everyone on the list expect to hear from you, and can they unsubscribe easily?
• Not sure how fast to build up? Plan it with the free warmup schedule calculator.

Warmuply warms up your Google Workspace inbox in the background and shows you a safe-send number every day: how many emails your inbox can safely send today. Use it in YAMM, Gmail mail merge or whatever you already use. Start a free 7-day trial