Gmail "Send mail as" is ending in January 2027: what Australian small businesses can do

Last checked 18 October 2026. Not affiliated with Google.

If you use a free Gmail account to send from your own domain (like info@yourbusiness.com.au) or another non-Google address (like Bigpond, Outlook or Yahoo) through Gmail's "Send mail as" setting, Google says that stops in January 2027. Google hasn't announced an exact day.

What Google is changing

Google's help page says that starting January 2027:

"You will no longer be able to send mail from third-party email accounts in Gmail on the web or in the Gmail mobile apps."

Gmailify and "Check mail from other accounts" (POP collection) end too. Google's timeline says that until then, during the transition, "Gmail may restrict new configurations", so you may already be unable to add a new address.

Sources: Google: Learn about changes to third-party email account support in Gmail. Last checked 18 October 2026.

What keeps working

• Forwarded mail keeps arriving. Google's FAQ: "Can I still receive email forwarded from a third-party account? Yes."
• Mail already in your Gmail stays there. Google: imported messages "will remain in your mailbox."
• Gmail-to-Gmail and Google Workspace aliases aren't affected.
• You can still add your other mailbox as its own account in the Gmail phone app. Google: "Access through the Gmail mobile app for Android, iPhone, and iPad will not change."

This change is about third-party (non-Google) addresses only. If your domain's email is already hosted on Google Workspace, it isn't affected.

Am I affected? A 30-second check

1. Open Gmail on a computer (these settings aren't in the phone app).
2. Click Settings (the gear icon, top right), then See all settings.
3. Open the Accounts and Import tab.
4. Look under "Send mail as" and "Check mail from other accounts".

If you see an address there that isn't a Gmail address and isn't hosted on Google Workspace, you're likely affected.

Sources: Google: Send emails from a different address or alias. Last checked 18 October 2026.

Your options (cheapest first)

Prices are approximate, as at 18 October 2026, and change. Check each provider's site.

1. Use the mailbox you already pay for: $0

Many web hosts, domain registrars and internet providers (Bigpond included) give you a real mailbox. Add it to the Gmail app on your phone as its own account (the mailbox needs IMAP: Google says POP-only accounts can't be added in the app, and some providers need an app-specific password), and use the provider's webmail or a desktop mail app on your computer. The catch: it's a separate inbox, not part of your main Gmail list. And some domain plans only forward mail and have no mailbox to send from.

2. A desktop mail app: $0

Google's own advice if you rely on "Send as" for business is a desktop mail client with IMAP/SMTP support, such as Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird, connected to your provider.

3. A low-cost mailbox on your domain

For example iCloud+ with a custom domain (from approx. A$1.49 a month incl. GST for 50 GB, as at 18 Oct 2026, if you're on Apple; source: support.apple.com/en-au/108047), Zoho Mail (the free plan is web and app only, without IMAP), or Fastmail (an Australian company; approx. US$5–6 per user a month, tax extra where applicable, as at 18 Oct 2026; source: fastmail.com/pricing).

4. Google Workspace or Microsoft 365

Google Workspace Business Starter: see current Australian pricing on Google's Workspace pricing page (as at 18 Oct 2026). It works like Gmail, but it's a new account and your old Gmail stays separate. Microsoft 365 Business Basic: from about A$10.50 per user a month (paid yearly, ex GST), as at 18 Oct 2026 (source: Microsoft Australia's business plans page).

How to switch without losing mail

1. Leave your forwarding on until the new setup is tested.
2. Set up the new mailbox or sending service.
3. Add or update your DNS records: MX (where mail goes), SPF and DKIM (proof you're allowed to send), and DMARC (what receivers should do with forgeries). Wrong records are a common reason business mail lands in spam.
4. Send test emails to a Gmail and an Outlook address and check they arrive in the inbox, not spam.
5. Set up your phone and computer, and copy your signature across.
6. Only then change or remove the old setup.

A word of caution

Google warns about tools or browser extensions that "offer to replicate 'Send as' functionality", saying they "often require access to your email credentials or OAuth tokens." Never give anyone your email password. A good helper guides you while you stay logged in yourself.

Common questions

Will my email stop arriving in January?

Not if it's forwarded into Gmail. Google says forwarding keeps working. Collecting mail by POP ("Check mail from other accounts") does end.

Will I lose my old emails?

No. Google says messages you've already imported stay in your mailbox.

Do I need Google Workspace?

No. It's one option, and the closest to Gmail, but it costs per user per month. Many people can use a mailbox they already have.

I only use Gmail on my phone. Am I affected?

If you send as another address through Gmail's "Send mail as", yes: Google says it ends in the mobile apps too. If you've added your other mailbox as its own account in the Gmail app, that keeps working.

More free guides: "Check mail from other accounts" is going: what to use instead

Sources: Google: third-party email account changes · Google: Gmailify & POP changes · Google: Send emails from a different address. Last checked 18 October 2026.