A 3-minute walkthrough showing exactly where Gmail hides its IMAP toggle and how to flip it on. Once enabled, you can connect Gmail to Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, iPhone Mail or any standard email client. Includes the full server settings, port numbers and 2FA app password notes you need afterwards.
Video Transcript
Hello and welcome. This video shows how to enable the IMAP setting in your Gmail account so you can use it with email clients like Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail or iPhone Mail. By default Gmail's IMAP access is off for many newer accounts and certain Google Workspace setups, which is why third-party clients show login failures even with the right password.
Open Gmail in a browser. The mobile app does not let you change this setting, you must use a desktop or laptop browser. Sign in to your Gmail account.
Click the gear icon at the top right of the inbox. The quick settings panel slides out. Click See all settings at the top to open the full Gmail settings page.
Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab in the row of tabs across the top. Scroll down to the section called IMAP Access. Select Enable IMAP. The other settings, like what happens when you delete a message in Gmail, can be left at their defaults.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes. Gmail confirms the change and IMAP is now active.
Now you can configure your email client. Use imap.gmail.com on port 993 with SSL for incoming. Use smtp.gmail.com on port 465 with SSL or 587 with TLS for outgoing. The username is your full email address.
If you have two-step verification enabled, you must generate an app password instead of using your regular Gmail password. The 16-character app password goes into your email client. Test by sending yourself an email. If it arrives, IMAP is correctly set up. Thanks for watching and please subscribe.
Why You Need to Enable IMAP First
Gmail hosts your email but it does not automatically share that mailbox with other apps. To use Gmail in Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, iPhone Mail, Samsung Email or any other client, Gmail's IMAP access has to be turned on inside your account settings. Microsoft's own documentation confirms this: in Gmail, IMAP is not an account type like in Outlook, it is a server-side switch you must flip first before any client can connect.
Without IMAP enabled, your email client will display "invalid credentials" or "could not connect to imap.gmail.com" no matter how many times you re-type the password. The error has nothing to do with the password and everything to do with the toggle being off. This is the single most common Gmail-on-Outlook complaint we see, and it is solved by the procedure in this video.
Once IMAP is on, you also typically need a Gmail app password (assuming 2-Step Verification is enabled, which Google strongly recommends and most users now have). The app password is a 16-character code that bypasses the 2FA dance for the specific email client. The Gmail app password and IMAP enable steps together get you a working third-party client in about 4 minutes total. We have similar guides for Yahoo Mail, Zoho Mail, AOL Mail and GMX Mail if you also need to set up other accounts.
Gmail IMAP and SMTP Server Settings (Reference Card)
Save or screenshot this table. These are the official server settings documented by Google. You will paste these into Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail or any other client during account setup.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Incoming server (IMAP) | imap.gmail.com |
| Incoming port | 993 with SSL/TLS required |
| Outgoing server (SMTP) | smtp.gmail.com |
| Outgoing port (SSL) | 465 with SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing port (TLS) | 587 with STARTTLS, use this if your network blocks 465 (some Indian ISPs do) |
| Username | Your full email address (e.g. yourname@gmail.com), not just the prefix |
| Password | Your Gmail password if 2-Step Verification is OFF, or a 16-character app password if 2FA is ON |
| Authentication | Required for both incoming and outgoing. Enable My outgoing server requires authentication in Outlook |
| Sent folder | Special: Gmail labels treat Sent as a system folder. In Outlook, untick Save copies of messages in the Sent Items folder so it does not double-store |
| Concurrent connection limit | ~15 simultaneous IMAP sessions per Gmail account, shared across all your devices and clients |
5 Steps to Enable IMAP in Gmail
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Open Gmail in a desktop browser. This setting is genuinely missing from the Gmail mobile app and from the web Gmail when accessed on a phone, you must use a laptop or desktop browser. Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari all work fine. Sign in to the Gmail account you want to enable.
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Click the gear icon at the top right of your Gmail inbox. The quick settings panel slides out from the right side. Click See all settings at the top of that panel to open the full settings page.
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In the row of tabs across the top of the settings page, click Forwarding and POP/IMAP. The tab is between Filters and Add-ons. If you cannot see it, your account is restricted by a Workspace administrator.
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Scroll down to the IMAP Access section. Click the radio button next to Enable IMAP. The other options like When I mark a message in IMAP as deleted can be left at their default values, you can fine-tune those later.
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Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes. Gmail confirms the change. IMAP is now active. You can immediately add your Gmail account to any IMAP-compatible email client using the server settings in the table above.
Common Issues and Their Fixes
| Symptom | Cause and fix |
|---|---|
| "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab is missing entirely | You are on a Google Workspace account where the admin has disabled IMAP. Ask your IT administrator to enable IMAP from admin.google.com > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > User settings > IMAP access. Personal Gmail accounts always show this tab. |
| "Enable IMAP" is greyed out | Same admin restriction as above, but at the org policy level. Only the Workspace admin can lift this. Personal Gmail accounts never have this restriction. |
| Outlook says "invalid credentials" after enabling IMAP | You have 2-Step Verification on but typed your regular Gmail password. Generate a Gmail app password and paste that 16-character code instead. Remove spaces if any. |
| "Less secure app access" reference in old guides | Google removed the Less Secure Apps toggle in May 2022. App passwords are now the only way for non-OAuth clients to connect. Old tutorials that say to enable that toggle are outdated. |
| "Could not connect to imap.gmail.com" | Either your network blocks port 993 (some corporate firewalls and Indian college Wi-Fi do), or you typed the server name wrong. Confirm imap.gmail.com exactly. Try from a phone hotspot to rule out network issues. |
| SMTP "send" works but takes 30 seconds and feels slow | Port 465 is being blocked by your ISP and Outlook is timing out before falling back to 587. Manually set the SMTP port to 587 with STARTTLS in Outlook, this is faster on most Indian residential connections. |
| Random disconnects every few hours | You hit Gmail's ~15 concurrent IMAP connection cap. Each device and client uses 1-5 connections. Disconnect old or unused clients (an old laptop that still has Outlook signed in, your tablet, etc.) and wait 10 minutes for the connections to recycle. |
| Sent folder shows duplicates in Outlook | Outlook is saving Sent locally AND Gmail is auto-saving Sent server-side via SMTP submission. In Outlook: File > Options > Mail > Save messages, untick Save copies of messages in the Sent Items folder. |
| "All Mail" folder missing in Thunderbird | Gmail uses labels not folders. Go to Gmail Settings > Labels and tick Show in IMAP next to All Mail. Without that, Thunderbird does not know it exists. |
Personal Gmail vs Google Workspace: Key Differences
| Aspect | Personal Gmail (gmail.com) |
|---|---|
| Default IMAP state | Personal: usually OFF for newer accounts. Workspace: depends on org policy, often OFF until admin enables for the user. |
| Who controls IMAP | Personal: you do, in Settings. Workspace: the admin gates it at admin.google.com. Even if you turn it on in your inbox, an admin can override. |
| App password availability | Personal: appears once 2-Step Verification is on, at myaccount.google.com/apppasswords. Workspace: needs admin to allow security defaults that include app passwords. |
| Server hostname | Personal and Workspace use identical imap.gmail.com and smtp.gmail.com. Username is the full address either way. |
| Login email | Personal: yourname@gmail.com. Workspace: yourname@yourcompany.com on the company's custom domain. |
| Storage on free tier | Personal: 15 GB shared with Drive and Photos. Workspace Business Starter: 30 GB per user. Workspace Business Standard: 2 TB per user. |
| Custom domain | Personal: cannot send from custom domain via IMAP without forwarding tricks. Workspace: built-in. |
IMAP vs POP3: Why IMAP is Almost Always Right
| Behaviour | IMAP vs POP3 comparison |
|---|---|
| Where emails live | IMAP: on Gmail's servers, your client just shows you a window into them. POP3: downloaded to your device, by default removed from server. |
| Multi-device sync | IMAP: yes. Read on phone, marked read on laptop. POP3: no. Read on phone, still unread on laptop. |
| Server storage use | IMAP: full mailbox stays on server, counts against your 15 GB Gmail quota. POP3: server can be emptied as messages download, freeing quota but losing remote backup. |
| Internet connection needed | IMAP: yes for new mail and any change. POP3: only at download time, then offline reading. |
| Best fit | IMAP: anyone with more than one device (phone + laptop). POP3: a single computer where you want full local control and no Gmail.com web access. |
| Folders and labels | IMAP: respects Gmail labels as folders, including Sent, Drafts, All Mail. POP3: no folder concept, just raw inbox download. |
| Search across history | IMAP: server-side, near-instant on millions of emails. POP3: only what you have downloaded locally. |
Gmail still supports POP3 (the section sits next to IMAP on the same settings page) but for almost every modern user it is the wrong choice. Pick POP3 only if you specifically want a single-machine local email setup and never want to read mail on your phone. Google's own guidance recommends IMAP for everyone except this narrow case.
Setting Up Common Email Clients After Enabling IMAP
Once IMAP is on in Gmail, the email client side of the work is short. Each client has its own quirks worth knowing.
| Client | Setup notes |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Outlook (2019, 2021, 365) | File > Add Account > type Gmail address > Advanced options > tick "Let me set up my account manually" > pick IMAP > enter server settings. If 2FA on, paste app password. Untick Save copies of messages in Sent Items. |
| Thunderbird | Tools > Account Settings > Account Actions > Add Mail Account. Thunderbird auto-detects Gmail and offers OAuth which is simpler than IMAP+app-password. If OAuth refuses (common with Workspace accounts), switch to IMAP manually with the standard server settings. |
| Apple Mail (macOS) | System Settings > Internet Accounts > Add Account > Google. Sign in via OAuth, no manual settings needed. If you must use IMAP+password (rare), Mail > Add Account > Other Mail Account, then enter manual settings. |
| iPhone Mail | Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account > Google. iOS uses OAuth automatically, no IMAP fiddling needed. The Gmail mobile app on iOS uses Google's own protocol, not IMAP. |
| Samsung Email (Android) | Open Samsung Email > Menu > Settings > Add Account > Google. OAuth-based. The native Gmail app on Android also uses Google's own protocol, not IMAP. |
| eM Client, Mailbird, Postbox | All three offer Add Gmail Account flows that use OAuth by default. Fall back to manual IMAP if OAuth fails on Workspace accounts. Mailbird specifically supports the All Mail label correctly. |
| Custom CRM or transactional sender | Use SMTP smtp.gmail.com port 587 with STARTTLS. Auth with full email + app password. Note Gmail caps outbound at 500 emails/day for personal, 2,000 for Workspace, before throttling. |
Security and Privacy Considerations
Enabling IMAP itself does not weaken security: the connection is still SSL/TLS encrypted, your credentials still pass through Google's normal auth checks, and 2-Step Verification stays active. What does change is that any client with your password (or app password) can read every email in your account. This matters in two scenarios. First, if you generate an app password for a client, anyone with that 16-character string can log in indefinitely until you revoke it from your Google Account app passwords page. Treat app passwords like physical keys: one per device, label them clearly ("Outlook on Office Laptop", "iPhone Mail"), and revoke any whose device you no longer have. Second, public computers are a hard no: never enable IMAP on a shared kiosk machine because the email client may cache your credentials. Always enable IMAP from your own trusted laptop and configure clients only on devices you control.
đź’ˇ Pro tips
- Enable IMAP on a desktop browser, not a mobile browser. Mobile Gmail does not show the setting at all, even in "desktop mode" of Chrome or Safari.
- Generate one app password per client. If you lose your phone, revoke just that one app password, the others keep working.
- Use port 587 with STARTTLS for outgoing if you are on an Indian residential ISP or college Wi-Fi. Port 465 with SSL is often blocked or throttled.
- Untick "Save copies in Sent Items" in Outlook so you do not get duplicate Sent entries (Gmail saves one server-side, Outlook tries to save another locally).
- Show "All Mail" in IMAP from Gmail Settings > Labels if you use Thunderbird or eM Client. Without it, you cannot see archived messages outside specific labels.
- Limit IMAP sync to recent mail in your client (last 90 days, or last 12 months) to keep local cache size and battery use reasonable on phones.
- Test with a sent-to-self email after setup. If you receive your own test email in the new client, IMAP is working end-to-end.
- Do NOT install Gmail on a shared computer without thinking through the cached-credential implications. Use Gmail web and sign out instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the IMAP and SMTP server settings for Gmail?
Incoming IMAP: server imap.gmail.com, port 993, SSL/TLS required. Outgoing SMTP: server smtp.gmail.com, port 465 (SSL) or port 587 (TLS/STARTTLS), authentication required, use the same Gmail address and password. Username is always your full email address (yourname@gmail.com). If you have 2-Step Verification on, the password field needs an app password, not your regular Gmail password.
Why can I not see the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab?
Two common causes. First, you opened Gmail on a mobile browser or app. Open Gmail on a desktop computer in a normal web browser. Second, you have a Google Workspace account where the administrator has disabled IMAP access for the whole organisation. Contact your IT administrator and ask them to enable IMAP for your account from the Workspace admin console.
Do I need an app password to use Gmail with IMAP?
Yes if you have 2-Step Verification enabled, which Google strongly recommends and most users have on by default. The app password is a 16-character code generated from your Google Account security page that lets one specific email client connect without doing the 2FA dance every time. We have a separate guide for generating Gmail app passwords. If 2FA is off, your regular Gmail password works, but Google has been progressively phasing this out.
What is the difference between IMAP and POP3?
IMAP keeps emails on Gmail's servers and syncs your actions (read, deleted, moved to folder) across every device that connects. POP3 downloads emails to one device and (by default) deletes them from the server. For 99% of users IMAP is the right choice because most people read email from a phone AND a laptop AND maybe a tablet. POP3 only makes sense when you want all email permanently on one specific computer and never anywhere else.
Why does Outlook keep saying invalid credentials?
Three usual causes. (1) IMAP is enabled but you typed the wrong server: it must be imap.gmail.com, not gmail.com or mail.gmail.com. (2) You have 2-Step Verification on but you entered your regular Gmail password instead of a 16-character app password. (3) Outlook treated the account as Exchange or POP3 instead of IMAP during setup. Remove the account from Outlook and add it again, manually picking IMAP and entering the server settings exactly.
How many devices can connect via IMAP at the same time?
Gmail allows roughly 15 simultaneous IMAP connections per account. Each email client can use 1-5 connections depending on how it polls. If you have several devices and clients connected (phone Mail, laptop Outlook, work computer Thunderbird, tablet, web browser), you can hit the limit and get random connection failures. Disconnect unused clients or wait 10 minutes for stale connections to time out.