MergelineHow do I mail merge from a CSV file into Gmail?
Updated October 29, 2026
Google’s built-in mail merge reads from Google Sheets, so you would first import the CSV into a sheet. With Mergeline you can skip that: drop the CSV or Excel file straight in, and every column becomes a merge tag. Make sure the file has a header row and an email column. Mergeline removes duplicates and invalid addresses on import.
Get the file right
- The first row holds the column names: Email, FirstName, Company and so on.
- One person per row. No merged cells, no blank rows in the middle.
- Save as CSV in UTF-8 so names like “José” stay intact. Excel files (.xlsx) work too.
- Mergeline finds the email column on its own if it is called Email, E-mail, Email address or Mail.
Import and send
- Open Mergeline and start a new campaign.
- Drop the CSV or Excel file on the recipients step.
- Read the import summary: how many people, how many duplicates and invalid addresses were removed.
- Optionally press “Check addresses” to catch domains that do not exist.
- Write the email with tags that match your columns, like {{FirstName|there}}.
- Preview, send a test, then send.
If you prefer the Google route
Open Google Sheets, choose File, then Import, and upload the CSV. Keep the data on the first tab and as plain text, since Google’s mail merge reads only the first tab. Then use the sheet with Gmail’s mail merge if your plan has it, or paste the sheet link into Mergeline.
People on Reddit often ask for a plain “ELI5” of this. The short version: the file is the list, the tags are the blanks, and the tool fills them in once per row. Full walkthrough in the CSV and Excel guide.
Spot problems in the import summary
If the summary removes many duplicates, check whether your file has the same person on two rows with different details. If it flags many invalid addresses, look for spaces, missing dots or two addresses in one cell.
Read the full guide: Mail merge with Excel or CSV
Related answers
Sources
- Google: Send personalized emails with mail merge in Gmail
- r/excel: Google mail merge explained simply
Facts checked October 29, 2026. Google and other vendors change their limits and prices, so check the source before you rely on a number.
Mergeline does this from your own Gmail. Free for 60 emails a day with merge tags and no branding. Pro is $12 a month or $99 a year for follow-ups, scheduling and attachments.