Why This Common Phrase Still Exists in 2025
It's 2025. We have AI that can write whole emails for us and sophisticated anti-spam systems that keep our inboxes well protected. Our devices can even read our messages aloud while we make our morning coffee. But even with all this tech, we're still stuck with old-school phrases that have been around for ages and just won't die. One of them is: "I hope this email finds you well."
So, is it a classic of polite communication that'll never go out of style, or is it a relic that's had its day?
To be honest, it's a bit of both, and the reason it carries on is down to a number of different factors. For most people, it's just common courtesy, the digital equivalent of a polite handshake we've all learned to do. For others, it's just a tried-and-tested template. Some use it because they can't be bothered to personalise each message, while others are just trying to be efficient. And for those who might be a bit anxious, it's like a social safety net – a way to soften a direct request.
But it depends on the context. In modern communication, with inboxes overflowing and everyone being bombarded with information, the phrase feels pretty generic to a lot of people. This is a problem. If your opening seems easy, readers might switch off and skip it, thinking it's just another irrelevant message.
I Hope This Email Finds You Well Meaning
Linguistic and Historical Origins
Formal greetings in letters are an old tradition, and early forms of them show very strict social hierarchies. The phrase "I hope this letter finds you well" came about because of the huge time difference between sending and receiving a letter. Before modern telecommunications, this could take weeks or months, which was a really uncertain time where the recipient's health or fortune could change a lot.
In this case, the phrase was a genuine expression of concern. The verb "finds" was literal, meaning "reaches" or "arrives to". The gist of it was, "I hope you're well when you get this". It was all about the fragility of life and the limitations of the medium, and it was a really common sentiment during the 18th century's "Great Age of Letter Writing".
Cliché vs. Courtesy: The Modern Debate
The perception of "I hope this email finds you well" is pretty polarised, with people defending it as professional courtesy and criticising it as a meaningless cliché.
The Case Against
The arguments against the phrase are primarily fourfold:
- Overused and Clichéd: It's so common in business emails that it's seen as background noise and gets filtered out.
- Inauthentic and Superficial: Because it's so formulaic, it often feels insincere, especially when it comes from a stranger or in a mass email. It could be seen as a thoughtless or manipulative way to lead up to a request.
- Old-Fashioned and Stiff: Its formal letter-writing origins can make it feel overly stiff for modern, agile workplace cultures, creating unnecessary distance.
- Inefficient "Fluff": In an age of email overload, many view it as non-essential text that wastes time and adds to cognitive load, preferring that senders get straight to the point.
The Case For
The phrase persists for several compelling reasons:
- Polite and Professional: It is widely understood as a standard convention of formal emails and a simple act of "common courtesy".
- Prevents Abruptness: A lot of professionals think that emails that just start with a request are impolite. A friendly opening line is key to breaking the ice and getting the conversation flowing.
- Adds Warmth: For some, the greeting is a small gesture of goodwill that makes an interaction feel more human, even if it is a formula.
- A Useful Template: It provides a safe and reliable template for those who are unsure how to begin a formal email, requiring little creative energy.
Hidden Implications: Formal, Vague, and Impersonal?
Yes, the phrase is all of those things. It's too formal, and that creates a gap where a bridge should be. It's all too vague – what does "well" even mean? It's totally impersonal, like a line copied and pasted with no thought at all.
When to Use It (and When You Shouldn’t)
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When it comes to email etiquette, it's not always easy to find the right balance. So where does our infamous phrase fit in?
Where to Place It (Within the Email Format)
This phrase typically sits in the very first line, right after the greeting:
Good vs. Bad Use Cases
Professional Emails:
- When it might be okay: In traditional, formal industries (like law firms or government correspondence). If you're writing to a very senior person for the very first time, it can signal conservative respect.
- When it's bad: Internal emails. Sending this to a colleague you see every day is absurd. It’s also weak in follow-ups or any ongoing conversation. You’ve already established contact; the pleasantries are done.
Personal Emails:
- Just don't. It's stiff, bizarre, and creates a formal distance.
Outreach & Sales Emails:
- This is the danger zone. If you start one of these emails with that phrase, you'll probably get no replies. It'll mark your message as a generic blast straight away. You haven't personalised it, and the person receiving it will definitely notice. You went out of your way to be nice, but it just made you look like another spammer.
The more impersonal or transactional the context, the more generic this line sounds. And when you’re trying to build trust or grab attention, sounding generic is fatal.
Real Examples of Tone Mismatch
That opener is trying to be polite, but the subject screams “aggressive pitch.” The tone is completely off. It feels scripted.
Now try this:
No fluff, all intent, more human. That gets read.
Impact on Open and Response Rates
Your email's first line is where you've got the most space to make an impact. Why? Most email clients (like Gmail and Outlook) show a preview of it in the inbox view.
When they see "I hope this email finds you well..." next to your name, they make a quick judgement. "This is a generic, low-value message." It's an easy signal for them to archive, delete, or ignore. If you don't engage with your audience, it can affect your reputation and your messages might end up in the spam folder. Being too polite can mess up your whole communication strategy.
I Hope This Email Finds You Well Alternatives
If you find yourself using this phrase in every situation, it probably isn't by choice. It's because you're not sure what else to say. So here are 7 better I hope this email finds you well alternatives, grouped by tone and use case.
🧑 Casual or Internal Messages
- Hope all is well.
- Hope you’re having a great week.
- Just a quick note to check in – how’s everything on your side?
- How have things been on your end lately?
- Was thinking about what you said the other day – had a follow-up.
- (No pleasantry at all). Sometimes, the most respectful thing is to just dive in, especially with busy colleagues. "Hi Tom, Quick question about the Q3 report..."
Light and human. You’re not pretending to be formal when you’re not.
💼 Business & Client-Facing Emails
- I had a quick thought after our last call.
- Came across something I think you’ll find interesting.
- Noticed your recent launch – congrats! Thought this might interest you.
- A quick update that aligns with what we discussed last time.
- We’ve worked with others in your space on this – thought it might be useful.
- One of our clients had a similar challenge – you might find this helpful.
These show intention, personalize without being creepy, and skip the small talk.
❄️ Cold Outreach or Networking
- I’ll get straight to it – I think we can help with [X].
- Quick question based on what you’re building.
- I’ve been following your work – impressive results.
- This may be the one email you’ll actually want to forward.
🎓 Messages to Teachers, Professors, or Academic Contacts
- I hope you're having a good start to the week.
- Just wanted to thank you again for the last class – really appreciated the discussion.
- I’ve been thinking about the topic you mentioned and wanted to follow up.
- Thanks again for your support recently – it means a lot.
- Appreciate your time last class – had a small clarification.
- Reaching out with a quick update on the project – thank you again for the guidance.
Get more inspiration in our related blog post – How to Start an Email: Best Openings for Every Situation
Email Opener Matrix
So ‘I hope this email finds you well’ isn't inherently bad. If your goal is to be purely formal, if you don't need personalization and you don't want to stand out to your recipient, then it’s a perfectly adequate choice. For very formal, hierarchical communication, you don't need to agonize over the opening; the phrase does its job and moves on.
But in most cases, where you want to build rapport, get a fast response, or simply be remembered, it's better to choose an alternative that shows you've put in a moment of thought.
Why Words Matter More in a World of Email Surveillance
We've been talking about how using the wrong words can be risky socially. Now, let's talk about the technical risk. The hard truth is that the words you use matter more than ever, not just to the person you're sending them to, but to the unseen machines watching in between.
How Big Tech Email Providers Handle Your Emails
Not only do mainstream email services store your data, they also store it unencrypted. This makes your inbox a treasure trove of information waiting to be accessed, scanned, breached or exploited.
They retain:
- Your messages
- Your attachments
- Your metadata (time, location, device)
All stored in a readable form.
This data powers their algorithms, trains their AI, and feeds a surveillance advertising economy. It also creates digital fingerprints – profiles based on your writing style, behaviour and interactions. Once they've got your fingerprints, they can be used for all sorts, like ad targeting and automatic filtering.
And let's not forget: these services are often targeted by data breaches andthe most sophisticated phishing attacks. If your messages are unencrypted, every breach means your full content is exposed, not just your login.
How AI Tools Are Now Scanning Your Email Tone and Intent
As we mentioned, your emails are stored without any email encryption. These days, most AI tools on these platforms need to analyse your content to work. This means that every sentence you write is analysed for tone, intent and behaviour.
For example, Gmail's AI integrations. They'll read your email to suggest replies, improve search, or categorise your messages. But there's a big downside to this "smart help": zero privacy. These systems are always scanning your private communications.
Want your emails to belong to you, not your provider? Time to switch.
Choose Atomic Mail and Stay Private
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