Gmail POP IMAP SMTP Settings

Gmail POP and IMAP servers refer to the incoming servers, POP and IMAP is what allows you to download messages from Gmail’s servers onto your computer through an email client. Gmail SMTP servers are the outgoing servers, the SMTP server allows you to send emails through your Gmail accounts from any email program. To download Gmail from mail server to your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad or other devices, you have to enable POP or IMAP in Gmail settings, then set up gmail with an email program via POP or IMAP on your device. Gmail is compatible with many email programs like Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, Outlook express, Mail app on iPhone/iPad/iPod touch, Android mail, etc.

What’s the difference between POP and IMAP? Check out this comparison between POP3 and IMAP mail.

Gmail POP Settings

The Gmail POP3 server settings for accessing Gmail accounts in any email program is: pop.gmail.com, SSL enabled with port 995. This is the Google Gmail incoming mail server (POP3 server) configuration over SSL secure connection.

Your full email address is your Account Name or User Name. Do not forget to include @gmail.com part at the end of your email username. The password for Gmail POP settings is the password you use to access your Gmail messages from web browser.

Enable Gmail POP Access

The POP access to your Gmail account is turned off by default. If you like to connect your Gmail account with an email tool, you need to turn on its POP access from the web interface at first.

How do I enable POP access for Gmail?

• Sign in to your Gmail account.
• Click the gear icon to get the drop down menu and select Settings from the list.

• Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP, you will get a new tab as shows in below screenshot. Under POP Download, select one of the following options:

1. Enable POP for all mail (even mail that’s already been downloaded)
– If you select this option, all old and new e-mail will be downloaded to your computer or other devices via email clients.
2. Enable POP for mail that arrives from now on
– If you select this option, only new e-mail will be downloaded to your computer or other devices via email clients.

You can also choose to keep a copy of all emails in your Gmail account. To do that, select Keep Gmail’s copy in the inbox besides the When messages are accessed with POP. See above figure.

• Click Save Changes.

When you enable POP, your settings display ‘POP Status: POP is enabled.’ If your POP settings are turned off, the status will indicate that POP is disabled.

Gmail IMAP Settings

The other incoming mail server settting for Gmail (Gmail IMAP Settings)is: imap.gmail.com, requires SSL, use port 993.

Your full email address is your Account Name or User Name. Do not forget to include @gmail.com part at the end of your email username. The password for Gmail POP settings is the password you use to access your Gmail messages from web browser.

You can retrieve your Gmail messages with a client or device that supports IMAP, like Mail on iPhone iPad, Android Main or Microsoft Outlook.

Enable Gmail IMAP Access

1. Sign in to Gmail account.
2. Click the gear in the top right.
3. Select Settings from the jump down menu.
4. Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
5. Select Enable IMAP.
6. Click Save Changes.

Gmail SMTP Settings

Gmail SMTP server is smtp.gmail.com. For port, you can use either 587 or 465 for TLS/STATTLS or SSL separately. Select Yes for both the Requires SSL and Requires authentication settings. If there is any other setting required, use the same ones you supplied for the incoming mail server.

The Email Address and Password are your email username and its password for your Gmail account.

These are the settings needed to access your Gmail account using an email client such as MS Outlook, Thunderbird, Mail App for iOS, Zimbra, Foxmail, etc.

Do you use Gmail with an email client? Share with us your experience in the comment area below.