How to Check Your Email Using Google Mail

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Check your Gmail Inbox in the Gmail app or other email clients on your phone or computer
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Do you have a Gmail account and want to know how you can check it? This wikiHow article teaches you how to check your Google email (called "Gmail") on the Gmail website, the Gmail Mobile app, the iPhone's Mail app, or Microsoft Outlook.

Things You Should Know

  • To check your Gmail on a computer, log into Gmail on your web browser and click a message to read it.
  • If you want to check your email on your phone, download and log into the Gmail app on your phone.
  • You can also add your Gmail account to Apple Mail and Outlook so you can check your email with those clients.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Using the Gmail Mobile App

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  1. Step 1 Open the Gmail app.
    It's the app with an icon of a red and white sealed envelope.
  2. Step 2 Sign in to your Gmail account:
    • On iPhone, tap SIGN IN.
    • On Android, tap SKIP.
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  3. Step 3 Add your Gmail account.
    If your Gmail account is already listed, tap the switch next to it so it is in the "ON" position. Otherwise;
    • On iPhone, tap + Add Account. This will take you to the Google Accounts page.
    • On Android, tap +Add and email address and tap Google. This will take you to the Google accounts page.
  4. Step 4 Enter your Gmail address and press Next.
    If you don't have a Gmail account, you can create one by tapping More options and then Create account on iPhone, or by tapping Or create a new account on Android.
  5. Step 5 Enter your Gmail password and press Next.
  6. Step 6 Finish adding your Gmail account.
    • On iPhone, tap DONE.
    • On Android, tap NEXT twice, and then tap TAKE ME TO GMAIL.
  7. Step 7 Tap ☰ .
    It's in the upper-left corner.
  8. Step 8 Tap All inboxes (iPhone) or Inbox (Android).
    This takes you to your Gmail inbox where you can see your most recent emails.
  9. Step 9 Tap a message in the inbox to open and read it.
    • Tap the arrow in the lower-right corner to respond.
    • Tap the trashcan icon at the top of the screen to delete a message.
    • To see earlier emails in an email thread, click See More or the three dots to see the earlier emails.
    • Tap X in the upper-left corner to exit a message and return to the inbox.[1]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Using the Gmail Website

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  1. Step 1 Go to https://www.gmail.com...
    Go to https://www.gmail.com in a web browser. In a web browser, type https://www.gmail.com in the address bar and press ↵ Enter.
  2. Step 2 Enter the email or phone number for your Google account and press Next.
    If you're already logged in, you can skip this step.
    • If you don't have a Gmail account, you can create one by clicking More Options and then Create Account.
  3. Step 3 Enter your password and press Next.
    This will take you to the inbox of your Google email account.
    • If this opens a different page instead, click Inbox at the top-left of the Gmail page under the red "Compose" button.
  4. Step 4 Click a message to open and read it.
    The message will expand in the window.
    • Click in the Reply field at the bottom of the message to respond.
    • Click the trashcan icon at the top of the message to delete it.
    • To see earlier emails in an email thread, click See More or the three dots.
    • Click Inbox in the upper-right corner to exit the message and return to the inbox.
    • Explore Gmail's other features to get familiar with the interface. You can also search by date to find older Gmail emails.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Using the iPhone's Mail App

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  1. Step 1 Open Settings icon.
    It's a gray app that features gears and is typically located on your home screen.
  2. Step 2 Scroll down and tap Mail.
    It's in a section with other Apple apps, like Calendar and Notes.
  3. Step 3 Tap Accounts.
    It's the first section of the menu.
  4. Step 4 Tap Add Account.
    It's at the bottom of the "ACCOUNTS" section.
  5. Step 5 Tap Google.
    It's in the middle of the list.
  6. Step 6 Enter your Gmail address in the labeled field.
    If you don't have a Gmail account, you'll need to create one.
  7. Step 7 Tap NEXT.
    It's a blue button on the screen.
  8. Step 8 Enter your password in the labeled field.
  9. Step 9 Tap NEXT.
    It's a blue button on the screen.
  10. Step 10 Slide "Mail" to the "On" position icon.
    Select other Gmail data you want to sync with your iPhone by sliding the data you want to see on your iPhone to the "On" position
    iPhone Switch On Icon
    .
  11. Step 11 Tap Save.
    It's in the upper-right corner of the screen. Now you can send and receive Gmail messages using the native iPhone Mail app.
  12. Step 12 Open the Mail app.
    It's a blue and white app with a sealed envelope icon and should open to your inbox.
    • If it doesn't open to the inbox, tap Mailboxes in the upper-left corner and tap Gmail.
  13. Step 13 Tap a message in the inbox to open and read it.
    • Tap the arrow in the lower-right corner to respond.
    • Tap the trashcan icon at the bottom of the screen to delete a message.
    • Tap Back in the upper-left corner to exit a message and return to the inbox.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Using Microsoft Outlook

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  1. Step 1 Open Outlook on your computer.
  2. Step 2 Click the File tab or menu.
  3. Step 3 Click Accounts.
  4. Step 4 Click Add Account.
  5. Step 5 Click Email Account.
  6. Step 6 Enter your name in the labeled field.
  7. Step 7 Enter your Gmail email address and password in the labeled fields.
  8. Step 8 Click Add Account and exit the dialog box.
  9. Step 9 Click Gmail in the left pane of the Outlook Window.
    Your Gmail messages will be displayed in the right pane. [2]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I open my Gmail without my account being on someone else's phone?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    When you log in, you should be prompted to "remember this account". It is usually already ticked, so untick the box.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
     Thank you for your feedback.
     If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 3
  • Question
    How can I recover emails that were lost during an update?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You could check your archive or recycle bin. They may have just moved there during the update.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
     Thank you for your feedback.
     If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 5
  • Question
    How can I retrieve a deleted email?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    When in Gmail, click Trash on the folders pane on the left side of the screen (you may need to click "More" if it's not displayed). If the message is more than 30 days old, however, it will have automatically been deleted, and you'll have to ask the originator to re-send.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
     Thank you for your feedback.
     If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 4
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/8494?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
  2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/set-up-gmail-accounts-46274497-95ea-4a7d-9651-d246aa63eb5e

About This Article

Darlene Antonelli, MA
Written by:
Darlene Antonelli, MA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been viewed 660,154 times.
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Co-authors: 28
Updated: March 31, 2023
Views: 660,154
Categories: Gmail
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