How to add a Gmail account to Outlook

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Quick Tips

With the latest update to Outlook for Microsoft 365, it’s now easier to add a Gmail account to Outlook.

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Important:

If you’ve previously added a Gmail account to Outlook for Microsoft 365, you may receive a prompt to update your password.

Outlook for Windows

These steps are the same whether you’re adding your first Gmail account or additional Gmail accounts to Outlook.

Select File > Add Account.

Select File, then Add Account.

Enter your email address and click Connect.

connect to google mailbox

Outlook will launch a Gmail window that asks for your password. Enter the password and select Sign in.

Enter your Gmail password.

Important: Once you connect your Gmail account to Outlook, you may receive a warning message in your Gmail inbox telling you that a new logon from Internet Explorer was detected. This is expected behavior.

If you have previously enabled 2-factor authentication for Gmail, you’ll be prompted to enter the code sent to your mobile device. If you haven’t enabled 2-factor authentication, skip to step 6.

If you have 2-factor authorization enabled, enter the code.

The Google account permissions window appears. Click Allow.

Permission prompt window

Once Outlook finishes adding your Gmail account, you can add another email account or select Done.

Tips:

If you check the box for Setup Outlook Mobile on my phone, too, you’ll be taken to a website where you can enter your mobile phone number and you’ll receive a link to download Outlook for iOS or Outlook for Android. Installing Outlook Mobile is a great way to stay up-to-date on the go.

You can enter your phone number to install Outlook for iOS or Outlook for Android.

Outlook won’t accept my password

If Outlook won’t accept your password and you know you’re using the right password for your Gmail account, you might have an older version of Outlook that doesn’t currently support this faster Gmail setup option. In that case, you’ll need to use two-factor authentication and an app password to help verify that you’re the person trying to access your Gmail account.

Gmail does allow you to add your account to Outlook without setting up two-factor authentication and using an app password, but you must turn on a setting that allows “less secure apps” to connect to your account. We do not recommend this setting. We recommend turning on two-factor authentication and using an app password.

To turn on two-factor authentication and get an app password, use the following steps:

Go to Gmail from your browser, then select the Google apps icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

Select Google apps settings

On the left, select Security.

Select Security on the far left.

Under Signing into Google, if 2-Step Verification is OFF, click the>next to OFF to turn it ON. Otherwise, skip to step 4.

On the first screen, click CONTINUE.
If prompted, enter your Gmail password and then click NEXT.
Enter your phone number and select whether you want to receive your verification codes by text message or a phone call. Then click NEXT.
Enter the code you received and click NEXT.
Click TURN ON to finish setting up 2-step verification.
Return to the previous screen by clicking the left arrow at the top of the screen next to 2-Step Verification.

Select the back arrow to continue

Select the > on the far right of the App Passwords line.

Select the > on the App passwords line.

Enter your Google password and then select Sign in. At the bottom of the next screen, select Mail and Windows Computer from the drop-down lists, then select Generate.

Choose the application and device for your app password