How To Set Up Google Apps Email in Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is pretty much the standard email application for most users. In most cases, it’s because users don’t know about other options (like Thunderbird) or are just apprehensive about trying something new. You’ll see below how to set up Google Apps Email in Outlook. (But if you want to try Thunderbird, here is how to set up Google Apps Email in Thunderbird.)

Setting up your Outlook email client (or any other email app, for that matter) is pretty easy. It’s a lot like setting up email for any other kind of email account, except that Google has its own server names. Oh, and they use a high security SSL (secure) mail connection, rather than the usual unencrypted ones.

Did that make sense to you? Well, no matter. Here are the basic settings.

What you’ll need to know to begin are:

• Your email address — the whole thing including your domain name. That could be something like yourname@yoursite.com.
• Your password — You should have this. But if you don’t, then try logging into your Google Apps account via the webmail, and ask the system to reset the password for you.

Once you have that info, here are the settings you need to know.

Incoming Server Settings For Google Apps Email

• Incoming Mail (IMAP) Server:     imap.gmail.com
• Use SSL: Yes
• Port: 993

Outgoing Server Settings For Google Apps Email

• Outgoing Mail (SMTP) Server:     smtp.gmail.com
• Use Authentication: Yes
• Use STARTTLS: Yes (some clients call this SSL)
• Port: 465 or 587

Now that you have the settings, how about a video to show you step by step how to set up your Google Apps Account in Outlook? I’ve made you a video here.

Video: How to set up Outlook for Google Apps Email

And, if you need any further clarification, or prefer to see step by step instructions, Google has a very good step by step page for setting up Google Apps Email in Outlook here:

Google Apps Setup for Outlook 2003

Google Apps Setup for Outlook 2007

And, you can also see their list of all of the email clients — including the iPhone and iPad, here:

Google Apps Setup for iPhone, iPod, iPad, and almost any email client.

Still have a question? Leave a comment below and I will answer it for you.

-Mark