Gmail SMTP Settings – Complete Details

What is Gmail?

Gmail is the most popular email service, with over 1.8 billion active users as of August 2022. 

It has two types of accounts- regular Gmail accounts and Google Workspace (formerly G-Suite) accounts which companies use for their employee’s unique Gmail addresses. 

An example would be Jane’s email address, jane@abc.com, which is working at a company named ABC. Her account is owned and administrated by the company itself. 

Then there are Gmail accounts under some restrictions laid out by their Google Workspace administrator, called Restricted Gmail Accounts.

Let’s explore the SMTP Settings for all three types of Gmail accounts:

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Gmail SMTP Settings (regular and Google Workspace)

• Server Address: smtp.gmail.com
• Username: Your Gmail Address (e.g. example@gmail.com)
• Password: Your Gmail Password
• Port Number: 587 (With TLS)
• Alternative Port Number: 465 (With SSL)
• Internet Protocol: Dynamic IPs Allowed
• Sending Limits: A registered Google Workspace user can’t relay messages to more than 10,000 recipients per day.

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Google Workspace SMTP Relay Settings

• Server Address: smtp-relay.gmail.com
• Username: Your Gmail Address (e.g. example@gmail.com)
• Password: Your Gmail Password
• Port Number: 587 (With TLS), 465 (With SSL) and 25 (with TLS/SSL)
• Internet Protocol: One or more static IP addresses are required.
• Sending Limits: 2,000 Messages per day.

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Google Workspace Restricted Account SMTP Settings (very rare)

• Server Address: aspmx.l.google.com
• Username: Your Gmail Address (e.g. example@gmail.com)
• Password: Your Gmail Password
• Port Number: 25 (TLS not required)
• Internet Protocol: Dynamic IPs allowed
• Restriction: Email can only be sent to Gmail or Google Workspace users.
• Sending Limits: Per user receiving limits apply. This option restricts sending messages to Gmail or Google Workspace users only.

What is the “Less Secured Apps” option in Gmail?

Google has added an extra layer of protection to Gmail accounts to make them more secure. 

If a third-party server tries to read or enter your Gmail account, and it is not as secure as Google’s security standards, then Google servers will block it.

So, before you configure your account, ensure that the “Less Secure Apps” option is enabled for the desired account in Gmail.

Generally, it is not recommended to enable the “Less Secure Apps” option because there are risks associated with doing so. However, if no other option is available then you can use this setting for certain apps that need access and you trust (such as when you are developing an app yourself).