Setting Up Gmail SMTP Settings (2020 Guide)

Looking to set up your Gmail SMTP settings?

In this article, I’ll detail everything you need to know about configuring your Gmail SMTP settings.

I’ll take you through a step-by-step guide on how to set up SMTP settings and explain what SMTP is used for in Gmail. I’ll also highlight how to set up your Gmail POP and IMAP settings, too.

Here’s what this article contains:

• Gmail SMTP Settings
• Why do you need to set up SMTP settings in Gmail?
• How to configure Gmail SMTP settings
• How to set up POP and IMAP Gmail settings
• What is SMTP?
• What are POP and IMAP?
• How to get the most out of your Gmail account

Are you only looking for SMTP settings without any additional information?

Here you go:

Gmail SMTP Settings

SMTP Server Address: smtp.gmail.com

Use Authentication: yes

Secure Connection: TLS/SSL based on your mail client/website SMTP plugin

SMTP Username: your Gmail account (xxxx@gmail.com)

SMTP Password: your Gmail password

Gmail SMTP port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS)

For the rest of us, let’s get started!

Why do you need to set up SMTP settings in Gmail?

First, let’s see why you need to set up SMTP settings in Gmail.

SMTP settings are needed when you have to:

• Send emails directly from your website.
• Set up an SMTP plugin on WordPress.
• Configure Gmail on an external client such as Outlook or Thunderbird.

SMTP allows your website or webmail client to communicate with Gmail and ensure your email process works the way you want.

How to configure Gmail SMTP settings

There are three ways you can set up a Google SMTP server:

• Use the G Suite SMTP relay service
• Use Gmail’s SMTP server (This is what we’ll be covering.)
• Use the Restricted Gmail SMTP server

Note: If you don’t know what SMTP is, you can jump to this section to understand what it is and how it works before setting up SMTP in Gmail.

Why should you use the Gmail SMTP server method?

The Gmail SMTP server method is the most accessible one out of the three — which is precisely why we’re covering this method.

Here’s why you shouldn’t use the G Suite and Restricted Server methods:

• The G Suite method can only be used by G Suite users who pay for a monthly subscription.
• The Restricted Gmail Server method only allows you to send emails to another G Suite or Gmail email address.

Here’s why you should use the Gmail SMTP method:

With the Gmail SMTP method, you won’t have to worry about spending on a subscription plan.

Plus, the Google SMTP server won’t restrict your emails to people using your organization’s IP address. It lets you send emails to anyone within or outside your organization — you only need to authenticate it with your Gmail ID and password.

This method also provides the same level of security as the G Suite method.

The Gmail SMTP server method

Before configuring the Gmail SMTP server, you need to follow these steps if you have two-step verification enabled on your Google email account:

If you use two-step verification on your Google account and your email client doesn’t support verification codes, you’ll have to enable App Passwords before setting up SMTP.

Why do you need to do this?

Some apps can be blocked from accessing your email account due to two-step verification. App Passwords allow the blocked app or device to access your email account.

If you don’t have two-step verification enabled, you can skip the instructions given below.

Here’s a quick guide to creating App Passwords:

1. Go to your Google Account and choose Security on the left panel.
2. On the Signing in to Google tab, select App Passwords.
   If you don’t see this option:
   1. Two-step verification is not set up for your Google account.
   2. Two-step verification is set up for security keys only.
   3. Your account is used through work, school, or another organization.
   4. You’ve turned on Advanced Protection for your account.
3. Click on Select app and pick the app you’re using.
4. Click Select device and choose the device you’re using.
5. Click on Generate.
6. Follow the instructions to enter the App Password. The App Password is the 16-character code in the yellow bar on your device.
7. Click on Done.

Note: You won’t have to remember your App Password since you’ll probably use it just once to connect your account to the app. 

After you connect your Google account to the app, navigate to the outgoing email message server settings page on your email client, and enter the Gmail SMTP server settings below.

The process to set these SMTP server settings depends on your email client.

For example, if you use Outlook, go to Settings > Mail > POP and IMAP.

Then choose More Settings > Outgoing Server to enter the Gmail SMTP settings.

Here are the account settings you need to configure SMTP in Gmail:

SMTP Outgoing Mail Server: smtp.gmail.com

Use Authentication: yes

Secure Connection: TLS/SSL based on your mail client/website SMTP plugin

Gmail SMTP Username: your Gmail address (xxxx@gmail.com)

Gmail SMTP Password: your Gmail password

Gmail SMTP port: 465 (SMTP SSL) or 587 (SMTP TLS)

How to set up POP and IMAP Gmail settings

Since SMTP is only used to send outgoing email, you need a way to fetch incoming mail.

To receive incoming mail on an app, you’ll have to set up an incoming mail message server using either the POP or IMAP protocols. (Click here to jump to the section explaining what POP and IMAP are.)

Here’s how you can set up POP or IMAP settings for Gmail on your mail application:

A. Setting up IMAP

To set up an IMAP mail message server, follow these instructions:

1. First, open Gmail and click on Settings in the top right.
2. Then click on Settings and go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
3. In the IMAP Access section, click on Enable IMAP and then Save Changes.
4. Now, login to your third-party email client and enter these settings in the Incoming mail message server/IMAP section:

Incoming Mail Server (IMAP): imap.gmail.com

Requires SSL: Yes

Port: 993

Display Name: your name

Username: your Gmail account (xxxx@gmail.com)

Password: your Gmail password

B. Setting up POP

Follow these instructions to set up a mail message server using POP:

1. Open Gmail and click on Settings in the top right.
2. Then go to Settings and click on the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
3. In the POP Download section, click on Enable POP for all mail or Enable POP for mail that arrives from now on.
   
4. Then, click on Save Changes.
5. Now, login to your third-party email client and enter these settings in the POP/Incoming mail message server section:

Incoming Mail Server (POP): pop.gmail.com

Requires SSL: yes

Port: 995

Server timeouts: more than 1 minute (5 minutes is recommended)

Display Name: your name

Username: your Gmail account (xxxx@gmail.com)

Password: your Gmail password

What is SMTP?

Now that we’ve covered how to set up SMTP, IMAP, and POP, let’s see what these email protocols are and what they do.

But what’s a protocol?

A protocol is a set of rules used to exchange information between two or more email accounts.

A Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is used to send emails from one email server to another. SMTP is what’s used by most email servers to exchange emails. SMTP uses a process known as store and forward, which helps you move your emails from one server to another.

The SMTP connection also works with a Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) to send emails to the right inbox. It guarantees that your email is delivered straight to the recipient’s inbox.

How does SMTP send email?

SMTP utilizes a set of commands to simplify the email sending process across servers. The SMTP relay server passes your email through several email servers before it reaches your recipient.

But, SMTP can’t transmit attachments — it can only send text.

You can use the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) protocol as a workaround for this. MIME encodes all non-text data into text before sending the email through SMTP.

What are POP and IMAP?

Since SMTP is only used to send outgoing email from your client, you need a way to receive incoming emails, right?

You can set up an incoming mail message server to receive emails using POP or IMAP.

Here’s a quick look at how these two protocols work:

A. POP

The Post Office Protocol (POP) is used to receive incoming emails. Its latest version is POP3.

It’s ideal for personal computer usage as it allows you to download emails to a local device whenever you want to check mail. This way, you can check emails even when you’re offline!

B. IMAP

IMAP or the Internet Message Access Protocol is commonly used to receive incoming emails.

IMAP saves all of its emails on a server, unlike POP3.

So whenever you need to check emails, your email client contacts the server and allows you to access your email from any device with an internet connection.

As it’s cloud-based, IMAP is considered a faster and more efficient alternative to POP3.

SMTP vs. POP and IMAP

Are all these protocols confusing you?

Don’t worry! It’s very simple.

POP and IMAP are protocols used to receive incoming emails, while SMTP is a protocol that helps you send outgoing emails.

How to get the most out of your Gmail account

While you can easily set up SMTP settings and POP or IMAP servers in Gmail, this email client can be used for far more than just its protocols!

You can combine it with powerful extensions like GMass to take your email game to the next level.

GMass is a powerful email outreach tool that helps you send bulk emails straight from your Gmail inbox. It’s so powerful that employees from companies like Twitter, Google, Uber, and LinkedIn use it for their email campaigns.

But GMass isn’t just for these tech giants!

Solopreneurs, SMBs, churches, and individuals can use GMass to send emails to target audiences.

You can use GMass to:

• Send mail campaigns from your inbox.
• Personalize bulk emails quickly.
• Track email engagements accurately.
• Schedule mass emails and follow-ups.

Anyone can quickly start using GMass. Just download the Chrome extension, and you can start sending email campaigns right away!

Some helpful GMass features

Here are a few reasons why GMass is an excellent addition to your Gmail experience:

A. Advanced email customization 

As recipients rarely engage with generic emails, it’s best to send them personalized emails according to their needs.

But you can’t manually personalize hundreds of emails, right?

GMass can help you automatically customize emails with a variety of options. It helps you with features like automatic first-name entry, personalized images, links, text, and attachments.

B. Accurate email analytics

When you send bulk emails through GMass, it generates a Campaign Report highlighting core email metrics regarding your email campaign engagements.

These reports detail various metrics like unique open rates, replies, unsubscribes, and many more!

C. Schedule mass emails easily

Your email should reach inboxes at the right time for the highest engagement rates.

For maximum engagement, GMass can help you schedule emails that reach your recipients when they’re about to check their mail. Just type an email, schedule it, and let GMass work its magic!

D. Automate your follow-ups easily

Some recipients may ignore your initial email or forget to respond to it.

So you’ll have to send out follow-ups to get their response.

GMass helps you send automated emails and lets you choose when to send them, what to include in them, how many automated emails everyone receives, and even the time gaps between each follow-up.

How to set up SMTP in GMass

While you can always configure Google’s SMTP server in Gmail, why not set up your own SMTP server on GMass?

This way, you can send unlimited emails to recipients!

1. Choose how to set up the SMTP server

You can setup SMTP in GMass in three ways:

A. Use GMass’ own SMTP Server

If your emails are either:

• Completely organically developed or
• Non-commercial in nature

You can set up SMTP easily through the GMass SendGrid account. You can contact the GMass team for this service.

B. Setup an SMTP account of your own

Do your emails not fit the criteria listed above?

Don’t worry!

You can still easily set up an SMTP account with a third-party email server like SendGrid. After that, just set up your SMTP outgoing server preferences and connect it to GMass!

Read my recent reviews of popular SMTP services:

Mailgun
Mailjet
SendGrid
Sendinblue
SMTP2GO
SocketLabs

C. Configure a private SMTP server

If you possess the tech knowledge required, you can set up your own SMTP server for your business.

However, this method does require a lot of time and patience.

If you’re an expert-level developer, you’ll want to see my technical review of popular SMTP services. 

2. Setting up the SMTP account

This is how GMass links to SMTP servers:

Step 1

GMass links to your server without TLS or SSL. You can choose which SMTP port number to use — it’s usually 25 or 2525.

Note: Make sure your ISP hasn’t blocked the SMTP port number.

Step 2

Turn off the “track email opens and clicks” option in the SMTP service. This is preferred to avoid double tracking emails.

Make sure the outgoing server doesn’t alter any passing emails.

Step 3

Check for any sending limits in your SMTP account. Remove them, or ensure they’re high enough not to affect your email campaigns.

Step 4

You’ll have to check the RETURN-PATH address your email server is using. This is also known as a MAIL-FROM address or an Envelope Form.

Though most SMTP service providers use different domains in the MAIL-FROM address and the “from” address, some don’t.

So you may have to verify your domain name.

You may need to alter your DMARC, SPF, and DKIM records.

Step 5

Turn on Bounce notifications and set them to go to the “From” address. This allows GMass to show the bounce rates to you.

3. Setting up GMass to send email using the SMTP server

Here’s how you can set up the SMTP configuration in GMass:

Step 1

Install the Chrome extension if you don’t have GMass. Reload Gmail on your browser and ensure you have the latest GMass version. Then, click on Compose.

Step 2

Insert smtp@gmass.co in the “To” field.

Step 3

Type the word “set” in the subject field and wait for this form to load.

Step 4

Enter the relevant details in the form. If your SMTP setup needs no authentication, set the User name to “noauth” and leave the password blank.

Step 5

Click on the GMass button.

Once you finish these steps, the GMass email service will send a test email to your inbox. If the test email is successful, the SMTP server will be set for your account.

GMass Pricing

Worried that GMass is expensive?

Don’t be!

GMass is one of the most affordable email marketing tools out there:

• Free plan: includes all perks and supports free email tracking for up to 50 emails/day.
• Individual plans:
  • Minimal plan: $8.95/month – provides all features except auto-follow up emails + provides unlimited email tracking.
  • Standard plan: $12.95/month –  removes GMass footer from emails and offers all “Minimal” features.
  • Premium plan: $19.95/month – offers “Standard” functions + follow-up with automated emails.
• Team plans:
  • Premium plan: starts at $89/month for small teams of five members – supports all perks and features.

Conclusion

Setting up SMTP settings in Gmail isn’t complicated.

As Gmail is one of the most accessible email clients to use, its SMTP setup can be finished in no time — just follow the instructions I’ve covered here.

And if you want to take your full Gmail experience to the next level, use GMass!

It’s a Gmail extension that has everything you want for all your mail sending needs.

So why not try out GMass today and skyrocket your email productivity?