Skip to content
Sign inGet startedDashboard

BlogGmail

Gmail "Send as" is ending for third-party addresses in January 2027

By Julien CoulaudPublished September 16, 2026Updated October 17, 20266 min read

Nothing breaks yet, and you may not need to change hosts at all. You have two ways out: keep your provider and send from another app, or move the mailbox. If you move, there's a checklist below. The dates come from Google's Send as help page and its overview of third-party account changes, checked on 17 October 2026.

Julien Coulaud on X

Founder of Shipmail, the email platform for businesses and their AI agents. Every guide here draws on mail servers running in production.

  • Gmail
  • Send as
  • Migration
  • Custom domain email

Short answer

Starting January 2027, Gmail no longer supports Send as for third-party email addresses such as @yahoo.com or @outlook.com in Gmail on the web or mobile apps. Google Workspace aliases and other Gmail addresses you own are not affected. If you read a custom-domain mailbox in Gmail and send through another provider's SMTP server, you need a new way to send before then. Keep that provider and use its app or any IMAP and SMTP client, or move the mailbox to a host that does both.

What Google announced

Google announced that Gmail removes Send as for third-party addresses starting January 2027, with no exact day. Gmailify and POP fetching in Gmail on the web end at the same time.Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview

The overview adds a transition period. Gmail may restrict new configurations during Q3 and Q4 of 2026, so a Send as identity you add today can be refused. In January, Send as ends in Gmail on the web and mobile apps. Gmailify and POP fetching in Gmail on the web also end. Those two bring mail in, and Send as sends it out.Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview

  • Messages already imported from a third-party account stay in your Gmail mailbox.
  • Auto-forwarding from another provider to your Gmail address keeps working.
  • IMAP, POP and the Gmail API stay available for reaching Gmail from other apps.
  • Google says access to non-Google accounts in the Gmail mobile app will not change. This is separate from Send as.
[8]

Who is affected

Anyone who sends from a third-party address in Gmail with Send as is affected, including a custom-domain address hosted with another provider. Google Workspace aliases and other Gmail addresses you own are not affected.Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview

  • Affected: a third-party address you added to Gmail and send from with Send as. Google's examples are @yahoo.com and @outlook.com.
  • Affected by the same definition: a custom-domain address hosted with another provider and sent from Gmail through that provider's SMTP server.
  • Not affected: Google Workspace aliases.
  • Not affected: other Gmail addresses you own.
  • Not a fix: forwarding still delivers incoming mail to Gmail, but it does not give you a way to reply from the third-party address.
Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview[2]Google Workspace secondary and alias domains

The quick test is where the mailbox lives. An alias on a domain inside your Workspace account is safe. If Gmail is only the screen you use to read and write mail hosted elsewhere, the sending half of that setup stops in January.Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[2]Google Workspace secondary and alias domains

What Shipmail replaces, and how your Gmail mail comes across

Shipmail can replace custom-domain inbound and outbound email hosting. That means mailboxes on your domain, aliases, a wildcard catch-all, IMAP and SMTP, webmail, and DKIM-signed sending. Solo is $4/month for 2 mailboxes, and each mailbox can carry aliases that used to be extra Send as identities.Sources[12]Shipmail mailbox and alias guide[13]Shipmail custom-domain setup guide[19]Shipmail shared inbox documentation[20]Shipmail pricing

Moving a domain does not turn Shipmail into the Gmail web interface. It does not automatically migrate historical mail, calendar, contacts or Drive files. Each one is a step you run when you choose to.[15]

If Gmail fetched your mail with POP or Gmailify, years of that mailbox may sit in Gmail, not at the old host. Shipmail imports it straight from Gmail. Connect the account with a 16-character Google app password, which needs 2-Step Verification, or upload the ZIP from Google Takeout.Sources[16]Shipmail mailbox import documentation[9]Google Account app-password documentation[10]Google Account Help: download your Google data

Gmail labels become Shipmail folders. A message with three labels shows in three folders but is stored once. Starred and Important are skipped because they only mirror other folders. Google limits IMAP downloads to about 2.5 GB a day, so a 10 GB mailbox takes about four days. The import pauses and resumes on its own.Sources[16]Shipmail mailbox import documentation[11]Google Workspace Admin Help: Gmail bandwidth limits

Calendars come across as the .ics files in a Takeout export, uploaded on the Calendar page. Contacts come across as a CSV or vCard file, up to 10,000 per upload.Sources[17]Shipmail calendar documentation[18]Shipmail contacts documentation[6]Google Calendar export documentation[7]Google Contacts export documentation

The migration checklist

You don't have to change hosts to stop using Send as. If the mailbox works in the provider's app or in Apple Mail, Outlook or Thunderbird, keep the provider and change only the interface. Use the steps below if you move the mailbox to a new host such as Shipmail.Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[14]Shipmail provider-switch guide

  1. Step 1

    Inbound routing

    List every address that reaches you and how: direct delivery, forwarding into Gmail, POP fetching, group addresses and vendor notifications. Each one needs a destination on the new host.

  2. Step 2

    SMTP and Send as identities

    In Gmail settings, open the Accounts and import tab, or Accounts. Under Send mail as, note each address, its SMTP server, its username and the default. Mark third-party addresses for migration, but leave Google Workspace aliases and other Gmail addresses you own in the exception column.

  3. Step 3

    Aliases and wildcard catch-all

    Decide which addresses become mailboxes, which become aliases on a mailbox, and whether a wildcard catch-all should collect stray mail. Most extra Send as identities become aliases.

  4. Step 4

    Old mail

    Decide whether historical mail moves, and from where: the old host, or Gmail if it fetched the mail. After Shipmail verifies the domain and you create the mailbox, import it, then import again after testing to pick up late mail.

  5. Step 5

    DNS cutover

    Keep the old provider active, add the domain to Shipmail, and publish its MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. Keep a single SPF record for the domain that lists every active sender. Wait for every domain check to pass before creating mailboxes.

  6. Step 6

    Client choice

    Pick where people read and send: Shipmail's webmail, or an email client over IMAP and SMTP. Adding a non-Google account to the Gmail mobile app keeps working, but that's a different setup from Send as. Do not treat mobile external-account access as a promise that a given Send as workflow survives.

  7. Step 7

    Testing

    Send to and from at least three outside providers. Check that the From line shows the custom-domain address and that SPF, DKIM and DMARC pass. Then reply inside a thread to confirm the replies stay in that thread.

  8. Step 8

    Rollback

    Keep the old mailbox and the previous MX, SPF and DKIM values for the rollback window. If delivery fails, restore the old MX records and let the low TTL carry the change.

Sources[14]Shipmail provider-switch guide[13]Shipmail custom-domain setup guide[12]Shipmail mailbox and alias guide[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview[3]Google Workspace MX routing documentation

If you are on Google Workspace

Workspace aliases are not affected. If you send from an alias on a domain inside your Workspace account, you have nothing to do. You only have work if a Workspace or personal Gmail account is the front end for a mailbox hosted elsewhere.Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[2]Google Workspace secondary and alias domains

If you were already thinking about leaving Workspace, this deadline gives you a date, not a reason. Treat mail, identity, Drive and billing as separate decisions. Changing MX records does not cancel Workspace or move Google data.Sources[4]Google Workspace cancellation documentation[5]Google Workspace data migration service[15]Shipmail Gmail migration guide

A timeline if you change hosts

A host change before January 2027 runs in order: list your Send as identities and aliases, move the domain and import the mail, then retire the old mailbox after a week of watching delivery. Do not add a new Send as identity as a stopgap.Sources[14]Shipmail provider-switch guide[1]Google Gmail Send as help page

  • Now: October 2026 sits inside the Q3 and Q4 of 2026 window where Gmail may refuse new configurations. Do not plan on adding a new Send as identity as a stopgap.
  • This week: list Send as identities, inbound routing and aliases. Nothing breaks yet, and the list is the slow part.
  • Decide: keep the provider and switch clients, or move the mailbox. Only the second path needs DNS and import work.
  • Next: keep the old host active, add the domain to Shipmail, publish its MX and authentication records, and wait for full verification.
  • After verification: create mailboxes and aliases, start the mail import, and test at both providers.
  • After testing: import again, watch delivery for a week, then retire the old mailbox.
  • Before January 2027: every affected address sends from its own host, not through Gmail Send as.
Sources[14]Shipmail provider-switch guide[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview
Sources20 sourcesVerified 2026-11-01
  1. [1]
    Google Gmail Send as help page

    Google's notice that Gmail stops supporting Send as for third-party email addresses starting January 2027, and its stated exceptions for Google Workspace aliases and other Gmail addresses you own.

    support.google.com · 2026-11-01

  2. [2]
    Google Workspace secondary and alias domains

    A user alias domain gives every user an address on both domains at no extra cost per user or group. A secondary domain has its own users, and each user account added there is paid for; aliases are not.

    knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-15

  3. [3]
    Google Workspace MX routing documentation

    Google's explanation that MX records determine where incoming mail for a domain is delivered.

    knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-14

  4. [4]
    Google Workspace cancellation documentation

    Google's current billing, data export, identity, Cloud Identity, third-party login, and deletion guidance for canceling Workspace.

    knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-11-01

  5. [5]
    Google Workspace data migration service

    Google's admin tool for migrating email into Google Workspace.

    support.google.com · 2026-07-29

  6. [6]
    Google Calendar export documentation

    Google's instructions and administrator caveat for exporting calendars as ICS files.

    support.google.com · 2026-11-01

  7. [7]
    Google Contacts export documentation

    Google's instructions for exporting contacts as CSV or vCard files.

    support.google.com · 2026-11-01

  8. [8]
    Google Gmail third-party access changes overview

    Google's overview of the January 2027 third-party Send as removal on Gmail web and mobile, possible limits on new configurations during Q3 and Q4 of 2026, separate Gmailify and Gmail web POP changes, and continued message forwarding to Gmail and Gmail API or external-client access to Gmail. Gmail mobile third-party account access remains available, but it is separate from Send as.

    support.google.com · 2026-10-17

  9. [9]
    Google Account app-password documentation

    An app password is a 16-digit passcode for a less secure app or device. Google does not recommend it and suggests Sign in with Google. It needs 2-Step Verification, is created at myaccount.google.com/apppasswords, is unavailable with security-key-only 2SV, organization accounts or Advanced Protection, and all app passwords are revoked when the Google Account password changes.

    support.google.com · 2026-10-15

  10. [10]
    Google Account Help: download your Google data

    Google Takeout export: archives arrive as ZIP or TGZ files, split above the chosen size (up to 50 GB); an export can take from a few minutes to a few days; Gmail labels are kept in an X-Gmail-Labels header.

    support.google.com · 2026-10-15

  11. [11]
    Google Workspace Admin Help: Gmail bandwidth limits

    Gmail bandwidth limits for Google Workspace accounts: 2,500 MB per day downloaded over IMAP, 1,250 MB per day over POP, 500 MB per day uploaded over IMAP; limits may change without notice.

    knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-15

  12. [12]
    Shipmail mailbox and alias guide

    Mailbox, alias sending, forwarding, and catch-all behavior and limitations.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-15

  13. [13]
    Shipmail custom-domain setup guide

    Shipmail guide to DNS verification, mailbox creation, and domain cutover.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-05

  14. [14]
    Shipmail provider-switch guide

    Shipmail guide to inventorying addresses, migrating mail, updating MX and authentication records, testing, and keeping a rollback path.

    shipmail.to · 2026-07-27

  15. [15]
    Shipmail Gmail migration guide

    Shipmail migration sequence for DNS verification, mailboxes, IMAP history, and validation.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-05

  16. [16]
    Shipmail mailbox import documentation

    Shipmail documentation for connected and file imports, selection options, storage checks, progress, skipped items, and repeat imports.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-15

  17. [17]
    Shipmail calendar documentation

    Shipmail's calendar feature documentation: events, sharing, and availability.

    shipmail.to · 2026-08-04

  18. [18]
    Shipmail contacts documentation

    Contacts managed in the dashboard and synced to phones, Apple Contacts and Thunderbird over CardDAV.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-15

  19. [19]
    Shipmail shared inbox documentation

    Shared mailboxes in Shipmail: conversation assignment, internal notes that are never included in replies to the customer, and @mentions in notes that alert a teammate by email and in the app.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-15

  20. [20]
    Shipmail pricing

    Shipmail plan prices, mailbox limits, team access, and send limits.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-15

Questions worth answering

Common questions about gmail send as ending january 2027.

What exactly is changing in January 2027?
Gmail stops supporting Send as for third-party addresses such as @yahoo.com or @outlook.com in Gmail on the web and mobile apps. Gmailify and POP fetching in Gmail on the web end too, but those are separate inbound features. Imported messages remain in Gmail, and access to Gmail through external clients and the Gmail API is unaffected.Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview
Does this affect Google Workspace aliases?
No. Google states that the change does not affect Google Workspace aliases or other Gmail addresses you own. An alias on a domain inside your Workspace account keeps working.[1]
I use Gmail with my own domain through SMTP. Am I affected?
Yes, if the mailbox lives with another provider and Gmail sends through its SMTP server as a Send as identity. You can keep the provider and use its app or a desktop IMAP and SMTP client, or move the mailbox. You need a different way to send, not necessarily a DNS or hosting migration.Sources[1]Google Gmail Send as help page[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview[13]Shipmail custom-domain setup guide
Can I still add a new Send as address before January?
Maybe not. Google says Gmail may restrict new configurations during Q3 and Q4 of 2026, ahead of the January removal. Identities you already have keep working until then, but plan the replacement now.[8]
Will forwarding my domain mail to Gmail still work?
Incoming forwarding keeps working. Replies are the problem: once Send as ends, Gmail can only reply from your Gmail address, not from the forwarded custom-domain address.Sources[8]Google Gmail third-party access changes overview[1]Google Gmail Send as help page
How do I move mail that Gmail already fetched for me?
Import it from Gmail, not from the old host. Shipmail connects with an app password or reads a Google Takeout ZIP. It turns labels into folders and skips duplicates on a second run.Sources[16]Shipmail mailbox import documentation[10]Google Account Help: download your Google data

Related guides

More on Shipmail pricing, comparisons, and team workflows.

Email, newsletters and booking pages on your own domain, in one plan.

Get started for free