Google Discontinues Gmailify Service After Nearly a Decade
Google has announced the discontinuation of its Gmailify service, effective starting January 2026. Gmailify was introduced in February 2016 with the goal of enhancing the email experience for users of third-party accounts, such as Yahoo, AOL, and Outlook/Hotmail. It provided these users with key Gmail features, including advanced spam protection and organized inbox management.
Gmailify’s Features and Impact
The Gmailify service allowed users to retain their original email addresses while accessing the following benefits:
- Improved spam protection
- Organized inbox with categories like Social, Updates, and Promotions
- Enhanced search capabilities
- Better notification management on mobile devices
Despite its advantages, Google has decided to end support for Gmailify, prompting users to transition to alternative methods for managing their emails.
Changes to Email Management
Starting in 2026, users will no longer be able to utilize Gmailify. Google is notifying users through in-app warnings. Alongside this, support for “Check mail from other accounts” using the Post Office Protocol (POP) will also be terminated.
However, users can still access third-party email accounts through the Gmail app on Android or iOS using the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). This method allows access to other email providers but lacks the extra features that Gmailify offered.
Alternatives to Gmailify
For users looking for ways to manage their emails efficiently, Google recommends setting up automatic forwarding through their other email providers. This allows new emails to automatically appear in the Gmail inbox, similar to how POP fetching functioned.
Existing emails that were imported prior to the discontinuation will remain accessible. This change may align with Google’s goal to concentrate its resources on developing features for users where it can exert complete control over the email experience.
The last significant incident associated with Gmailify occurred in 2023, when users experienced an outage that highlighted the limitations of the service.
