{"id":6338,"date":"2026-02-15T12:54:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T12:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/?p=6338"},"modified":"2026-02-15T12:54:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T12:54:38","slug":"announcement-gmail-is-disabling-pop-mail-fetching-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/announcement-gmail-is-disabling-pop-mail-fetching-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Announcement: Gmail is Disabling POP \u201cMail Fetching\u201d in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why You\u2019re Seeing Connection Timeouts (and What to Do)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve recently tried to add a non-Gmail mailbox inside <strong>Gmail on the web<\/strong> using <strong>\u201cCheck mail from other accounts (POP3)\u201d<\/strong> and you\u2019re getting errors like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>\u201cConnection timed out\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u201cThere was a problem connecting to the server\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Settings work in other apps, but not in Gmail web<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2026this is no longer just a \u201cwrong server\/port\/password\u201d issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google has announced that <strong>Gmail will stop supporting POP-based mail fetching (\u201cCheck mail from other accounts\u201d) during 2026<\/strong>, and <strong>new setups are being restricted starting in early 2026<\/strong>. As a result, even correct POP settings may fail, time out, or be blocked in Gmail web.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This post explains what changed, what the error means, and the best alternatives that will keep working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Changing in Gmail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gmail on the web historically offered a feature called:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Settings \u2192 Accounts and Import \u2192 Check mail from other accounts (POP3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This feature allowed Gmail to <em>pull<\/em> mail from another provider using POP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google is now <strong>ending support for this POP fetching feature<\/strong>. The rollout affects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>People who are <strong>setting it up for the first time<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>People who are <strong>editing\/re-adding<\/strong> an account<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>People who may suddenly see it stop working later in 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The key point:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2705 <strong>This impacts Gmail web \u201cmail fetching.\u201d<\/strong><br>\u2705 <strong>It does NOT mean your email provider is broken.<\/strong><br>\u2705 <strong>It does NOT mean POP\/IMAP is dead everywhere.<\/strong><br>\u274c It means Gmail web will no longer act as a POP client to fetch mail for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why You\u2019re Seeing \u201cConnection Timed Out\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When Gmail web blocks or restricts POP fetching, it often presents as a generic connectivity error such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cConnection timed out\u2026 There may be a problem with the settings you added\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This is misleading because your settings can be correct and still fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common reasons you\u2019ll see this now:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gmail is restricting POP fetching for new setups<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gmail is gradually removing this feature<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Less common: network\/VPN\/firewall blocks certain mail ports (995\/993\/587)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Is Impacted<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re impacted if you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Want to read another email account inside <strong>Gmail (web browser)<\/strong> using POP<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are trying to \u201cimport\u201d mail continuously into Gmail<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are reconfiguring an older account fetch rule and it suddenly fails<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You may not be impacted if you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use the <strong>Gmail mobile app<\/strong> to add another mailbox (IMAP flow)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use Outlook\/Apple Mail\/Thunderbird for IMAP\/Exchange<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use <strong>forwarding<\/strong> into Gmail<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recommended Fixes (That Will Keep Working)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 1 (Best): Enable Automatic Forwarding to Gmail<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of Gmail pulling mail via POP, configure your email provider to <strong>push (forward)<\/strong> mail into Gmail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reliable<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Instant delivery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Works long-term (not dependent on Gmail POP fetch)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Typical setup<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In your email provider dashboard\/webmail:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enable <strong>Forwarding<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forward all incoming messages to your Gmail address<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(Optional) Keep a copy in the original mailbox<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use a managed email product (e.g., hosted email or Microsoft 365 through a reseller), forwarding is usually available in the provider dashboard or mailbox settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 2: Add the Account in the Gmail Mobile App Using IMAP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If your goal is simply \u201cread and reply from the same Gmail app,\u201d do this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open <strong>Gmail app (Android\/iPhone)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add account \u2192 \u201cOther\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose <strong>IMAP<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use your provider\u2019s IMAP settings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Still supported<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Works even when Gmail web POP fetching is removed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 3: Use a Standard Email Client (IMAP \/ Exchange)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you prefer desktop workflow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Outlook<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apple Mail<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thunderbird<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These clients are designed for IMAP\/Exchange and are not tied to Gmail\u2019s POP fetching feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What About \u201cSend Mail As\u201d in Gmail?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many users want two things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Receive mail into Gmail<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Send replies as the custom domain email address<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if you switch to <strong>forwarding<\/strong> for receiving, you can often still configure Gmail to <strong>send as<\/strong> your domain email using SMTP (depending on provider policies and authentication).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your SMTP setup is blocked, the most reliable alternative is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Send from your provider\u2019s webmail (or Outlook\/M365)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Or use a client that supports your provider\u2019s authentication method<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Are my POP\/IMAP server settings wrong?<\/strong><br>Not necessarily. Gmail web POP fetching can fail even when settings are correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Does this mean my email provider is down?<\/strong><br>No. The same account may work fine in Outlook\/Apple Mail\/Gmail mobile app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Will existing POP fetching keep working forever?<\/strong><br>No. Google has announced it will be fully turned down in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: What\u2019s the best long-term setup?<\/strong><br><strong>Forwarding \u2192 Gmail<\/strong> for receiving + (optional) <strong>Send Mail As<\/strong> if your provider supports SMTP sending from Gmail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Action Plan (Simple)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stop trying to set up POP fetching in Gmail web<\/strong> (it\u2019s being deprecated).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose one of these:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2705 <strong>Forwarding<\/strong> into Gmail (best)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2705 Add account in <strong>Gmail mobile app via IMAP<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2705 Use a desktop email client via IMAP\/Exchange<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you need \u201creply from my domain\u201d:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Try \u201cSend mail as\u201d (SMTP) if supported, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use provider webmail\/client for sending<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Note<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re currently blocked in Gmail web and seeing timeouts, this is likely expected behavior due to Google\u2019s rollout. The solution is not \u201ctry 10 different ports\u201d \u2014 the solution is to move to forwarding or IMAP-based access (mobile app \/ email client), which will continue working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why You\u2019re Seeing Connection Timeouts (and What to Do) Summary If you\u2019ve recently tried to add a non-Gmail mailbox inside [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6338"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6339,"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6338\/revisions\/6339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wizbrand.com\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}