I have been using Gmail for a while and I am pleased the way it works. Gmail has a lot of advantages like excellent search functions, large storage and the fact it is web-based. Like many other users, I still like to use my own mail client, like Microsoft Outlook. The good news is Gmail and Outlook can be combined quite easily.

Google has a good step for step tutorial how to set it up and there are many other guides on the Web but I would add a few more steps. This guide is referring to Outlook 2007 but other versions are very similar.

Log into your Gmail account

Go to settings (on the right top of the screen)

Select Forwarding and POP/IMAP

Check the box for POP and IMAP

This is used to enable Outlook to receive mail from Gmail

If you using Gmail from different computers or smart phones you should enable IMAP only.

You can leave the setting page now.

You now have to set-up your Microsoft Outlook on your PC.

Open your Outlook and go to Tools, Account Settings, New

Select the first box and click Next

In user Information: type your name and email address (the one you use in your Gmail Account)

In Server Information select

Account Type IMAP

Incoming Server imap.gmail.com

Outgoing Server smtp.gmail.com

In the Logon Information type

[email protected] (your Gmail user name)

Password (your Gmail password)
Tick the box Remember password

Select More settings

Select Outgoing Server

Tick the Box My server requires (SMTP) authentication

Select Advanced Settings Check the server port numbers

Incoming server (IMAP) set to 993

Encrypted connection set to SSL

Outgoing Server (SMTP) set to 587

Encrypted connection set to TLS

Select OK

On the first screen Select Test account settings

This will test the connection. If there are no errors, this stage of the setup is complete. If there are errors check for misspelled words, wrong passwords, wrong port numbers.

The setup is functional at this stage, but to improve the performance, some additional settings are required.

Select Tools, Options, Mail Setup, Send/Receive

Under Send/receive Groups select Edit

Select Download Headers for subscribed folders

Select Tools, Options, Junk E-mail

Select No automatic Filtering and un-tick all other boxes

Gmail has a good Spam filtering system. There is no need to filter the messages again. It may conflict with Gmail. You may check your email now. All your messages and sub folders will download now. It can take a while for the first time until all folders are synchronized.

With IMAP, the messages are kept on the server and are being synchronized with the local messages. You can set up several computers or laptops just the same way and your email messages are always synchronized.