# How to follow up on an email with no response, with six polite templates > How to follow up on an email with no response: when to send, how to word it, six polite follow-up email templates by situation, and when to stop. Source: https://askmomo.app/blog/how-to-follow-up-on-an-email-with-no-response ยท Updated 11 October 2026 Most unanswered emails are not a no. They are a Tuesday. The right follow-up is short, assumes good faith, repeats the ask in one line and makes replying easy. Here is when to send it, how to write it, six templates you can paste, and the point at which you stop. ## How do you politely follow up on an email with no response? Wait three to five working days, reply in the same thread so the context is attached, open with one neutral line, restate the ask in a single sentence, and offer an easy out. Keep it under five sentences. Never say "as per my last email" or "just checking in" without a reason to reply. ## When to send the follow-up Timing depends on who you wrote to and why. [How many days to wait before following up](/blog/how-many-days-to-wait-before-following-up) has the full table; the short version: - Someone who owes you something they agreed to: 2 to 3 working days. - A warm contact you asked a favour of: 4 to 5 working days. - A cold or senior recipient: 5 to 7 working days. - After an interview: ask the timeline in the room, then follow up the day after it passes. - Invoices: on the due date, then every 7 days. ## The structure of a follow-up that gets answered ## Six polite follow-up email templates Replace the brackets. Keep the subject line the original one, so it threads. - Gentle reminder (general): "Hi [Name], bringing this back up in case it slipped. Could you let me know [the ask] by [day]? A one-line reply is fine. Thanks, [You]" - After a meeting or call: "Hi [Name], good to speak on [day]. As agreed, I've [what you did]. Could you send [what they owe] when you get a chance this week? Thanks, [You]" - After sending a proposal: "Hi [Name], following up on the proposal from [date]. Is there anything you'd like changed, or a timeline you're working to? Happy to hop on a 15-minute call if easier. [You]" - After an interview: "Hi [Name], thank you again for the conversation on [day]. You mentioned a decision by [date]; is there an update, or anything else you need from me? Best, [You]" - Unpaid invoice: "Hi [Name], a reminder that invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date]. Could you confirm when it will be paid, or let me know if anything is holding it up? Thanks, [You]" - Last follow-up (the close): "Hi [Name], I've not heard back so I'll assume this isn't a priority right now and stop chasing. If that changes, reply to this thread any time. All the best, [You]" ## What not to write - "As per my last email" or "as previously mentioned": reads as a reprimand. - "Just checking in" with no ask: gives them nothing to reply to. - A new thread: loses the context and looks like spam. - Three paragraphs: the longer the follow-up, the easier to defer. - Guilt: "I know you're busy, but" makes them defensive. Assume the email was missed. ## When to stop Three attempts over about three weeks is the ceiling for most situations: the original, a follow-up, a second follow-up, and the close. For invoices, keep going on a fixed schedule. For job applications, stop after the close. The close template above lets you stop without burning the relationship, and people often reply to it. ## Never miss one again The hard part is not writing the follow-up; it is remembering which of forty threads needs one. Gmail's nudges help a little. [Momo AI's follow-up tracking](/follow-up-tracking) watches every sent thread, flags the ones with no reply after your window, and writes the nudge in your own voice from your sent mail. You read the card and tap Send, or don't. Nothing goes out without you. The guide to [writing a follow-up reminder email](/blog/how-to-write-a-follow-up-reminder-email) goes deeper on tone. ## Questions ### How long should I wait before following up on an email? Three to five working days for most situations. Two to three if they agreed to something, five to seven for cold or senior recipients. ### How many times should I follow up? Up to three times over about three weeks, ending with a short close that gives them an easy way back. ### What is a polite way to say follow up? "Bringing this back to the top of your inbox", "following up on this", or "in case this slipped". Then restate the ask in one sentence. ### Should I follow up in the same thread or a new email? The same thread. It carries the context and is far less likely to be ignored or marked as spam. ## Related - [Know who hasn't replied, before you forget you asked](https://askmomo.app/follow-up-tracking) - [Replies that sound like you, waiting in Gmail Drafts](https://askmomo.app/email-drafts-in-your-voice) - [How Many Days to Wait Before Following Up on an Email](https://askmomo.app/blog/how-many-days-to-wait-before-following-up) - [How to Write a Follow-Up Reminder Email, With Templates](https://askmomo.app/blog/how-to-write-a-follow-up-reminder-email) - [How to Follow Up With an Investor by Email: 8 Situations](https://askmomo.app/blog/follow-up-email-to-investors) --- Momo AI (Ask Momo, askmomo.app) is an AI chief of staff for Gmail and Google Calendar, built in India. It triages your inbox, drafts replies in your voice to Gmail Drafts, tracks who hasn't replied and what you promised, schedules meetings over email, and sends a morning brief. Every email and cancellation waits for your approval.