Generate vs Rewrite in Gmail: Which Context Is Used?
Side-by-side: Gmail Generate Reply can use thread, reply prompt, knowledge base, and What I want to say. Rewrite Message uses rewrite prompt and draft only. When to pick each.
You are in Gmail compose and AGNURA shows two AI actions: Generate Reply and Rewrite Message. They look similar. They send different context to managed AI.
Best for summary
| Your situation | Prefer |
|---|---|
| You need a reply grounded in the conversation | Generate Reply |
| You already have wording and want a polish pass | Rewrite Message |
| You want the model to use your knowledge base | Generate Reply |
| You want to avoid sending thread history again | Rewrite Message |
This page compares the two approaches inside AGNURA AI Assistant (made by AGNURA). It is not a vendor bake-off against another product. For the step-by-step Generate Reply path, see How to Generate a Gmail Reply With Thread Context. Hub: Research-to-Email Outreach: From Website Context to a Reviewed Gmail Draft.
Direct answer
Generate Reply can send your reply prompt, optional What I want to say, shared knowledge base, and the Original email / thread text.
Rewrite Message sends your shared rewrite prompt and the compose draft only. It does not load thread history or knowledge base by design.
Neither action sends mail. You review, insert, and click Send in Gmail.
Comparison criteria
| Criterion | What we mean |
|---|---|
| Primary job | New reply vs polish existing draft |
| Context sent to managed AI | Which fields leave the browser on click |
| Prompt source | Email reply prompt vs shared rewrite prompt |
| Thread / conversation | Loaded or not |
| Knowledge base | Included or not |
| One-run steering | What I want to say available or not |
| Insert behavior | Manual insert; quoted thread handling |
| Privacy surface | How much conversation text is transmitted |
| Fit | When each action is the better first click |
Side-by-side: what each action is strong at
Generate Reply
Strengths
- Builds a reply when the compose box is empty or thin
- Can expand/scrape the Gmail thread (best-effort Expand all, then scrape)
- Uses standing Reply prompt (Settings → Email Prompts)
- Can include shared knowledge base for facts about you/your offer
- Optional What I want to say steers this one run without saving to Settings
- Steers the model to write as you; follow-up vs reply depends on who spoke last in the loaded thread
Trade-offs
- Sends more context (thread + KB) to AGNURA managed AI (credits)
- Thread load can fail or truncate; you may need Edit + paste
- Not the right tool if you only want to rephrase a finished paragraph
Rewrite Message
Strengths
- Fast polish of text already in compose
- Smaller context bundle: rewrite prompt + draft only
- Shared Rewrite Prompt (same settings store used across Gmail, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Reddit rewrite actions)
- Insert into message replaces your draft while keeping quoted thread content below
- Better when you do not want to re-transmit the full conversation
Trade-offs
- Will not “catch up” on messages missing from the draft
- Does not use knowledge base or thread scrape
- Weak if the compose box is empty
Context map (what managed AI receives)
| Input | Generate Reply | Rewrite Message |
|---|---|---|
| AGNURA sign-in + model | Yes | Yes |
Reply prompt (replyPrompt) | Yes | No |
Rewrite prompt (rewritePrompt) | No | Yes |
| What I want to say | Yes (optional) | No (rewrite modal is draft/prompt focused) |
| Knowledge base | Yes (or none) | No |
| Original email / thread | Yes (auto-load or paste) | No |
| Compose draft as source | Not the primary source | Yes (loaded from compose) |
Both calls are user-triggered. Nothing is sent until you click Generate Reply or Rewrite in the modal.
Decision framework
| If… | Then… | Because… |
|---|---|---|
| The reply box is empty and you need an answer to their last email | Generate Reply | Thread context is the main input |
| You already wrote most of the reply and want clearer wording | Rewrite Message | Draft-only context matches the job |
| You need a fact from your knowledge base in the answer | Generate Reply | KB is included there |
| The thread is sensitive and you already summarized the point in draft | Rewrite Message | Smaller payload |
| You sent the last message and need a nudge follow-up | Generate Reply (with thread loaded) | Product steers follow-up vs reply from last speaker |
| You only need linkify or dictation | Use Convert links or Voice to Text | Those are different menu actions |
You can combine them: Generate Reply → edit → Rewrite Message for a final polish. Still review before Send.
Pricing and usage notes
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| AGNURA extension | Free Chrome install |
| OpenAI usage | Uses AGNURA credits for both Generate and Rewrite |
| Local settings | Prompts, KB, Activate Gmail stored in chrome.storage.local |
| Last verified | 2026-10-02 (product behavior from current AGNURA Gmail compose docs/source) |
Local settings are not the same as local AI inference. Generate/Rewrite calls managed AI. See Local Settings vs Local AI: The Privacy Difference.
Poor-fit cases
| Action | Poor fit when… |
|---|---|
| Generate Reply | You only want to rephrase a finished draft; you refuse to send thread text to managed AI; thread will not load and you will not paste |
| Rewrite Message | Compose is empty; you need the model to read the full prior email; you expect knowledge-base facts to appear automatically |
| Either | You want auto-send, inbox search across all mail, or Gmail API automation. AGNURA does not do those jobs |
How this fits the AGNURA Gmail workflow
Both actions live under the AGNURA AI compose menu when Activate Gmail is on:
- Convert URL and email to links
- Generate Reply
- Rewrite Message
- Voice to Text
Generate Reply owns conversation-aware drafting. Rewrite Message owns draft-only rewriting. First-touch outreach from a website still starts in the popup (Send Email / Generate AI Email), not these two buttons: How to Personalize an Outreach Email From Website Research.
Related guides
- How to Generate a Gmail Reply With Thread Context
- Research-to-Email Outreach: From Website Context to a Reviewed Gmail Draft
- How to Personalize an Outreach Email From Website Research
- Sign In and Use AGNURA AI Credits
- AGNURA Privacy in Plain Language
- AGNURA Feature Reference by App and Action
Soft next step
Open one real Gmail reply. If the box is empty, run Generate Reply once. If you already have a draft, run Rewrite Message once. Compare the context fields in each modal before you insert. Install AGNURA if you need the menu:
Try AGNURA in Chrome
Draft in Gmail, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Reddit. You review every message before send.
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