Draft an apology email to [RECIPIENT] about [WHAT HAPPENED]. The verified facts are [FACTS]. The likely or confirmed impact on them is [IMPACT]. My approved remedy or next step is [REMEDY], and the tone should be [TONE]. The relationship context and any relevant timing are [CONTEXT]. Write with accountability: state the mistake plainly, acknowledge the impact without overstating what I know, and give the recipient a concrete next step. Do not lead with an explanation, blame a colleague, use passive phrasing to hide responsibility, demand forgiveness, or make the recipient reassure me. Do not invent facts, legal conclusions, refunds, credits, delivery dates, policy exceptions, or promises. If the facts indicate a safety, privacy, discrimination, contractual, regulatory, or legal issue, flag it for the appropriate internal or professional review before the email is sent. Output three parts: 1. A subject line and an email of 120-180 words. 2. A shorter version of 60-90 words for a quick repair. 3. A sentence-by-sentence note identifying the acknowledgment, responsibility, remedy, and invitation to respond. Use "I" or "we" consistently based on [SENDER]. Include a specific invitation for the recipient to tell me what remains unresolved, but do not burden them with fixing the problem. Before answering, verify that every factual claim and remedy comes from my inputs and that the apology does not contain a hidden excuse. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [RECIPIENT] | Enter who will receive the email and their relationship to you. | Maya Chen, a long-time design client |
| [WHAT HAPPENED] | Enter a short, factual description of the error or harm. | we missed the agreed Tuesday delivery of the homepage copy |
| [FACTS] | Enter only verified facts, including dates or order details if relevant. | the deadline was September 16; our draft was not sent; we learned Monday that source material was incomplete but did not tell Maya until Wednesday |
| [IMPACT] | Enter the known or likely effect on the recipient. | Maya delayed her developer handoff and had to reschedule a review meeting |
| [REMEDY] | Enter the remedy, correction, or next step you are authorized to offer. | send the completed draft by 3 p.m. Thursday and include one revision round at no extra charge |
| [TONE] | Enter the appropriate tone, such as warm and personal or formal and concise. | direct, professional, and warm |
| [CONTEXT] | Enter relevant relationship history, urgency, and timing. | Maya has worked with us for two years; she needs the copy before Friday morning |
| [SENDER] | Enter whether the email should use I or we. | we |
How to use
- Gather verified facts and the exact remedy you can actually deliver before drafting.
- Paste the prompt and choose the version that matches the seriousness and communication channel.
- Remove any sentence that explains the failure before it acknowledges the recipient’s experience.
- Follow up with: "Make the 120-word version more formal and preserve the approved remedy exactly as written."
Variations
Late delivery
Use this after missing a project, order, or service deadline.
Draft an apology email to [RECIPIENT] for a missed [DELIVERABLE] deadline. Verified facts: [FACTS]. The impact is [IMPACT]. I am authorized to offer [REMEDY]. Write a 130-word email with a direct subject line, acknowledgment, responsibility, revised commitment, and a contact point for unresolved concerns. Do not blame suppliers, coworkers, or the recipient, and do not promise anything outside the remedy. Flag legal, contractual, or privacy concerns. Check that every date and promise matches my inputs.
Customer service error
Use this when a customer received the wrong service, order, or information.
Write a customer-service apology to [CUSTOMER] about [ERROR]. Use these verified details: [FACTS]. Their impact was [IMPACT], and the approved resolution is [RESOLUTION]. Produce a 100-140 word email and a 40-word support-chat version. Name the error plainly, explain the next action and timing only where supplied, and invite a reply if the resolution does not address the issue. Do not invent credits, refunds, policy exceptions, or delivery dates. Check the drafts against the approved resolution.
Personal apology
Use this for a personal message where repair matters more than explanation.
Help me write a personal apology to [PERSON] for [ACTION]. The facts I can honestly own are [FACTS], and the effect I understand is [IMPACT]. I plan to make repair through [NEXT STEP]. Write a message of 100-150 words that takes responsibility, names the impact without claiming to know their feelings, and gives them room to respond or take space. Do not justify my behavior, ask for immediate forgiveness, or invent details. Check that the message does not turn into an explanation.
Tips
- A useful apology contains an actual repair step. If you cannot yet offer one, say when you will provide an update rather than inventing certainty.
- Use the recipient’s concrete inconvenience or loss of trust, not inflated language about your own regret.
- Keep cause and accountability separate. Operational context may matter later, but it should not appear before the acknowledgment.
- For a serious complaint, privacy incident, injury, discrimination concern, or contract dispute, follow your organization’s legal, HR, or compliance process before sending a draft.
FAQ
Should an apology email explain why the mistake happened?
Only if the explanation helps the recipient understand the remedy and does not sound like an excuse. Lead with responsibility and impact first.
How long should an apology email be?
For most work issues, 120 to 180 words is enough to acknowledge, repair, and invite a response. Serious situations may require a reviewed formal response.
Can AI write an apology for a legal or privacy issue?
It can help organize a draft, but do not send it without the appropriate legal, compliance, HR, or privacy review.