What to Do if Outlook Cannot Connect to Gmail Account?

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In this article, we will consider what you need to do if Outlook cannot connect to the Gmail account. Connecting Gmail to Outlook is a simple process, but due to some security nuances, you may end up with Outlook not being able to connect to Gmail. The most popular issue with Outlook and Gmail is that Outlook keeps asking you to provide a username and a password no matter how many times you enter it correctly.

Long story short. This problem is the most common for Outlook 2016 users and Gmail accounts with two-factor authentication being enabled on a new Gmail account or existing accounts, and is not an issue with the Google password. Outlook 2016 does not support 2FA thus it forces users to go through a bit more cumbersome process of setting up a Gmail account in Outlook. In this article, we will show you how to fix Gmail Account connection issues in Outlook. These steps can help troubleshoot other mail clients as well.

How to Solve Outlook not Connecting to Gmail Issue?

Before setting up a Gmail account in the Outlook mail client, ensure your mailbox is properly configured. You must check whether IMAP protocol is enabled in your Gmail account settings.

Enable IMAP Access in Gmail Settings

Log into your Gmail account and click on a small gear in the window’s top right corner. Select See all settings. This will allow you to edit your Google account settings. After that, go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. You need to make sure the IMAP Status is set to Enabled. As to POP, ignore this ancient protocol. This one is severely outdated, and nobody should keep using it.

IMAP is a special communication protocol between a client and a mail server. It allows the server to sync your mailbox between all the devices and keep everything up to date. For example, if you open an email item in Outlook, IMAP ensures the email is also marked as read in the Gmail interface. That is how modern mail works and why everyone ditched POP which does not support these convenient features.

By default, Gmail keeps IMAP enabled for every account. Thus, this step is not that necessary. We need to be sure it is enabled. Otherwise, you may have problems connecting a Gmail account to Outlook.

How to Connect Gmail to Outlook 2019?

Before you go. It is important enabling two-factor authentication in your Gmail account, otherwise, you may receive Gmail to Outlook connection errors. Follow this guide from Google to learn how to enable two-factor authentication for your Google account.

Let us start with Outlook 2019, the most recent and latest mail app from Microsoft. In Outlook 2019, connecting to Gmail is much easier than in the previous version (Outlook 2016, etc.).

1. Open Outlook and click File in the top-left corner;
2. Hit Add account. This action opens a new little window in which you need to enter your Gmail address;
3. Enter your Gmail address. For example, user@gmail.com. You need to enter a full email address so that Outlook automatically finds the necessary server settings. Click Connect and wait for the app to gather the necessary information;
4. Outlook will open a new window with Google Account sign-in. You need to enter your password and later enter the two-factor authentication password you can find in any authenticator app from Google, Microsoft, or whatever app you use to generate 2FA codes. If you do not have an app for 2FA, use one of your Google app passwords (https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords) instead of your primary account password (app password is 16 characters long without spaces);
5. Allow Outlook access to your account. Now your Gmail account is ready for work in Outlook.

How to Connect Gmail to Outlook 2016?

Now let us talk about Outlook 2016, 2013, and 2010. Things are a bit different in there since it does not support 2FA. The account setup process is mostly the same, but you need to generate an app-specific password to log in.

Note. If you have a hard time accessing your account in Outlook 2019, generate an app-specific password and try to use it instead of the traditional sign-in process described above.

You can let Outlook automatically connect your account and find all the details or specify them manually. If you choose to set it up manually, proceed with the following:

1. Launch Outlook. Click on File, then click on Add Account;
2. Select Manual setup and hit Next;
   
3. In the following window, select POP or IMAP;
   
4. Now type in your name (this name will be displayed in the emails you send), and the email address. The incoming mail server should be imap.gmail.com. The outgoing mail server (SMTP) is smtp.gmail.com. Also, you should fill in the Logon information form and then click on More Settings;
   
5. Leave the option Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) blank because this is a proprietary Microsoft protocol based on NTLM authentication, which Gmail does not support;
6. Go to Outgoing Server and tick on My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication;
   
7. Go to the Advanced tab and select SSL to encrypt your connection for the Incoming server (IMAP). The port number for IMAP should be 993. For the outgoing SMTP server select TLS as an encryption protocol and change the port number from 25 to 587. Click on OK and proceed to the next window.
   

You may still get connection errors, but that is okay. Now we will tell you what to do with it.

Simple validation blocked

As explained in the beginning, this issue occurs because of two-factor authentication. Since July 15, 2014, Google has blocked applications that use simple validation to access Gmail. Old Outlook versions do not support two-factor authentication. Thus, users must create an app-specific password to connect Gmail to Outlook. You can enable this feature only on the Google Account webpage. Here is how to do this:

1. Go to this website and log into your Google account;
2. Open the Security tab and click App Passwords;
   
3. From the drop-down menus, select Mail and Windows Computer. Hit Generate;
   
4. You will get a one-time use password that contains 16 characters. Copy it and use it to sign like we described above. The 16-digit app password is displayed with spaces to easier to read it. Ignore spaces when you enter it into the app you want to connect.
   

Using the app password in Outlook

Use this app-specific password instead of your Google account password in order to authenticate on your Gmail mailbox through Outlook.

Outlook will try to run several connectivity tests. If you configured everything correctly, you should see that the next task has been completed successfully.

• Log onto the incoming mail server (IMAP)
• Send test e-mail message

After this Outlook should properly verify your account and successfully connect Gmail to Outlook. Now you can use your Gmail in Outlook without any problems.

Gmail Access in Outlook 2013, 2010, and 2007 after May 30, 2022

If you are using old versions of Outlook (Microsoft Office 2016 or older) to connect to your Gmail mailbox, you most likely received an email like this:

On May 30, you may lose access to apps that are using less secure sign-in technology.
To help keep your account secure, Google will no longer support the use of third-party apps or devices which ask you to sign in to your Google Account using only your username and password. Instead, you’ll need to sign in using Sign in with Google or other more secure technologies, like OAuth 2.0.Email software, like Outlook 2016 and earlier have less secure access to your Gmail. Switch to Office 365, Outlook 2019 or newer, or any other email software where you can sign in using Sign in with Google.

When connecting to a Gmail mailbox, Outlook will return the following error:

Task youraccount@gmail.com – Receiving reported error (0x800CCC92): ‘Your email server rejected your login. Verify your username and password for this account in Account Settings. The server responded: -ERR [AUTH] Username and password not accepted.”

If you’re using Outlook 2016 (retail), 2019, 2021, or 365, you won’t have problems disabling less secure apps. All of these versions support IMAP connections to Gmail with the “Allow less secure apps” option turned off. If you’re using an older version of Outlook, you’ll need to upgrade to a newer version, turn on two-step verification, and use an app password.

Here’s an easy workaround to bypass this restriction in an older version of Outlook. Simply follow the steps below:

1. Go to Gmail Account Settings and enable “2-Step Verification”;
   
2. Then go to the App passwords section and add a custom app named Outlook;
   
3. Copy your 16-digit app password and use it in Outlook settings instead of your Gmail password. You need to enter the App Password once for the app or device, after which Outlook should remember it and not ask you again.

Enabling 2FA and App Password generation will allow you to use Outlook 2016, 2013, 2010, and even 2007 to connect to your Gmail mailbox after May 30, 2022.

Check Gmail TCP Ports Connectivity

If the connecting Outlook to Gmail test failed, you need to check whether your computer or Internet service provider is not blocking the network ports used to access Gmail. To check ports on Windows 10, use the Test-NetConnection PowerShell cmdlet. You need to check the availability of Gmail servers over the following protocols: IMAP over SSL (993) and SMTP over TLS (587). Open the elevated PowerShell using Win + X – Windows PowerShell (Admin) and run the commands:

Test-NetConnection imap.gmail.com -port 993

Test-NetConnection smtp.gmail.com -port 587

If you are using alternate Gmail servers in Outlook, check the connection using the commands:

Test-NetConnection imap.googlemail.com -port 993

Test-NetConnection smtp.googlemail.com -port 587

If the command returns TcpTestSucceeded = False, then access to your Gmail email account is blocked by a firewall. Check your Windows Defender Firewall settings or third-party firewalls settings on your computer (many modern antiviruses have a built-in network filtering). Allow the outlook.exe process to send outgoing traffic over the TCP ports 993 and 587. If TCP ports are not blocked on your computer, contact the technical support service of your Internet service provider. Some network equipment may be blocking access to the required ports.

Fix Revoked Gmail Access to Outlook

If you somehow or intentionally revoked Gmail account access, you may end up with a lot of troubles connecting your account. Here is how to re-establish it and connect the Gmail account to Outlook again. In other words, here is how to un-revoke Outlook Gmail account access.

1. If you have another account set up in Outlook, launch the app then click File – Account Settings and select Manage Profile from the drop-down;
   
2. In the new window, click Email Accounts;
   
3. This action will open a new window called Account Settings. Go to the Email tab and click New;
4. In the new window, enter your email account details — a username, an email address, and an app-specific password. Generate it using the guide above. Hit Next and wait for the Outlook to establish a connection and check your credentials;
5. After that, you will see another new window with Gmail account verification. Enter your primary password and 2FA-code. Grant access to the account.
6. Done. Now Gmail is up and running in Outlook.

Unable to Add Gmail Account to Microsoft Outlook: Could Not Sign You in to Google

There is another known bug in Outlook 365 and Outlook 2019. It appears after you add your Gmail account to the Outlook configuration, and prompted for a username and password.

Then you select Allow for Microsoft Apps & Services and get the following error:

“Sorry, we could not sign you in to Google – IMAP. Please try again later.”

Also, the following error may appear in the Outlook connection log:

Synchronizer Version 16.0.12122.20830

Synchronizing Mailbox your_email_here

Synchronizing server changes in folder 'Inbox'

Error synchronizing folder[800CCC0E-0-0-560]

Done

In order to fix this error, open the Outlook and dismiss the sign-in window.

Then click File > Office Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings.

Check the box “Enable optional connected experiences” and hit OK.

Restart Outlook and proceed to configure the Gmail account.

Other Options to Restore Outlook Access to Gmail

Everything described above should be enough to connect the Gmail account to Outlook properly. If you still have problems connecting Gmail to Outlook, try the things described in the list below. Those are some tips from users who successfully set up their Gmail accounts in Outlook.

• Uncheck the option Enable connected experience in the Outlook settings located in Outlook > File > Office Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings and restart Outlook;
• Try to change the IMAP server in the Account Setting from the imap.gmail.com to imap.googlemail.com and the Outgoing server from smtp.gmail.com to smtp.googlemail.com;
• Disable the simplified account creation in Outlook 2016, Outlook 2019, and Outlook for Office 365 by creating a new DWORD (32-bit) parameter called DisableOffice365SimplifiedAccountCreation in the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\setup. Set the parameter’s value to 1. You can use the following command to do this quickly:

  REG ADD HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Setup /v DisableOffice365SimplifiedAccountCreation /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

  Simply launch the Command Prompt with Administrator privileges and execute the command. This will disable the new simplified account dialog in Outlook.

• Disable all Outlook add-ins in File > Options > Add-ins;
• Create a new Outlook configuration. Go to the Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles > Add. After that, launch Outlook and try setting up your Gmail account again.

Outlook Cannot Connect to Gmail FAQs

1. What is an application password?

An application password is a unique, 16-character code that allows less secure apps or devices to access your Google Account. It is specifically designed for applications that do not support two-factor authentication (2FA) or the latest security standards. Using an application password, you can ensure the security of your account while still connecting your Gmail to apps like Microsoft Outlook.

2. How can you connect Outlook to Gmail?

To connect Outlook to Gmail, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your Gmail account and click on the gear icon for “Settings.”
2. Choose “See all settings” and then click on the “Forwarding and POP/IMAP” tab.
3. Enable IMAP by selecting “Enable IMAP” and click “Save Changes.”
4. Open Microsoft Outlook and click on “File,” then “Add Account.”
5. Select “Manual setup or additional server types” and click “Next.”
6. Choose “POP or IMAP” and click “Next” again.
7. Enter your name, email address, select “IMAP” as the account type, and input the following:
   • Incoming mail server: imap.gmail.com
   • Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.gmail.com
8. Enter your Gmail email address and password or application password (if you have 2FA enabled).
9. Click on “More Settings,” then the “Outgoing Server” tab, and check “My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication.”
10. Go to the “Advanced” tab and input the following:

    Incoming server (IMAP): 993, SSL/TLS encryption
    
    Outgoing server (SMTP): 587, STARTTLS encryption

11. Click “OK,” then “Next,” and wait for Outlook to test your account settings.
12. Once the tests are successful, click “Finish” to complete the setup.

3. What does it mean “could not sign you into Google”?

The error message “could not sign you into Google” indicates that Outlook is unable to authenticate your Google Account. This can occur due to incorrect login credentials, disabled IMAP settings in Gmail, or issues with two-factor authentication. To resolve this issue, ensure that you have entered the correct email address and password, enabled IMAP in your Gmail settings, and used an application-specific password if your account has 2FA enabled.

Wrapping up

That is all. Your Outlook account for Gmail has been configured now, and the issue with Outlook not connecting to Gmail is solved. It will download all your email items and synchronize all the information. Depending on your mailbox size, this process may take some time, so sit back and wait for everything to sync.