Fix “Gmail Not Working with Outlook”: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
We connect Gmail with Outlook for seamless email management on a single platform. However, it becomes frustrating when a sudden disruption occurs in the email, such as when issues like Gmail not working with Outlook arise. If you are experiencing the same issue as Gmail not syncing with MS Outlook, connecting properly, then you are not alone. This is a common problem with various underlying causes that can be resolved with the right troubleshooting steps.
In this guide, we will walk you through the common reasons why Gmail might not be working with Outlook and provide step-by-step solutions to get your email back to Outlook instantly.
Some Quick Initial Check – Gmail Not Syncing with Outlook
Since most of the issues related to emails are caused by common reasons, as mentioned below. First, check each of these, then move to the advanced troubleshooting methods.
- Check the Internet connection: If Gmail is not working with Outlook, ensure that you have a stable and active internet connection. Any slight fluctuation is a common culprit for email synchronisation problems.
- Restart Outlook or Computer: Once, restart Outlook or the system to resolve any temporary glitches. Close Outlook, restart the computer, and again re-open Outlook.
- Verify the Gmail Credentials: When configuring Gmail with Outlook, verify the credentials. If you have already connected an account, and the Gmail password has been changed recently, then configure the account again with the correct password.
- Update Outlook: Ensure the MS Outlook application is updated. An outdated one can lead to several compatibility issues.
- Start Outlook, go to File>Office Account>Update Options>Update Now
- Check Status in Google Workspace: Whenever there are any outage issues with Google’s Service, you can visit the Google Workspace Status Dashboard. And check if Gmail has any issues.
After checking the above fixes, if the issue persists, ensure to perform the troubleshooting approaches.
Advanced Troubleshooting Methods to Resolve “Gmail Not Working with Outlook”
As we discussed in the above section, the common and initial steps why Gmail emails are not coming through Outlook. Now we need to address each of the email services one by one.
Gmail Account Settings
There is a high chance that most common issues could be with the settings within the Gmail account.
Enable IMAP Access in Gmail
When configuring Outlook with Gmail, it uses IMAP. If at any point the IMAP is disabled, Outlook won’t be able to establish a connection properly.
- Open the browser and go to Gmail. Sign in to the Gmail account.
- Go to the Gear icon and then select See all Settings.
- Navigate to Forwarding and the POP/IMAP tab.
- Go to IMAP Access and ensure IMAP access is enabled.
- Click Save Changes.
Create App Password
If you have enabled 2-step verification, you cannot use the regular password in Outlook. Therefore, you need to generate a unique App password.
- Go to Google Account Security.
- Under “How to sign in to Google”, click on App passwords.
- Now, sign in to your Google account.
- In the “App password” section, select Mail from the “Select app” dropdown and Other from the “Select device” dropdown.
- Click Generate.
- Now, a 16-character password will be displayed. Copy this password immediately.
- Click Done.
Configuring the Outlook Settings
Once the Gmail settings are in order, we need to ensure that Outlook is configured correctly.
Verify the IMPA/SMTP Server settings in Outlook.
Incorrect server details are a very common reason for connection failures.
- Open the Outlook application.
- Go to File>Account Settings>Account Settings.
- Select the Gmail account from the list and click Change.
- Verify the following settings:
- Incoming mail server (IMAP): imap.gmail.com
- Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.gmail.com
- Incoming server port: 993
- Incoming server encryption: SSL/TLS or SSL
- Outgoing server port: 465 (for SSL) or 587 (for TLS/STARTTLS)
- Outgoing server encryption: SSL/TLS or TLS or STARTTLS
- Ensure “My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication” is checked, and “Use same settings as my incoming mail server” is selected.
- If you’re using an App Password, ensure you enter it in the password field here.
- Click Test Account Settings… to verify the connection. If successful, click Next and Finish.
Remove and Re-add Gmail if “Gmail Not Working with Outlook”
Sometimes the simplest solution is to start fresh. Remove and add the account to clear any corrupted configurations.
- Close Outlook.
- Go to Control Panel > Mail.
- Click Show Profiles…
- Select the Outlook profile and click Properties.
- Click Email Accounts…
- Select the Gmail account and click Remove. Confirm the removal.
- Now, click on the Add… to add the account again. Now, follow the steps. When prompted for a password, enter the App password.
*Outlook should automatically detect the correct server settings if IMAP is enabled in Gmail.
Repair Outlook Data Files
Any corrupted Outlook data files can cause syncing issues like “Gmail Not Working with Outlook”. Microsoft provides an Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe) to fix these.
- Close Outlook entirely.
- Locate scanpst.exe on the computer. The location varies by Outlook version and operating system.
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OfficeXX
- Run scanpst.exe.
- Select Outlook Data File.
- Click Start to begin the scan. If errors are found, click Repair.
- Once the repair is complete, reopen Outlook and check if the issue is resolved.
System and Network-Level Troubleshooting
Temporarily Disable Firewall/Antivirus
One of the most common causes is the security software blocking Outlook’s connection to Gmail servers. Temporarily disable the firewall and antivirus software. Try to send the emails in Outlook from the Gmail account. If Gmail is working with Outlook, then you need to add Outlook as an exception.
Clear Outlook’s Local Cache
Outlook maintains a local cache of the emails. A corrupted cache can lead to synchronisation problems.
- Close Outlook completely.
- Open File Explorer.
- In the address bar, type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook and press Enter.
- Locate and delete the folder named RoamCache.
- Restart Outlook. It will rebuild the cache.
Conclusion
Gmail not working with Outlook can be stressful, but if we work on it systematically, working through the steps outlined in the guide, we can resolve it instantly. Remember to check the Gmail settings, verify the Outlook configuration, and consider the network-level interferences. Follow the steps and are still facing issues, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support or Google Help for more personalised assistance.
FAQs
Q) What’s the first thing I should check when Gmail isn’t working in Outlook?
A) Always start by checking the internet connection. Verify the Gmail password by logging into Gmail in a web browser. Ensure that Outlook is updated.
Q) Do I need to use IMAP or POP3 for Gmail in Outlook?
A) We need to use IMAP to configure the account in Outlook. IMAP syncs emails across all devices. POP3 download emails to one device and deletes them from the server. For more details, add Gmail account to Outlook account.
Q) Why are my Gmail emails not coming through to Outlook?
A) There are multiple reasons why Gmail might not work with Outlook, ranging from incorrect settings to security conflicts. The complete answer is detailed in the articles above.