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I used to be able to go to Accounts and Import → Add another email address you own and add an email account that's only a forwarding address. That is, it's not a mailbox and I don't have SMTP access to it.

Gmail would send me a confirmation email to that address, I'd confirm it's mine, and done. Now it only gives me the option to add SMTP credentials.

Did they stop supporting the previous method? Is there any other way I can get that option back?

Alex
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agentofuser
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5 Answers5

169

As in Kzar's answer, you now need to provide details for an SMTP server which will be used to send the mail.

As of writing, however, you can simply use the Gmail SMTP server, as long as you use Google two-step authentication.

So just for completeness, the full steps:

  1. Gmail settings, Accounts and Import tab.
  2. Add another email address you own
  3. Type name and email address to be added.
  4. For SMTP Server, put smtp.gmail.com
  5. For Username, your full Gmail address including @gmail.com
  6. For password, provide an App Password generated in Google Accounts at https://security.google.com/settings/security/apppasswords
  7. Leave Secured connection using TLS selected as is.
  8. Add Account

Update: I have been advised that while this process is now a bit hit-or-miss, trying these steps several (4-5) times in a row can eventually lead to success. Further feedback in comments would be appreciated.

John
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Gmail recently changed its policy. Now it does not permit anymore to use the Gmail SMTP server to send email on behalf of another domain. This is to avoid spammers and enforce some security policy.

So, if you have an address aaa@bbb.com you also must have an SMTP server for bbb.com (e.g. smtp.bbb.com) and an account on that SMTP server. If you have those, you can enter that information in Gmail and set up that account as an alias.

Essentially, Gmail becomes just a client for that address, using the address’ SMTP server instead of Gmail SMTP server, to send mail for that address.

You can continue to use the Gmail SMTP server to send mail only for other Gmail addresses, or for Google Apps addresses.

References:

EDIT

The method described below in http://webapps.stackexchange.com/a/72975/60630 works for sending mail, but has a drawback: your mail is not verified and risks going to the SPAM. This is because Gmail uses SPF and DKIM. You could add google in your domain's SPF, but not authenticate with DKIM.

Kzar
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9

If you are a Google Domains user, you can still add a new alias for your non-gmail domain, but you must have 2-step verification turned on.

  1. Turn on 2-step verification if you haven't done so already.
  2. Goto your Account -> Signing In -> App Passwords
  3. In the App passwords box, select Mail for the app, select Other for the device.
  4. Enter the name of your domain for the “other” device, and click Generate.
  5. Goto Gmail settings, Accounts and Import tab.
  6. Click on Add another email address you own
  7. Type name and email address to be added from a domain hosted on Google Domains. (It didn't seem to matter if treat as an alias was checked or not).
  8. For SMTP Server, put smtp.gmail.com
  9. For Username, your full Gmail address including @gmail.com
  10. For password, your App password generated from step 4.
  11. Leave the rest default (TLS, port 587)
  12. Click Add Account

For more details see Google Support - Sending mail from your forwarded email address. The link says to use port 465, but leaving it as TLS and port 587 worked just fine for me.

Harry Glinos
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OK, there is a silver lining here. I just set this up and it is working fine: You do not have to use an SMTP server that matches the domain of the email address. You only have to use an SMTP server. So as long as you have access to any SMTP server, you can set up forwarders or an unlimited number of email addresses.

ale
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Will Riddle
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Gmail no longer support using the Gmail outgoing mail server for Send Mail As if the account is not another Gmail or account or a Google Apps account.

You'll need to contact whoever hosts the forwarder you use and see what they can do for you.

leaveswater02
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