Google Is Removing POP3 Fetching From Gmail. Here's What to Do

In early 2026, Google announced that Gmail will no longer fetch email from POP3 servers. The feature known as "Check mail from other accounts," which allowed Gmail to pull email from external POP3 servers, is being phased out.

If you use this feature, your POP3 emails will stop arriving in Gmail. Here's what you need to know and how to fix it.

What Google Is Changing

Google's support page says Gmail will no longer fetch emails from POP3 servers. This affects anyone who configured Gmail to "Check mail from other accounts" using POP3, commonly used for ISP mailboxes, hosted domain inboxes, and legacy POP-only systems.

When this change reaches your account, Gmail will stop pulling new mail from connected POP3 sources. As of this writing, Google's support article does not provide a built-in replacement workflow for this specific fetch flow.

What We Know (As of February 13, 2026)

Google has announced deprecation of Gmail POP3 fetching via "Check mail from other accounts"
The change applies to users relying on Gmail to fetch from external POP3 servers
A timeline target of 2026 is publicly communicated

What Is Still Unclear

The exact cutoff date for every account/region
Whether rollout timing differs by workspace/personal account scenarios
Whether Google will publish additional migration tooling before final cutoff

Who This Affects

You're affected if you:

Use Gmail's "Check mail from other accounts" with a POP3 server
Rely on an ISP email address (Comcast, AT&T, etc.) that forwards into Gmail via POP3
Have a work or domain email on a POP3-only server syncing to Gmail
Manage multiple POP3 accounts through a single Gmail inbox

If any of those apply, you need a replacement before Google removes the feature.

How PopRelay Solves This

PopRelay replaces Gmail's POP3 fetcher. It connects to your POP3 servers, fetches new emails, and imports them into your Gmail inbox using the Gmail API. This is not email forwarding. PopRelay pulls messages from your POP3 server and imports them directly, so there's no forwarding relay, no SPF/DKIM issues, and no sender reputation damage.

PopRelay is built by the team behind 33mail.com, an email forwarding service trusted by over 500,000 users since 2011.

Gmail API Import, Not Forwarding

Most alternatives forward email through an SMTP relay, which sends mail on behalf of your original server. This can damage sender reputation and trigger spam filters. PopRelay takes a different approach: it fetches from POP3 and imports directly through the Gmail API. Your mail never touches a forwarding relay.

Write-Only Gmail Permissions

PopRelay requests two Gmail API scopes: gmail.insert (import messages) and gmail.labels (create and manage labels). That's it. PopRelay cannot read, search, modify, or delete your existing email. You can verify this anytime in your Google Account permissions.

We passed a CASA Tier 2 security audit, an independent assessment Google requires for apps accessing Gmail, covering application security, data handling, and infrastructure controls.

Automatic Syncing

Set your sync frequency, from every 5 minutes up to once a day, and PopRelay handles the rest. No manual checking. No missed emails. Your POP3 mail arrives in Gmail automatically, on schedule.

Gmail Labels

Imported emails are automatically tagged with Gmail labels you choose. Keep your POP3 emails organized and separate from your regular inbox, or mix them in.

AES-256-GCM Encrypted Credentials

Your POP3 credentials are encrypted with AES-256-GCM before they're stored. The encryption key is stored separately from the encrypted data. Gmail access uses Google OAuth, so we never see your Gmail password.

Multiple Servers

Connect multiple POP3 servers from a single dashboard. Solo users get 1 server. Pro users get 5. Business users get 20. All managed from one place.

Pricing

Three plans, no surprises:

Solo ($5/month): 1 POP3 server, hourly sync and above, 7-day free trial
Pro ($20/month): Up to 5 servers, hourly sync and above
Business ($70/month): Up to 20 servers, sync as fast as every 5 minutes

Annual billing available at a discount on all plans.

Getting Started

It takes about 3 minutes:

Sign in with your Google account at poprelay.net
Pick a plan (Solo starts with a 7-day free trial)
Add your POP3 server (host, port, username, password) and start syncing

That's it. Your POP3 emails will start flowing into Gmail immediately.

Set Up Before the Cutoff

Google has not published a precise cutoff date for every account. If POP3 mail delivery into Gmail is important to you, set up an alternative now so the transition is on your terms.

Get started with PopRelay. Your POP3 emails keep arriving in Gmail, no interruption.