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Why Is Google Ending Gmailify and POP3 Access in 2026?
Google is fundamentally changing how Gmail interacts with third-party email services by phasing out Gmailify and POP3 support. This transition will conclude by the end of January 2026, meaning Gmail will no longer fetch emails from external accounts using the POP3 protocol.
Gmailify, a service that extended Gmail’s advanced features—like spam protection and smart inbox organization—to accounts such as Yahoo! Mail and Outlook, will also be discontinued. Following this shutdown, users will lose these specific capabilities for their external accounts and must rely on their original provider’s interfaces or standard IMAP connections.
What Does This Mean for You?
The core impact is that your existing POP3 and Gmailify configurations will cease functioning for new incoming messages. Any emails you have already imported into your Gmail account will remain intact and accessible.
However, Gmail will stop retrieving new messages from your linked third-party providers once the cutoff date arrives. Google is removing the “Check mail from other accounts” option entirely from the desktop web interface.
This shift reflects a move toward more modern and secure synchronization methods, as POP3 is an older protocol that does not support real-time syncing and can have security vulnerabilities.
Steps to Take Moving Forward
To maintain access to your external emails within a unified inbox, you must adjust your setup before the January 2026 deadline. You can transition to using standard IMAP connections, which synchronize your emails across devices in real time.
Alternatively, you might consider setting up automatic email forwarding from your third-party provider directly to your Gmail address. For a more comprehensive desktop solution, switching to a dedicated email client like Thunderbird allows you to manage multiple accounts using IMAP [page]. Reviewing your configurations early ensures you avoid any disruption in receiving important communications.