Google to Retire Two Gmail Features, Impacting Third-Party Email Users

Google is preparing to discontinue two Gmail features starting this month, a move that could affect how some users access emails from non-Gmail accounts.

From January, Gmail will no longer support Gmailify and the “Check mail from other accounts” feature on desktop devices.

Gmailify previously allowed users to link third-party email accounts—such as Yahoo or Outlook—to Gmail while enjoying features like spam filtering, inbox categorisation, advanced search, and improved mobile notifications. With the change, these Gmail-specific benefits will no longer apply to non-Gmail accounts.

Users will still be able to read and send emails from third-party accounts within the Gmail mobile app using standard IMAP connections, but advanced Gmail tools will no longer be available for those linked accounts.

In addition, Google is ending support for checking external email accounts through POP connections on computers. This means users will no longer be able to retrieve messages from other providers directly within Gmail’s web interface.

To avoid disruption, users are advised to either set up automatic email forwarding or add external accounts directly to the Gmail mobile app. Organisations using work or school accounts may also migrate email data into managed enterprise environments.

Meanwhile, Google is working on a future update that would allow users to change their Gmail addresses without creating entirely new accounts. The update, still under development, would ensure that existing data—such as emails, files, and photos—remains intact. There is no confirmed timeline for when this feature will become widely available.