How to add Gmail to your iPhone

You can add your Gmail account to the Mail app on your iPhone in about five minutes. The process works the same whether you use a personal Gmail account or a work Gmail account through Google Workspace. Your iPhone will sync your emails, calendar, and contacts automatically once the account is set up.

The steps below work on any iPhone running iOS 12 or newer. You will need your Gmail address and your password, or a special app password if you have two-factor authentication turned on (explained in the section below).

Key Takeaways

  • You add Gmail through Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account, then choose Google and enter your email and password.
  • If you have two-factor authentication enabled on your Gmail account, you must create an app password instead of using your regular password.
  • After you add your account, choose which data to sync — Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Notes can all be turned on or off individually.
  • If Mail says your password is wrong but you know it is correct, you likely need an app password or need to allow less secure apps in your Gmail security settings.

Add Gmail using your regular password

Open Settings on your iPhone and tap Mail. Tap Accounts, then tap Add Account. Choose Google from the list of email providers.

Enter your full Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com) and tap Next. Enter your Gmail password and tap Next again. Your iPhone will verify the account with Google's servers — this usually takes 10 to 15 seconds.

On the next screen, toggle on the data you want to sync. Mail is turned on by default. You can also turn on Contacts, Calendars, and Notes if you want those synced to your iPhone. Tap Save when you are done. Your Gmail account is now added to Mail.

Use an app password if you have two-factor authentication

If your Gmail account has two-factor authentication enabled, you cannot use your regular Gmail password in the Mail app. Instead, you must create an app password — a special 16-character password that only works with Mail and other apps, not for signing into Gmail itself.

Go to myaccount.google.com on your computer or phone browser. Click Security on the left side. Scroll down to "How you sign in to Google" and click App passwords. You may need to sign in again. Choose Mail and iPhone from the dropdown menus, then click Generate. Google will show you a 16-character password — copy this entire password.

Go back to your iPhone and follow the steps in the section above, but paste the app password instead of your regular Gmail password when prompted. The Mail app will accept it and sync your account.

What to do if Mail says your password is wrong

If you enter your password correctly but Mail keeps saying it is wrong, the most common cause is two-factor authentication. Check whether your Gmail account has two-factor authentication turned on by visiting myaccount.google.com and clicking Security. If you see "2-Step Verification is on", follow the app password steps above.

If two-factor authentication is off but Mail still rejects your password, your Gmail account may have a security setting that blocks apps like Mail. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, scroll to "Less secure app access", and turn it on. Then try adding your account to Mail again.

If neither of these fixes works, reset your Gmail password from a web browser, wait 15 minutes, and try adding the account to Mail again with the new password.

Sync your Gmail data after adding the account

Once your Gmail account is added, Mail syncs new messages automatically. However, you can force an immediate sync by opening Mail, tapping the mailbox icon at the bottom, and pulling down to refresh.

To change what data syncs, go back to Settings > Mail > Accounts and tap your Gmail account. Toggle Contacts, Calendars, or Notes on or off depending on what you want on your iPhone. These changes take effect immediately.

By default, Mail downloads the last 30 days of messages. To download more or less, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts, tap your Gmail account, tap Account, and change the "Mail Days to Sync" setting.

Remove Gmail from your iPhone

If you need to remove your Gmail account from Mail, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts and tap your Gmail account. Scroll to the bottom and tap Delete Account. Choose whether to keep or delete the data already on your iPhone, then tap Delete.

Deleting the account from Mail does not delete your Gmail account itself — it only removes it from your iPhone. Your emails remain in Gmail and you can add the account back anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add multiple Gmail accounts to my iPhone?

Yes. Repeat the steps above for each Gmail account you want to add. Each account will appear separately in your Mail app, and you can switch between them by tapping the mailbox icon at the bottom of the screen and selecting which account to view.

Why is my Gmail not showing up in Contacts on my iPhone?

Make sure Contacts is toggled on in Settings > Mail > Accounts > your Gmail account. Also check that Contacts is allowed to access your Gmail data by going to Settings > Privacy > Contacts and making sure Mail is turned on. If you just added the account, wait a few minutes for contacts to sync.

Will adding Gmail to Mail use a lot of data?

Mail only downloads new messages and syncs when connected to WiFi or cellular data. If you are concerned about data usage, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > your Gmail account and change "Mail Days to Sync" to a shorter period, like 7 days instead of 30.

Can I use Gmail on iPhone without adding it to Mail?

Yes. You can open Gmail in Safari or download the Gmail app from the App Store and sign in there instead. The Gmail app gives you more control over notifications and folder organization, but Mail is simpler if you just want to check email quickly.