Gmail: Create a draft — MCP tool
Gmail MCP tool: Creates a draft email in the mailbox without sending anything.
Technical name: create_draft
What task it solves
I want to prepare an email before it goes out.
A draft holds the composed email where the user can see, edit and approve it — the safe intermediate step between "write this" and "send this".
When to use it
For any consequential email: draft first, let a human review, then send_draft. Also for reply drafts the user will finish in Gmail themselves.
What to provide
All fields are optional — an empty draft is legal — but a useful one carries:
to,cc,bcc— recipients.subject— the subject line.body_text/body_html— the content (both together become multipart/alternative).thread_id,in_reply_to,references— for a reply draft: the original'sthreadIdandheaders.messageIdfrom get_message, plus the original subject withRe:.
What it returns
The draft_id (needed by get/update/send/delete draft tools) and the underlying message's id/threadId.
What changes in Gmail
A new draft appears in the mailbox's Drafts. Nothing is sent; the draft can be edited or deleted freely.
Example request
Draft a polite follow-up to the supplier asking about the delivery date — I'll review it before it's sent.
Errors and limitations
Line breaks in addresses or the subject are rejected (header-injection guard). Attachments cannot be added through this tool. The draft's recipients are stored but unused until it is sent. Access also depends on token permissions, quotas, and upstream API limits.
Related MCP tools
- Read a draft — verify the content.
- Update a draft — replace the content.
- Send a draft — the moment it becomes real mail.
Technical details
- Impact: changes data
- Group: Drafts
- Description source:
create_draftregistration insrc/tools/drafts.ts - Full technical reference
- All MCP capabilities