"Check mail from other accounts" is going from Gmail: what to use instead
Gmail's "Check mail from other accounts" setting pulls mail from another mailbox into Gmail using POP. Google says this, and Gmailify, are being removed.
What Google says
"Gmail will no longer support checking emails from third-party accounts through POP." "The option to 'Check mail from other accounts' will no longer be available in Gmail on your computer."
Google's timeline puts the full removal of "Send as" for third-party accounts, Gmailify and POP in January 2027, and says Gmail may restrict new configurations before then. If it has already stopped bringing in new mail for you, use one of the options below.
Sources: Google: Learn about upcoming changes to Gmailify & POP in Gmail · Google: third-party email account changes. Last checked 18 October 2026.
Option 1: automatic forwarding (keeps new mail landing in Gmail)
Google: "To have new emails automatically appear in your main Gmail inbox (like with POP fetching), set up automatic forwarding with your other email provider." Forwarding is set up at your other provider, not in Gmail. Look for "Forwarding", "Auto-forward" or "Forwarders" in its settings or control panel, and check its help pages.
Good to know:
- Forwarding handles receiving only. If you also reply as that address using "Send mail as", that part ends in January 2027 as well (see the main guide).
- Some providers keep a copy in the original mailbox. Check its storage doesn't fill up.
Option 2: add the account in the Gmail app (phone or tablet)
Google: "You can continue to read and send emails from your other account in the Gmail app for Android, iPhone, and iPad, which uses a standard IMAP connection." It shows as a separate inbox in the app, and you can both read and send from it. The other mailbox must support IMAP: Google says accounts like Exchange and POP can't be added in the app.
Sources: Google: add another email account in the Gmail app. Last checked 18 October 2026.
Option 3: use the provider's own webmail or a desktop mail app
Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird can connect to most mailboxes by IMAP. This also solves sending as that address on a computer.
Will I lose the mail already collected?
No. Google says messages already imported into Gmail "will remain in your mailbox."
Want a hand with it?
Most people can do this themselves with the steps above. If you'd rather not touch DNS or settings, I (Dennis Yates, through Switchover) can help for a fixed price: a written plan for your exact setup (A$49), or done with you over a screen-share (A$179, plus A$39 per extra address on the same domain). All prices are in Australian dollars and include GST. You stay logged in to your own accounts; I never ask for your passwords.