How to connect Gmail to Outlook

You can add a Gmail account to Outlook on your computer or phone, and Outlook will pull in your Gmail messages, contacts, and calendar. Gmail requires you to create a special password for Outlook — you cannot use your regular Gmail password. This takes about five minutes and works the same way whether you use Outlook on Windows, Mac, or a phone.

The process has two parts: first you create an app password in Gmail, then you enter that password into Outlook. Both steps are straightforward, but Gmail's security settings can feel hidden if you do not know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail does not allow Outlook to use your regular Gmail password for security reasons, so you must create a separate app password first.
  • You need to turn on two-factor authentication in Gmail before Gmail will let you create an app password.
  • The app password is a 16-character code that you paste into Outlook — you do not need to remember it after setup.
  • Once you add the account, Outlook syncs your Gmail inbox, sent mail, contacts, and calendar automatically.

Turn on two-factor authentication in Gmail

Gmail requires two-factor authentication before it will create an app password. This means Gmail will ask for a second form of verification — usually a code sent to your phone — when you sign in from a new device.

Go to myaccount.google.com in your browser and sign in with your Gmail address. On the left side, click Security. Scroll down until you see 2-Step Verification and click it. Follow the prompts to choose how Gmail should send you a verification code — most people choose text message to their phone. Gmail will send a test code to confirm it works, then two-factor authentication is on.

If you already have two-factor authentication turned on, skip this step and move to the next section.

Create an app password in Gmail

Now that two-factor authentication is on, Gmail will let you create an app password. Go back to myaccount.google.com, click Security on the left, and scroll down to App passwords. You may need to sign in again.

Click App passwords. Gmail will ask you to choose an app and a device. For the app, select Mail. For the device, select Windows Computer, Mac, or iPhone depending on where you are adding the account. Click Generate.

Gmail will show you a 16-character password in a yellow box. Copy this entire password — it includes both letters and numbers. Do not close this window yet; you will paste it into Outlook in the next step.

Add the Gmail account to Outlook on Windows or Mac

Open Outlook and go to File at the top left. Click Add Account. Type your Gmail address and click Connect. Outlook will open a Gmail sign-in window.

Sign in with your Gmail address and password — your regular Gmail password, not the app password. After you sign in, Gmail will ask for permission to let Outlook access your account. Click Allow. Outlook will then ask for the app password you just created. Paste the 16-character password into the box and click Next.

Outlook will test the connection. Once it succeeds, your Gmail account is added. You will see your Gmail inbox in Outlook, and Outlook will start downloading your messages in the background. This can take a few minutes if you have many emails.

Add the Gmail account to Outlook on your phone

On iPhone, open Outlook and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Tap Settings, then Add Account. Choose Gmail from the list. Sign in with your Gmail address and your regular Gmail password.

Gmail will ask for permission to let Outlook access your account. Tap Allow. Outlook will then ask for the app password. Paste the 16-character password you created and tap Next. On Android, the steps are the same — open Outlook, tap the menu icon, go to Settings, and choose Add Account.

Your Gmail account will now appear in Outlook on your phone. Messages will sync automatically whenever you open the app.

What happens after you add the account

Once Gmail is connected, Outlook will read your Gmail inbox and all your folders. This happens in the background and can take several minutes or longer if you have years of email. You can use Outlook while this is happening.

Going forward, Outlook will check for new Gmail messages every few minutes. When you send an email from your Gmail account in Outlook, it will appear in your Gmail sent folder as well. Your Gmail contacts and calendar will also sync to Outlook if you have them set up in Gmail.

The app password you created works only for Outlook. Your regular Gmail password still works for signing into Gmail.com or other apps. If you ever want to remove the Gmail account from Outlook, you can delete it from Outlook's settings, and the app password will stop working — but your Gmail account itself will not be affected.

Troubleshooting connection problems

If Outlook says the password is wrong, make sure you copied the entire 16-character app password exactly as Gmail showed it. Spaces or missing characters will cause the connection to fail. Go back to Gmail's app password page and create a new one if you are not sure.

If Outlook says it cannot connect, check that two-factor authentication is actually turned on in Gmail. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, and look for 2-Step Verification. If it says "Off" or "Not set up", turn it on first, then create a new app password.

If you see a message about "less find apps", this is outdated. Gmail no longer uses that setting. Delete the account from Outlook and start over with the app password method described above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my regular Gmail password instead of an app password?

No. Gmail blocks regular passwords from working with Outlook for security reasons. You must create an app password through Gmail's settings. The app password is a separate code that only works with Outlook and other apps — it does not change your Gmail password.

Will adding Gmail to Outlook delete my emails from Gmail?

No. Outlook only reads your Gmail messages; it does not move or delete them. Your emails stay in Gmail.com exactly as they are. If you delete an email in Outlook, it will also be deleted from Gmail, but the account itself is not affected by adding it to Outlook.

Can I add multiple Gmail accounts to Outlook?

Yes. Repeat the steps for each Gmail account. You will need to create a separate app password for each one. Outlook will show all your Gmail accounts in the folder list on the left side.

What if I forget the app password?

You do not need to remember it. Once you paste it into Outlook, Outlook stores it. If you ever need to add the same Gmail account to Outlook again on a different device, go back to Gmail and create a new app password — the old one will stop working.

Do I need to keep two-factor authentication on?

Yes. Gmail requires two-factor authentication to create and use app passwords. If you turn off two-factor authentication, the app password will stop working and Outlook will lose the connection to Gmail. You can turn it back on to restore the connection.