You can add Gmail to Outlook on Windows, Mac, web, and mobile

Outlook can read and send email from your Gmail account without you having to switch between two programs. The process is straightforward, but Gmail requires you to create a special password for Outlook to use — you cannot use your regular Gmail password. This takes about five minutes total and works on desktop Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook mobile apps.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Outlook desktop (the program you install on your computer) or Outlook on the web (the version you access in a browser). Both methods are covered below, along with what to do if you run into the most common problems.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail requires you to generate a 16-character app password in your Google Account settings before Outlook can connect.
  • You will need two-factor authentication turned on in your Google Account for the app password option to appear.
  • Outlook desktop and Outlook on the web use the same Gmail credentials but have slightly different setup screens.
  • If Outlook says your password is wrong after you enter the app password, wait a few minutes and try again — Google sometimes delays syncing the new password.

Turn on two-factor authentication in your Google Account

Gmail will not let you create an app password unless two-factor authentication is already active on your account. If you have not set this up, you need to do it first. Go to myaccount.google.com in your browser and sign in with your Gmail address.

Click Security in the left menu. Scroll down to "How you sign in to Google" and look for 2-Step Verification. If it says "Off" or "Not set up", click it and follow Google's prompts to turn it on. Google will ask you to confirm your phone number and will send you a code by text or through the Google Authenticator app. Complete this process, then return to the Security page.

Once two-factor authentication is on, you will see App passwords appear on the Security page, usually near the 2-Step Verification section. If you do not see it, scroll down — it is always below the two-factor authentication setting.

Generate an app password for Outlook

Click App passwords on your Google Account Security page. Google will ask you to sign in again for security reasons. After you do, you will see a dropdown menu that says "Select the app you're using" and another that says "Select the device you're using".

In the first dropdown, choose Mail. In the second dropdown, choose your device type: Windows if you use Outlook desktop on a PC, Mac if you use Outlook on a Mac, or iPhone or Android if you are setting up Outlook mobile. After you select both, Google will generate a 16-character password. Copy this password exactly as shown — do not add spaces or rearrange the letters. You will paste this into Outlook in the next step.

Add Gmail to Outlook desktop

Open Outlook on your computer. Click File in the top left corner, then click Add Account. In the window that appears, enter your full Gmail address and click Connect. Outlook will open a browser window asking you to sign in to your Google Account.

Sign in with your Gmail address and password. Google will then ask for permission to let Outlook access your email. Click Allow. Outlook will close the browser window and return to the desktop app. Your Gmail account should now appear in the left sidebar under your account list, and Outlook will begin downloading your emails.

If Outlook asks for a password instead of opening a browser window, paste the 16-character app password you generated in the previous step. Do not use your regular Gmail password — Outlook will reject it.

Add Gmail to Outlook on the web

Go to outlook.com in your browser and sign in with your Microsoft account. Click the gear icon in the top right corner and select View all Outlook settings. Click Accounts in the left menu, then click Connected accounts.

Click Connect another account and select Gmail from the list. Enter your Gmail address and click Next. A browser window will open asking you to sign in to Google and grant permission. Sign in, click Allow, and the window will close. Your Gmail account is now connected to Outlook on the web.

What to do if Outlook says your password is wrong

If you see an error message saying your password is incorrect after you enter the app password, wait five to ten minutes and try again. Google sometimes takes a few minutes to sync the new app password across its servers. Close Outlook completely, wait, and then reopen it and try signing in again.

If the error persists, go back to your Google Account Security page and generate a new app password. Use this new password in Outlook instead. Also double-check that you copied the password exactly as Google displayed it — even a single missing character will cause the connection to fail.

Verify your Gmail is syncing in Outlook

After you add your Gmail account, Outlook will download all your emails and folders. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on how many emails you have. You will see a progress indicator in Outlook showing how many messages are being downloaded.

Once the download is complete, you can send and receive Gmail from Outlook just like any other email account. Your Gmail folders will appear in the left sidebar. Any emails you send from Outlook using your Gmail address will be sent from Gmail and will appear in your Gmail sent folder as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use the app password, or can I use my regular Gmail password?

Gmail requires the app password for security reasons. Your regular Gmail password will not work with Outlook, even if you enter it correctly. The app password is a separate credential that only Outlook (or other apps you authorize) can use to access your email.

Can I add multiple Gmail accounts to Outlook?

Yes. Repeat the steps above for each Gmail account. Each account will appear separately in Outlook's left sidebar, and you can switch between them or send from any of them. You will need to generate a separate app password for each Gmail account.

Will my Gmail emails stay in Gmail if I read them in Outlook?

Yes. Outlook downloads a copy of your emails but does not remove them from Gmail. Your emails remain in your Gmail account, and any changes you make in Outlook (like deleting or moving to a folder) will sync back to Gmail within a few minutes.

What if I do not see the App passwords option in Google Account settings?

This means two-factor authentication is not turned on. Go back to the Security page and set up 2-Step Verification first. The App passwords option will appear once two-factor authentication is active. You cannot create an app password without it.

Can I remove Gmail from Outlook later?

Yes. In Outlook desktop, right-click your Gmail account in the left sidebar and select Delete Account. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings, click Connected accounts, find Gmail, and click Disconnect. Your Gmail account will remain unchanged — this only removes it from Outlook.