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If you use Gmail or Google Apps for email, then there are few ways to access your email account on your iPhone or iPad. Even if you’ve already setup your Gmail account on your iPhone or iPad, I strongly recommend to read this article, as you may be doing it wrong.
So what is the best way to use Gmail or Google Apps on your iPhone or iPad. Before I answer that question, let me first go through the various options. Read the entire post before you start configuring Gmail on your device.
How to setup Gmail using the Google option in the Mail app (FETCH)
- Launch the Settings app
- Scroll down and tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendar
- Tap Add Account
- Then tap Google from the list of options.
- Enter the Name, Email, password and a description for your Gmail or Google Apps email address, and tap Next to continue.
The ability to download older apps is available on iOS 4.2 and later. The original iPhone (iPhone 2G) and 1st generation iPod touch cannot update beyond iOS 3.1.3, and therefore cannot take advantage of this feature. IOS 11 appears to restore Gmail push in Apple Mail. Under iOS 11, a new ‘Automatically’ fetch schedule option exists. 9to5Mac, and 9to5Toys and a writer for 9to5Mac. Email him at greg.
Note: If you’ve enabled two-step verification for your Gmail account then you need to use an application-specific password instead of the regular password in the password field. You can generate the application-specific password by going to the Accounts section of your account, and clicking on App Passwords.
- After your account has been successfully verified, you will get an option to select the Google services you want to sync. Tap on Save when you’re done.
Now launch the Mail app, which will download the mails from your Gmail account.
This is one of the most commonly used options, but it is not the best way to use Gmail on your iPhone or iPad, if you want to get your emails immediately as it uses fetch, rather than Push. Push ensures that the emails are instantly delivered to your device when you get a new email, whereas fetch will check for new email either Manually or after every 15 minutes, 30 minutes or hourly. By default, it is set to manually, you can change the settings by going to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendar > Fetch New Data and select the appropriate option under Fetch.
How use Google Sync via Microsoft Exchange to setup Gmail in the Mail app (PUSH – Google Apps only)
If you want to use Push for your Gmail account then you need to set it up using Google Sync via Microsoft Exchange. But this works with only Google Apps email addresses and does not work with Gmail as Google discontinued support for Google Sync on January 30th, 2013. If you had setup a Gmail account before January 30th, then Google Sync would work fine, but I doubt most of you fall in this category.
If use a Google Apps email address then you can use Google Sync via Microsoft Exchange by following these steps:
Note: Please don’t use this option with a Gmail account as it won’t sync your emails to your device due to discontinued support for Gmail accounts.
- Launch the Settings app.
- Scroll down, and tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendar.
- Tap Exchange from the list of options (not Google).
- Enter the full Google Apps email address and a password and tap Next.
Note: If you’ve enabled two-step verification for your Google Apps email address then you need to use an application-specific password instead of the regular password in the password field. You can generate the application-specific password by going to the Accounts section of your account, and clicking on App Passwords.
- In the next screen, enter m.google.com in the server field.
- Leave the Domain field blank.
- Enter the full Google Apps email address in the Username field.
- The password should be already populated in the Password field.
- After your Google Apps account is successfully verified, select the Google services you want to sync. Ensure the Mail option is enabled, and tap Save.
Your emails should now get synced automatically to your Mail app.
Use the official Gmail app
If you use Gmail, then the recommended option to instantly receive your mail on your iPhone and iPad is to use the official Gmail app that is available in the App Store.
- Download the Gmail app from the App Store using this direct iTunes link.
- Enter the Name, Email, password and a description for your Gmail or Google Apps email address, and tap on Sign in to login to your account. If you’ve already signed in to your Gmail account then you should ideally see the Gmail and Google Apps account. You can tap on the On/Off toggle against the respective accounts to access them in the Gmail app. You can setup up to 5 Gmail or Google Apps account.
Note: If you’ve enabled two-step verification, then you need to use your account password instead of the application specific password. You will be prompted to enter the verification code in the next step.
- You can either tap on Start Tour to go through a quick visual walkthrough on how to use the Gmail app, or tap on Go to Inbox to access your emails.
- You should also get an option to allow the Gmail app to send you notifications, tap on Yes to get notifications whenever you get a new email.
- By default, you will get notifications only for the Important Emails. If you want notifications for all emails then swipe to the right in the Inbox to access the menu, tap on the Gear icon, and then tap on All New Emails.
The other benefits of using the official app is that it allows you to use all the features that Gmail offers such as labels, see Inbox categories like Promotions, Social etc, ability to respond to Google Calendar apps right from the app, add scribbles to your email, edit email signature and vacation responses and more.
There are two things that I don’t like about the Gmail app, the first one is that it takes sometime for the emails to load when you tap on the incoming notifications. I am not sure if it Google needs to fix this or it is a limitation of iOS. The second one is the lack of Universal Inbox.
Battery Life considerations
While Push ensures that you get the email instantly, it can have an impact on your iPhone or iPad’s battery life. If you use multiple email accounts then you may want to use the Fetch option for email accounts where you don’t need to get an instant notification for new email, and switch to Fetch. The higher the fetch interval, the better it is for battery life, so you can set it appropriately based on the importance of the email account.
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Conclusion
The best way to use Gmail on your iPhone or iPad is to use the official Gmail app, or use Google Sync via Microsoft Exchange if you’ve a Google Apps email address and prefer to use the Mail app. If you want to use the Mail app for your Gmail account then you should be aware that new mails will be retrieved only when you launch the Mail app, or based on the frequency set by you.
I hope this article gave you the necessary information to configure your Gmail or Google Apps email address correctly. Please feel free to drop me a line in the comments if you’ve any questions.
macOS is the operating system that powers every Mac. It lets you do things you simply can’t with other computers. That’s because it’s designed specifically for the hardware it runs on — and vice versa. macOS comes with an entire suite of beautifully designed apps. It works hand in hand with iCloud to keep photos, documents, and other stuff up to date on all your devices. It makes your Mac work like magic with your iPhone and other Apple devices. And it’s been built from the ground up with privacy and security in mind.
Featuring all-new, dedicated apps for music, TV, and podcasts. Smart new features in the apps you use every day. And Sidecar, which lets you use iPad as a second Mac display.
Easy to Use When it’s simple to
do
everything, you can do anything.
On a Mac, everything is designed to work just the way you expect it to — from operating it with simple, intuitive gestures to asking Siri to find a file to having your apps automatically update themselves. Whatever you set out to do on a Mac, there’s much less to learn and that much more to accomplish.
The Finder lets you easily browse and organize the files on your Mac — and those stored in iCloud Drive. View files by icons, in a list, or with Gallery View, which helps you quickly locate a file by how it looks. Drag and drop files into folders in the sidebar. And use the Preview pane to see all of your files’ metadata, quickly create .zip files, and share using the handy Share menu.
Dark Mode adds a dramatic look to your desktop and apps that puts the focus on your content. Dynamic Desktop makes your Mac even more beautiful with time-shifting desktop pictures that match the time of day wherever you are. And Stacks keeps your desktop free of clutter by automatically organizing your files, images, documents, PDFs, and more into tidy groups.
Spotlight helps you quickly and effortlessly find what you want, like documents on your Mac, movie showtimes, and flight departure and arrival times. Just type a few keystrokes in the Spotlight search field and autocomplete immediately shows you relevant results.1
A simple two-finger swipe from the right edge of your trackpad brings up Notification Center — the same one you use on iPhone — where you can see all the alerts that have come in recently. It’s also where you’ll find your Today view, which you can customize with helpful widgets or handy information pinned from Siri searches.
Siri helps you get things done just by using your voice. It also helps you get more things done at the same time. So you can finish your document while asking Siri to tell your coworker that it’s on the way. Looking for the presentation you worked on last week? Just ask Siri.2 And with Apple Music, Siri can be your personal DJ and recommend music based on your tastes, and tell you more about songs, albums, and artists.3
Continuity All your devices.
One seamless experience.
Your Mac works with your other Apple devices in ways no other computer can. If you get a call on your iPhone, you can take it on your Mac. And when friends text you — regardless of the phone they have — you can respond from your Mac, iPad, or iPhone, whichever is closest. When you copy text or an image from one device, you can paste it into another with standard copy and paste commands. And with Sidecar, you can extend your workspace by using your iPad as a second Mac display. You can even unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch. No password typing required.
Privacy and Security We believe your data belongs to you. Period.
Everything you do with your Mac is protected by strong privacy and security features. That’s because we build data security into everything we make, right from the start.
Privacy. You trust our products with your most personal information, and we believe that you should be in complete control of it. We respect your privacy by enacting strict policies that govern how all data is handled. And when you browse the web, Safari helps prevent data companies from tracking the sites you visit.
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Security. We design Mac hardware and software with advanced technologies that work together to help you run apps safely, protect your data, and keep you safe on the web. The new Find My app helps you locate a missing Mac that’s lost or stolen — even if it’s offline or sleeping. And Gatekeeper makes it safer to download and install apps from the Mac App Store and the internet.
Built in Apps Apps as powerful and elegant as your Mac. Because they’re designed for it.
With every Mac, you get a collection of powerful apps. They’re the same apps you use on your iPhone or iPad, so they’ll feel instantly familiar. They all work with iCloud, so your schedule, contacts, and notes are always up to date everywhere. And because they’re native apps — not web apps in a browser — they take full advantage of the power of your Mac to deliver the fastest possible performance and more robust features.
Media. Experience music, TV, and podcasts in three all-new Mac apps. Get all the news that matters from sources you trust, all in one place.4 Track the market and customize your watchlist. Peruse the best book titles from your desktop. And find the latest apps and extensions for your Mac, right on your Mac.
- Podcasts
- Stocks
- App Store
Creativity. Enjoy your best photos and videos, showcased in an immersive, dynamic new look. Transform home videos into unforgettable movies or quickly share clips with your favorite people. Create music like the pros with a huge collection of sounds, instruments, amps, and a lineup of virtual session drummers and percussionists perfectly suited to play along with your song.
Productivity. Create beautiful documents with stunning simplicity. Visualize your data precisely and persuasively in spreadsheets with images, text, and shapes. Make stage-worthy presentations using powerful graphics tools and dazzling cinematic effects to bring your ideas to life. And collaborate with friends and coworkers in real time — whether they’re across town or across the globe.
Communication. Easily manage all of your email accounts in one simple, powerful app that works with email services like iCloud, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, and Microsoft Exchange. Send unlimited messages to anyone on any Apple device, using the same Messages app on your Mac as you do on your iPhone. Make unlimited high-quality video and audio calls right from your Mac with FaceTime. And securely locate a missing Mac using the new Find My app on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
- Mail
- Messages
- FaceTime
Organization. A new gallery view and more powerful search help you find your notes more quickly than ever. Easily create, organize, and add attachments to reminders. Manage your iCloud, Google, and Exchange calendars in one place, create separate calendars for home, work, and school, and view them all or just the ones you want. Instantly capture personal reminders, class lectures, even interviews or song ideas with Voice Memos. Keep all your contact info up to date on all your devices, and easily import numbers, addresses, and photos from Google and Microsoft Exchange. And control all your HomeKit-enabled accessories from the comfort of your desktop.
- Notes
- Reminders
- Calendar
- Voice Memos
- Contacts
Internet. Surf the web seamlessly with an updated start page that helps you quickly access your favorite and frequently visited sites. Use Apple Pay to make purchases on the web in Safari with Touch ID on MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Map out new destinations from your desktop, with gorgeous 3D city views like Flyover, point-to-point directions, and comprehensive transit directions. And instantly search your entire Mac or get results from the internet in just a few keystrokes.
- Spotlight
iCloud All your stuff on your Mac.
And everywhere else you want it.
Every Apple app uses iCloud — it’s the magic behind the seamless experience you have with all your Apple devices. So you always have your photos, videos, documents, email, notes, contacts, calendars, and more on whatever device you’re using. And any file you store in iCloud Drive can be shared with friends, family, and colleagues just by sending them a link. iCloud Drive also lets you access files from your Mac on your iPhone or iPad. It’s all done automatically. Just like that.5
Accessibility We make sure that everyone is able to use a Mac.
macOS comes standard with a wide range of assistive technologies that help people with disabilities experience what the Mac has to offer, providing many features you won’t find in other operating systems. Voice Control lets users control their Mac, iPad, and iPhone entirely with their voice. And features such as VoiceOver, Accessibility Keyboard, FaceTime,6 and Text to Speech help everyone get more out of Mac.
Technology Advanced to the core.
macOS features powerful core technologies engineered for the most important functions of your Mac. Thanks to Mac Catalyst, you can now enjoy your favorite iPad apps on your Mac. With SwiftUI, developers have a simple way to build better apps across all Apple platforms with less code. Create ML gives developers a faster and easier way to build machine learning into apps. And support for virtual and augmented reality lets developers create immersive worlds for you to step into.
Compatibility Need to work with Windows?
Mac does that, too.
With macOS, it’s easy to transfer your files, photos, and other data from a Windows PC to your Mac. Work with popular file types such as JPEG, MP3, and PDF, as well as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. And, of course, you can run Microsoft Office natively on a Mac. If you want, you can even run Windows on your Mac.7
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