How to Enable or Disable POP and IMAP for Google Workspace Users

Quick and easy-to-follow guide for Google Workspace administrators

IMAP and POP are two ways to access email.

As an admin, you can enable or disable the usage of POP and IMAP in your Google Workspace.

What is POP

POP works by contacting your email service and downloading all your new messages.
Once downloaded onto your device, emails usually get deleted from the email service. When this is the case, you can only access them using the same device.
With POP, sent mail gets stored locally on your device, not on the email server.
Click here to see how to access and update your Gmail POP settings.

What is IMAP

You can access your email wherever you are, from any device with IMAP.
When you read an email message using IMAP, you don’t download or store it on your device – you just read it from the email service.
IMAP only downloads a message when you click on it – except for attachments, which don’t get downloaded automatically.
This way, you can check your messages faster than with POP, and you can do it on any device.
Click here to see how to access and update your Gmail IMAP settings.

Effects of disabling POP/IMAP for existing users

Users will no longer be able to get their email with POP or IMAP email clients.
POP and IMAP settings will no longer be available in Gmail.
Users on mobile devices will only be able to check their email with the Gmail app.

How to allow or disable POP and IMAP in Google Workspace step-by-step with images

Step 1

In the Admin console at https://admin.google.com, click the Apps icon.

Step 2

Select Google Workspace.

Step 3

Click Gmail. Make sure not to check the box to the left; just click the service.

Step 4

Select End User Access.

Step 5

Under Organizational Units, select the OU with the users whose settings you want to update. The same updates will apply to all sub-OUs under the OU you choose.

By default, if you don’t select an OU, you will add your setting to the top OU, named after your domain. This way, you will apply changes to all users in your account. This is generally recommended in this case.

If you’re not familiar with OUs, click here.

Step 6

Select POP and IMAP access.

Step 7

Check the boxes to Enable POP and IMAP access and click SAVE. It may take up to 24 hours before POP and IMAP are disabled.

Next steps after allowing POP and IMAP as the admin

Even if you enable POP and IMAP here, users still have to turn them on in their Gmail settings.

Click this link to see how to enable POP in Gmail.

Click this link to see how to enable IMAP in Gmail.

That's all! You reached the end of the article. Continue to:

If you find this useful, share and help others!

Google SMTP Info: Connect Other Services, Printers, and Scanners to Gmail

Get Google’s SMTP server info needed to connect a Gmail account to a third-party email service, printer, or scanner.

Control Google Workspace Access to POP and IMAP Features

Control users’ ability to use POP and IMAP.

Control the Usage of Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GWSMO)

Control users’ ability to install Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook.

Connect your Gmail to Outlook with Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GWSMO)

Connect a Google Workspace Gmail mailbox to Microsoft Outlook using Google’s sync program.

Connect your Gmail to Outlook with IMAP or POP

Connect a Google Workspace Gmail mailbox to Microsoft Outlook using IMAP.

Connect your Gmail to Apple Mail with IMAP

Connect a Google Workspace Gmail mailbox to Mac Mail.

Connect Your Gmail to Mozilla Thunderbird With IMAP

Connect a Google Workspace Gmail mailbox to Mozilla Thunderbird.

Protect And Secure Google Workspace

Protect your data and maximize security

Data protection and security tools are crucial, especially if you store any sensitive data in your accounts.

See recommendations

Email Marketing Tools

Better Gmail and email marketing

If you work with Gmail or do email marketing, you will appreciate what these services can do for you.

See recommendations

Collab And Optimization Tools

Process optimization and collaboration

You can use these services to make tedious processes a whole lot easier, improve teamwork, save time, and get better results.

See recommendations

Website Tools and Resources

Resources for website creators

Awesome tools and services for easy and effective site building, content creation, SEO, email marketing, and more.

See recommendations