How To Sync Gmail With Your iPhone

Do you want to check your Gmail from your iPhone? Setting up Gmail on your iPhone is relatively straightforward. In this guide, I will show you how to connect Gmail to your iOS device. Let’s get into it.

Prepare the Device and Account

The first step is to make sure that your device is up-to-date. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and download and install any software updates that are available.

You will also need to be connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. Furthermore, you will need your Gmail email address and password on hand.

Finally, if you plan on using the official Gmail app, you need to download it first. There are other ways to use Gmail on an iPhone without downloading the Gmail app, though. Read on to learn more.

Connect Gmail Using Apple Mail

You can use the built-in Mail app to sync your emails instead of downloading Gmail.

The easiest way to get your emails on an iOS device is to use the built-in Mail app, which comes preinstalled on all iPhones. Thus, you won’t need to download anything from the App Store.

To do that, go to Settings > Mail > Mail Accounts. Click on Add Account, select Google from the list, and then sign in with your Gmail address and password. You may need to enter a one-time passcode and complete two-step verification.

Once you have verified your identity and signed in, make sure the toggle for “Mail” is turned on. This will sync mail to your device. You can also toggle on syncing for other Google features, like Calendar. Click on “Save” to save your choices.

That’s it! You will now see new emails in the Mail app.

Connect Gmail Using the Gmail App (Google Sign-In)

Another option is using the Gmail app to sign in. To do that, you will first need to download the Gmail app from the App Store, as it does not come installed automatically on iOS like it does on Android. Go to the App Store and search for “Gmail” to find it.

Once you have downloaded the app, simply open it. You will be prompted to sign in. Follow the on-screen instructions to sign in with your Gmail address and password.

To add additional accounts, open the app, click on your profile picture in the top corner, and click on “Add another account.” Select “Google” and sign in with your Google account credentials.

Tune Sync Behavior for Reliability and Speed

To make sure you get your Gmail messages on time, make sure your apps are set up to sync correctly.

If you are using the iOS Mail app, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts. Select your Gmail account and go to Fetch New Data to customize how often your mail should sync. Choose “Push” for automatic, real-time syncing.

If you select “Push,” you will get new Gmail notifications in real time. However, it also uses up more background data and battery. Alternatively, you can choose a Fetch schedule, which checks for mail periodically (like every 15 minutes or every hour). That way, you can still be notified on time of important mail, without using up too much battery.

If you are using the Gmail app, tap on the menu icon in the Gmail app and navigate to Settings > General > Data Usage > Sync Settings. There, you can set how many days of mail you want to sync.

You should also go to your iPhone settings and navigate to General > Background App Refresh and ensure background app refresh is enabled for the Gmail app. This ensures that you will get notifications in real time, as your mail comes in. However, it also uses up more background data and battery.

Control What Data Syncs and How It Behaves

In addition to mail, you can sync other data from your Google account, including your contacts, Google calendar events, and Google Notes.

Go to Settings > Mail and select your Google account. There, you can toggle syncing for other Google services on and off. For example, if you want to sync your Google calendar to your phone, make sure Calendar is toggled on.

Diagnose and Resolve Common Sync Issues

If you are having syncing issues, check your sync settings. For example, if you are using the Mail app and have it set to fetch new mail every hour, it won’t update in real time.

Next, update your iOS version. If you are using Gmail, make sure to update Gmail as well. Try restarting your phone, as that often fixes issues. Finally, make sure you have a stable internet connection. Note that VPNs can interfere with your network connection and syncing.

Conclusion

I hope this guide was helpful! For real-time syncing on your iPhone, make sure you have “Push” enabled if you are using iOS Mail or use the Gmail app with Background Refresh enabled. That will ensure you get notifications of new emails as they come in.