Google ending Gmailify for Yahoo, Outlook: Why it matters to you

Google has announced to end its Gmailify feature, which has long enabled users of other email services—such as Yahoo, AOL, Outlook, and Hotmail—to access Gmail's powerful functionalities.

The feature made it feasible for users of other mailing services to make the most of Gmail-only features without changing their email addresses.

Gmailify, an inter-mail-service functionality that debuted in February 2016, was designed to provide users with enhanced spam protection, organised inbox categories, and improved notifications, all within a familiar Gmail interface.

But the days are coming to an end as Google has started notifying users that Gmailify will be discontinued by January 2026.

This move comes alongside the announcement that support for the "Check mail from other accounts" feature, which utilises Post Office Protocol (POP), will also be scrapped.

As a result, Gmail will no longer automatically fetch emails from external providers using this older system. While previously imported emails will remain accessible, new messages will not be fetched via POP.

After Gmailify support ended, how to access Yahoo, Outlook emails from Gmail?

It should be noted that users can still access their third-party email accounts through the Gmail app on Android and iOS using Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). But this setup will not support Gmail-exclusive features such as categorised inboxes or enhanced spam controls.

Google recommends that web users enable automatic forwarding from their original email providers, allowing new emails to appear in their main Gmail inbox when supported.

As Gmail is evolving, this shift marks a significant change for users who have relied on Gmailify for a prominent and efficient email experience.