Gmail: Google cancels "Gmailify" and POP support

Google will discontinue the “Gmailify” and POP functions for Gmail from January. The company justifies the changes in a support entry by stating that users should “access their messages in Gmail in the most secure and up-to-date way.”

The Gmailify function was introduced in 2016. It enabled Google to extend some Gmail functions, such as spam protection, faster search, or an inbox divided into different categories, to external email accounts. This feature will be discontinued from January 2026. This means that users will no longer be able to use Gmailify features such as spam protection or the inbox organization of third-party email accounts. Furthermore, “better email notifications on the smartphone” and a faster search via search operators will no longer be available.

As a solution, Google offers the option to read and send emails from other mail accounts in the Gmail app. A standard IMAP connection (Internet Message Access Protocol) is used for this.

End of POP procedure

With the upcoming changes, Google is also canceling support for the POP3 (Post Office Protocol) method. This means that Gmail will no longer be able to retrieve emails from third-party accounts using the old POP3 method. The “Retrieve messages from other accounts” option in Gmail will also no longer be available on the computer.

Here too, Google is making the IMAP process the standard. Google recommends searching for the corresponding settings for the IMAP changeover in the documentation of the respective mail provider and switching the protocol from POP to IMAP.

According to Google, the change only affects the retrieval methods. This means that already synchronized emails will remain in the Gmail account. The company also points out that users of work or education accounts should contact their administrators, who can help with a possible migration to Google Workspace.

(afl)