Gmail is one of the most popular email services and is widely used across the globe. Most of us use Gmail as the main account for personal and professional work. If you wish to use Gmail on your Desktop for convenience, then you can use Outlook. Wondering if you can set up Gmail in Outlook?
Well, yes, you can do that by tweaking into Gmail settings. You can configure Gmail in Outlook 2019, 365, 2016, and also the older versions.
Prerequisite: Configuring Gmail Settings for Outlook
As mentioned before, to set up Gmail in Outlook requires a change in settings. You will need access to the Gmail account, that is the credentials to make those changes. Follow the instructions mentioned below and make the appropriate changes.
Enable Gmail IMAP/POP3 Settings
To send, receive, or access mails of your Gmail account from Outlook, you need to enable the Gmail IMAP settings or POP3. You need to enable only one out of both, and the choice depends on your needs and use.
When you enable IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), the mails only remain on the server and not on the local computer. And when you enable POP3 (Post Office Protocol) tries to keep the copy on the local device where the mails are accessed.
If you use public computers to access mails, you can enable Gmail IMAP settings, and if you have your device, you can opt to use the Gmail POP settings. Let’s check how to change the Gmail settings for Outlook access.
Step 1: Open your Gmail account on the browser of your choice.
Step 2: Navigate to your Inbox and click on the Settings icon in the top right. Click on the Settings from the Settings menu.
Step 3: Go to Forwarding and POP/IMAP section. You can enable POP3 or IMAP by clicking on the Enable option. In our case, we enabled IMAP. Click on Save Changes to save the changes you made to the settings.
Once you enable IMAP, you can go to the next step, which is to turn on access for less secure apps.
Turn On Access for Less Secure Apps
Your access to setup Gmail in Outlook will be blocked if access to a less secure app is turned off. You will get a message ‘attempt to sign in from a less secure app’ in the security events of your Gmail account.
Well, this can be avoided once you turn on the access to less secure apps. To do this, follow the simple instructions mentioned below.
Step 1: Copy the link given below into the new tab of the browser in which your Gmail account is opened.
Alternatively, you can click on your profile picture seen in the right corner of the screen and click on Manage your Google Account.
Step 2: Navigate to Security from the left panel of the settings.
Step 3: Scroll down to Less secure app access section. Once you see it, click on Turn on access (not recommended) under it.
Step 4: Toggle the switch to Allow less secure apps.
Once you allow access to less secure apps, you are done with all the prerequisites required to setup Gmail in Outlook.
How to Set up Gmail in Outlook 2016?
As the required changes in Gmail settings are done, you can easily add your Gmail account to Outlook. There are two ways to configure your Gmail account with Outlook.
- Manually set up incoming and outgoing servers and other additional information
- Automatic configuration of an incoming and outgoing server by just adding the credentials
You can go any of the ways. People who are comfortable adding all the required information can go the manual way. And the one who doesn’t wish to add all details themselves can go the automatic way.
Automatically Setup Gmail in Outlook 2016
Step 1: If you already have an email account in Outlook, then open Outlook 2016 and click on the File tab from the menu bar. Click on Add account
However, if you are new to Outlook and have never opened it before, then you will see a welcome message. When asked, ‘Do you want to set up Outlook to connect to an email account?’, click on Yes and then click on Next.
The process after this will be the same for both scenarios.
Step 2: Enter your Name, Gmail id, and password associated with your Gmail account. Keep the Manual setup or additional server types unselected. Once done, click on Next.
Step 3: Configuration will take place for a few minutes. Once you see all the ticks, click on Finish.
You can now set up Gmail in Outlook.
Manually Setup Gmail in Outlook 2016
If you wish to configure the incoming and outgoing server manually, follow the steps mentioned below. Well, if the automatic way doesn’t work for you, then also you can go for the manual configuration option.
Step 1: To start with adding an account, refer to step 1 of Automatic Setup.
Step 2: Enter all the details and select Manual setup or additional server types. Click on Next.
Step 3: On the next window, choose the account type as POP or IMAP and click on Next.
Step 4: Add the User, Server, and Logon Information. The user and login information depends on person to person. Well, the server information should be:
- For IMAP (if you enabled IMAP): imap.gmail.com as an incoming mail server and smtp.gmail.com as an outgoing server.
- For POP3 (if you enabled POP3): pop.gmail.com as an incoming mail server and smtp.gmail.com as an outgoing server.
Step 5: Click on More Settings, once you add all the required information.
Step 6: Navigate to the Outgoing server tab. Check if the checkbox next to My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication has a tick, if not, click on the checkbox. Now, click on Use same settings as my incoming mail server.
Step 7: Go to the Advanced tab and check for the following details.
- For POP3 Incoming Server: 995, For IMAP Incoming Server: 993
- Incoming Server encryption: SSL
- Outgoing Server (SMTP): 465 or 587
- Outgoing Server encryption: TLS
Once everything is checked, click on OK.
Step 8: Click on Test Account Settings to check if the details entered by you are correct.
Step 9: If you see all ticks on the test results, then click on Close. Lastly, Click on Finish when you see “You’re all set!”.
You have successfully set up Gmail in Outlook. and can now use your Gmail account in Outlook.
How to Set up Gmail in Outlook 365?
To set up Gmail in Outlook 365 is very convenient with the latest updates. All you need to have is your Gmail credentials, and you are all set to use Gmail in Outlook.
If you are adding the first account to Outlook 365, then add your Gmail account and click on Connect.
On the next window, enter the password and click on Connect. Once done, you can add an alternate email id or click on Done to finish the startup.
Well, if you already have an account in Outlook, click on File ➜ Add account.
And then, simply add email id and password to add your Gmail into Outlook.
How to Setup Gmail in Outlook 2013 or before versions?
We tried configuring Gmail in Outlook 2007. The automatic configuration is the same as the one explained for Outlook 2016. There is a slight change in manual setup. You can go through the instructions mentioned below to connect Outlook to Gmail.
Step 1: If it is your first account in Outlook, click on Next in the Welcome window and click on Yes when you are asked to add an account.
And if you already have one account in Outlook, click on Tools ➜ Account Settings. Next, navigate to the E-mail tab and click on New below it.
Step 2: Add the required credentials of your Gmail account in Outlook. Keep the Manually configure server settings or additional server types disabled. Click on Next.
Caution: Be careful when you add the password. Outlook 2007 does not detect wrong passwords.
Step 3: Wait until the backend process is running. Once you see all the 3 ticks, check on the checkbox next to Manually configure server settings. Click on Next.
Note: The below process is explained in short as the same process is mentioned in detail in the Outlook 2016 manual setup section.
You can change the required data on the Internet E-mail settings window or just check the details automatically taken by Outlook. To check the port numbers for IMAP/POP3 and SMTP, click on More Settings and navigate to the Advanced tab.
Once done, click on OK. You can also test the settings by clicking on the Test settings button. Lastly, click on Next and then Finish.
You can now send, receive and access mails from your Gmail account in Outlook.
How to Setup Gmail in Outlook 2016 and 365 with 2-Step Verification?
When there is more security, there are fewer chances of your email to get in bad guy hands. If 2-Step verification is enabled on your Gmail, then you can use it in Outlook as well. It is easy to use 2-Step verification with Outlook 2016 and 365.
If you wish to enable 2-Step Verification on your Gmail, follow the steps below. And if you have already enabled 2-Step verification, then you can directly jump to configuring Gmail’s 2-Step verification with Outlook.
Turn On 2-Step Verification in Gmail
Step 1: Go to https://myaccount.google.com/security and search for Signing in to Google section. Click on Off, next to 2-Step Verification.
Step 2: On the next window, click on Get Started. Enter the password when asked for it.
Step 3: Enter your mobile number and opt for text message or phone call, depending on the feasibility. Click on Next.
Step 4: Enter the pin you received via message or call and then lastly click on Turn On.
You have now enabled 2-Step verification on your Gmail account.
Configure Gmail’s 2-Step Verification with Outlook 2019,2016 and 365
Well, for Outlook 2019, 2016 (not msi version) and 365, you can add the password, and Outlook will look after the 2-step verification.
Step 1: Launch Outlook and enter your Gmail id.
Step 2: Enter the password and the pin you receive on your mobile number.
Step 3: Click on Allow when Outlook asks for permission to access specific contents.
You can now use Gmail with Outlook.
How to Setup Gmail in Outlook 2016 (msi), 2013, and older versions with 2-Step Verification?
The use of 2-Step verification is not as straight-forward as it is in newer versions of Outlook. However, you can still configure it with the older version by following the simple steps mentioned below.
Step 1: Click on https://myaccount.google.com/security and then on App passwords under Signing into Google section.
Step 2: Enter the password when asked for and then select Other (Custom name) from the drop-down of Select app.
Step 3: Enter Outlook and click on GENERATE.
One password will popup in front of you; copy the password. When you enter the credentials, add the copied password in the password text box.
You can now configure any version of Outlook with Gmail.
Conclusion
Outlook makes your mail access easy with offline availability. With the steps mentioned above, you can set up Gmail in Outlook in an easy way.
You can also have a 2-Step Verification enabled on your Gmail. This will increase the security of your Gmail account, and your account will not fall into the hands of hackers. You can tweak a little into Gmail settings and set up Gmail in Outlook easily.
Related: How to Access Multiple Email Accounts Within Your Gmail Inbox
