Environment
U-M Google Mail (Gmail)
(Applies to both individual email accounts and U-M Google Shared Accounts)
Issue
- How do I set up or configure a third-party mail client (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, etc.) to access my U-M Google Mail?
- How do I sign in to U-M Google Mail using a third-party mail client?
- Email on my mobile device isn't working, how do I fix it?
Resolution
Recommended Ways to Access U-M Gmail
ITS recommends using only clients/apps created and supported by Google to connect to U-M Google accounts.
Thunderbird for Accessibility Needs
- Thunderbird can be used to accommodate accessibility needs for U-M Google users having issues with the web-based Gmail experience
- It is only recommended when needed for accessibility, as Google does not support the use of third-party clients like Thunderbird
- Refer to Setting up Third-Party Mail Client (Thunderbird) with U-M Google Mail for more information
- While ITS provides an easy way to configure Thunderbird, support for the day-to-day use of Thunderbird is not provided
- Thunderbird self-service support information can be found on Mozilla's support page
Other Third-Party Mail Clients
- You are not restricted from signing in and/or using third-party mail clients or apps (e.g., Apple Mail, Microsoft Outlook, etc.) with your U-M Gmail account
- However, ITS does not provide configuration assistance or additional support for using any third-party mail clients other than Thunderbird (mentioned above).
IMPORTANT NOTES
- ITS does not recommend using third-party clients other than Thunderbird (and only for accessibility needs).
- Using a third-party mail client with your U-M Google account is unsupported and is done at your discretion.
- Only mail clients that can sign in directly to your U-M Google account (via Google login and OAuth2) can be used
- Any configurations other than signing in with your U-M Google account (e.g., SMTP/IMAP) will stop working in the future when Google turns off "Less Secure Apps." (Date TBD)
Additional Information
Note: While this knowledge article applies to third-party mail clients specifically,
ITS recommends using only applications created and supported by Google to connect to U-M Google accounts (including Calendar). Using third-party apps/clients (i.e., apps created by a group or company other than Google, such as Apple or Microsoft) can lead to unexpected results, including data loss. Neither ITS nor Google provide configuration assistance or additional support for using third-party apps/clients other than
Mozilla Thunderbird.
- For assistance or questions regarding third-party mail clients, please contact the specific vendor's help center
- For other topics, contact the ITS Service Center