Gmail.com supports IMAP / SMTP
That means you don't have to use Gmail.com webmail interface! You can check your emails using other email programs (like Mailbird, Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird). Using desktop email programs will make you more productive and your email will always be available, even offline.
Setup Your Gmail.com Account with Your Email Program Using IMAP
To access your Gmail.com email account from a desktop email program, you'll need the IMAP and SMTP settings below:
Need a desktop email application?
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Check our detailed instructions for your favorite email clients
Your full name
Your full email address
Step 1: Enter your name and email address. Click Continue.
Step 2: Mailbird is automatically detecting your email settings. Click Continue.
Step 3: All set! You can Add more accounts or Start using Mailbird.
Don't have Mailbird yet?
Mailbird might be able to detect server settings for Gmail.com automatically for you.
Give it a try now
Step 1: Click on the File tab in the upper-left corner of the Outlook window.
Step 2: Click Add Account.
Step 3: Enter your new email address and click Connect
Step 4: On the next screen, select IMAP
imap.gmail.com
993
SSL
smtp.gmail.com
587
TLS
Step 5: Add the following information and click Next
No time for Outlook?
Mailbird might be able to detect server settings for Gmail.com automatically for you.
Give it a try now
Step 1: In Mozilla Thunderbird, from the menu select Account Settings.
Step 2: In the bottom left corner, click Account actions and Add Mail Account...
Your full name
Your full email address
Your password
Step 3: Enter your email address and click on Configure manually...
imap.gmail.com
993
SSL
smtp.gmail.com
587
TLS
Step 4: Add the following information and click Done
No time for Thunderbird?
Mailbird might be able to detect server settings for Gmail.com automatically for you.
Give it a try now
Step 1: Click on the Setting icon in the bottom left.
Step 2: Click on Manage accounts.
Step 3: Click on + Add account.
Step 4: Click Advanced Setup.
Step 5: Click on Internet email.
Your full name
Your full email address
imap.gmail.com
smtp.gmail.com
Step 6: Enter the following information in the different fields.
No time for Windows Mail?
Mailbird might be able to detect server settings for Gmail.com automatically for you.
Give it a try now
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions for Gmail.com with their answers
1. What's the difference between IMAP and SMTP?
The short answer is that IMAP connects to your email providers' server and is used for receiving email while SMTP is used for sending mail to other servers.
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a protocol that requests that your email provider will save all of your messages and folders onto its own servers. This way, whether you are using an email client or webmail, you will be able to connect to your email account and view anything you have received because it’s always stored on their server.
STMP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the protocol for sending emails out of your account to other destinations. It enables your email client to connect to the server of your provider to send outgoing mail, especially to other servers.
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2. Does Mailbird Support IMAP? / Does Mailbird Support POP3?
Yes. Mailbird uses IMAP or POP3 to connect to most email providers. Mailbird’s technology can detect the server settings automatically when you enter your email address.
If it is unable to detect the settings, you can set up your email manually by entering the details your provider has listed for their server settings: like the IMAP or POP3 Port and IMAP or POP3 Security.
You will also need to enter the username and password you have assigned with your email provider.
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3. What does "port" mean in my email settings?
You can think of the "port" like an address number. The same way that an IP address identifies the location of a computer, the port identifies the application operating on that computer.
There are a few common port numbers, always use the recommended settings to configure your email server to Mailbird.
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4. How do I know if I need POP3 or IMAP?
If it is important to you to save space on your desktop, or if you’re worried about backing up your emails, select IMAP. This means that your emails will be stored on the server of your email provider.
POP3 will download your emails to be stored locally and then delete them from the server. This will free up space on your server, but if anything happens to your local storage, those emails won’t be available online. If you are comfortable exclusively having a local copy of your files, POP3 is a viable option.
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5. Can I set up Mailbird for Mac?
Mailbird for Mac is on it's way! Unfortunately, Mailbird is not yet available for our friends using Apple devices. If you'd like to be kept in the loop on Mailbird for Mac, click here.
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6. How can I import my old emails?
If your old emails are still available in your account, they will automatically be imported. IMAP protocol syncs your emails and folders with the email server, making it possible to manage your emails on any device that is connected to your account.
Once you add your Gmail.com account to Mailbird, it will grant you access to your emails immediately, no further action is required.
Note: If your emails are from your local server, it won’t be possible to import them because of IMAP protocols.
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7. How can I manually set up Gmail.com on Mailbird?
This page will walk you through setting up an email account to Mailbird. Step 6 refers to the manual process.
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8. How does Mailbird protect my privacy?
Our Privacy Policies and Terms of Use are 100% compliant with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as of 25 May 2018.
Mailbird cannot ever read any of your personal information. This includes your emails, attachments, and account passwords. Mailbird is a local client on your computer and all sensitive data is never shared with Mailbird or anyone else.
You may contact us directly at any time to review or opt out of the information we hold that pertains to you and your account. Please write to support@getmailbird.com.
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Have a different email provider?
Click your email provider below to learn how to connect to access your account with IMAP:
