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Outlook Express

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The Quick Answer

  • Follow the instructions below to set up IMAP access in Outlook Express.
  • Google Apps users, please follow the default instructions unless otherwise noted, replacing 'your_domain.com' with your actual domain name.

To set up your Outlook Express client to work with Gmail:

  1. Enable IMAP in Gmail. Don't forget to click Save Changes when you're done.
  2. Open Outlook Express.
  3. Click the Tools menu, and select Accounts...
  4. Click Add, and then click Mail...
  5. Enter your name in the 'Display name' field, and click Next.
  6. Enter your full email address (username@gmail.com) in the 'Email address' field, and click Next. If you are a Google Apps user, enter your full address in the format 'username@your_domain.com.'
  7. For 'My incoming mail server is a ______ server', please select IMAP in the drop-down menu.
  8. Enter 'imap.gmail.com' in the 'Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server' field. Enter 'smtp.gmail.com' in the 'Outgoing mail (SMTP) server' field.
  9. Click Next.
  10. Enter your full email address (including '@gmail.com' or '@your_domain.com') in the 'Account name' field. Enter your password in the 'Password' field, and click Next.
  11. configuring outlook express

  12. Click Finish.
  13. Highlight imap.gmail.com under Account, and click Properties.
  14. Click the Advanced tab.
  15. Under Outgoing Mail (SMTP), check the box next to 'This server requires a secure connection (SSL).'
  16. Enter '465' in the 'Outgoing mail (SMTP)' field.
  17. Under Incoming mail (IMAP), check the box next to 'This server requires a secure connection (SSL)'. The port will change to '993'.
  18. configuring outlook express

  19. Click the Servers tab, and check the box next to 'My server requires authentication.'

    configuring outlook express

  20. Click OK.
  21. Check our recommended client settings, and adjust your client's settings as needed.

Congratulations! You're done configuring your client to send and retrieve Gmail messages.

updated 7/23/2009

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