Configuring Gmail to Work in OE

I did some screenshots to help you set up Gmail in OE. OE can be pesky, but it's handy for this group because of the variety of ways you can use stationery, background and show your work. Most of us use OE. Some of us use OE and Thunderbird combined. The things we do to ensure that we can see our pretty PSP.

Never, ever use OE without an anti-virus program running at all times. Gmail has a good anti-virus scanner so it's fairly safe but NEVER use OE without your AV in full operational mode.

Be aware that unless you cc your Gmail posts to yourself, Gmail will NOT return them to your email addy and they will not show up - that's the biggest annoyance I've found in Gmail. You will not know whether or not your email has actually shown up unless you check the list. I have other workarounds for that, but it requires an email address from your ISP. That will come later.

Right now, since you said this is for a shares type of email account. I know that in most cases, I receive lots more than I share.

I don't know if you already have anything setup in OE, but here's what I want you to do.

Open OE and click CANCEL on that annoying SETUP WIZARD for now. I will do the setup OE tut later. Click as many YES! I WANT to CANCEL windows as OE chooses to hassle you with. All you want to do is get to the main window of OE. When you get there, you'll come to a window that has all kinds of gobbledygook on it. At the very bottom of the screen in the preview window, check the box that says When Outlook Express starts, go directly to my Inbox.

Minimize OE and open your Gmail Account.

In Gmail... at the top of your screen on the far right is a Settings link.

Choose Forwarding and POP... POP stands for Post Office Protocal (I think) That's what you will be setting up... a POP3 account in OE.

In the next window, disable forwarding for now. You can go back and play with those settings later. Under POP Download, you can choose to have Gmail send ALL your old stuff to your OE account by checking ALL MAIL or you can start with what will come in after you create the account in OE.

Click on the link that says: Configuration Instructions.


When you get to the next screen, you will see... To configure your client automatically. Choose the link, Run the auto-configuration tool.

You will get a download popup. Do not save the tool to your harddrive. Click OPEN.

Here is the next window that you will see.

Fill in the blanks ... your Gmail name... the same as you sign into Gmail... do not type the entire email address out... just the first half.

Display name... Type in the name that you want others to see when they receive your email.

Click Configure. When it's finished, click OK.

When it takes you back to the settings screen, SAVE YOUR SETTINGS. Can you tell that I have forgotten that step?

Click on OE and close it then reopen it.

You should have an account setup in Outlook Express now. It will ask you for your password. Fill that in. You will be able connect to your Gmail account and download any email that is in your inbox.

vetch