How to set up Gmail to use IMAP

Gmail is the most widely used email provider in the world, but you might not want to use it through the web or a dedicated email client. Here's how to set up Gmail to use IMAP so you can access it through your favorite email client.

Why use IMAP with Gmail?

Since Google started offering Gmail as a free service in 2004, its offers have been extremely generous, and even today it will give you 15GB of storage. Gmail also appears as an app on most mainstream Android phones, giving it unquestioned market dominance. Of course, alternative email clients now offer similar or better services than Gmail.

However, by signing in to the web interface or using the Gmail app, you give Google details about what you're doing elsewhere on the web, and your activity can be linked to your Google account. Google can even track you when you're using a private or incognito window. While this can be helpful, you may consider it an unnecessary intrusion.

If you want to use a third-party email client with Gmail, you need to enable IMAP and SMTP.

How to enable IMAP and SMTP in Gmail

In the Gmail web interface, click the cog icon to open the sidebar and then click See all settings . This section gives you access to all the configuration options available in Gmail. Click forwarding and POP/IMAP, then scroll down to IMAP. By default, IMAP is disabled. To enable it, click the button next to Enable IMAP .

You can also set options for what you want to happen when you mark messages as deleted in IMAP, as well as options for archiving and deletion. When you are satisfied with your selection, click Save changes .

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Configure your email client to work with Gmail

Now that Gmail is set up to work with IMAP, you may need to configure your email client to access Gmail using IMAP.

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While many email clients will automatically configure themselves as soon as you enter your Gmail address, others will not. There are some great free email clients for the desktop. These are the settings you need:

1. IMAP server address: imap.gmail.com
2. IMAP port: 993
3. Requires IMAP TLS/SSL: Yes
4. IMAP Username: Your Gmail address
5. IMAP Password: Your Gmail password

You also need to enter SMTP settings to send emails with Gmail.

1. SMTP server address: smtp.gmail.com
2. SMTP port (TLS): 587
3. SMTP port (SSL): 465
4. Requires Gmail SMTP TLS/SSL: Yes
5. SMTP Username: Your Gmail address
6. SMTP Password: Your Gmail password

By enabling IMAP with Gmail, you can access your Gmail email using the email client of your choice. It's more secure and you only need to set it up once.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 13 September 2023