Configuring Evolution to Work with GMail

Google's GMail service has become very popular, but many people still want to do their e-mail on their computers. Switching from a webmail interface to an on-your-desktop email client has a number of advantages. For example, when you go somewhere where you can't get on the internet you still have access to your e-mail. The problem has always been that without paying an IMAP provider, your email on the web and on your computer would become out of sync. Now that GMail offers free IMAP, anyone can have their e-mail on their desktop and on the web and keep them both in sync.

(If I read a message at gmail.com it appears as read on my desktop client, if I delete a message on gmail.com it gets deleted on my desktop client, etc.) The only problem is how to set this up. Google provides tutorials for many email clients, but Evolution, the default GNOME e-mail client, is not one of those. Here is how to configure Evolution to stay in sync with GMail:

Step 1) Turn on IMAP in GMail



Go to your GMail account
1) Click "Settings" in the top right
2) Click the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab
3) Select "Enable IMAP" under IMAP Access
4) Click "Save Changes"

Step 2) Configure Evolution



To launch Evolution, go to Applications > Internet > Evolution Mail



Press forward.



Press forward.



1) Enter your full name - This is what will be seen by other people to whom you send e-mails
2) Enter your full email address including the @gmail.com part
3) Press forward



1) From the Server Type list, select IMAP.  This will cause the Configuration section to be displayed.
2) For Server enter: imap.gmail.com
3) Enter your full email address including @gmail.com
4) Under Security, choose SSL encryption from the list
5) Authentication Type should  be "Password" (checking the "Remember password" box saves entering your password every time Evolution receives mail from gmail)
6) Press forward



These are personal preferences. Choose whatever you want or just do what I did. Press forward.



1) Server Type: SMTP
2) Server: smtp.gmail.com
3) Check "Server requires authentication"
4) Use Secure Connection: SSL encryption
5) Authentication Type: Login
6) Authentication Username: your gmail username with the @gmail.com part (checking the "Remember password" box saves entering your password every time Evolution sends mail to gmail)
7) Press forward.



1) The account name is to tell this account from other accounts you have/might set up in Evolution, name it whatever you want
2) Press forward



Select your a city in your time zone by clicking on it on the map (1) or by selecting it from the drop down menu (2). Press forward.



Press apply.



Enter your password. Click OK. (No, that is not my real password. Count the dots, count the letters in 'password'.)
Step 3) Congratulations!

If it works, congratulations! If not, you can contact me (webmaster@linuxloop.com or look for the contact link in the footer) for help or find a forum and ask for help there.