How to Use a Gmail Alias With iOS Mail

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Updated December 19, 2019

Although most heavy Gmail users rely on the Gmail app, the native iOS Mail application supports Gmail. Mail also supports the sending of messages using an alias.

Instructions in this article apply to iPad and iPhone devices with iOS 12 only.

Prerequisites

To use a Gmail alias with iOS Mail, set up your Gmail account in iOS Mail as an IMAP account, not as a real Google account. With the Gmail IMAP server settings, you lose some of the functionality of a Google account, including calendars and contact lists. However, you gain access to send-as aliases, which Gmail prohibits on the iOS Mail app.

How to Enable Gmail via IMAP in Your Email Program

Also, when you add Gmail for the first time, or delete it and add your account as IMAP, set an application-specific password if you configured two-factor authentication for your account.

How to Configure a Gmail Alias in iOS Mail

Here's how to add an alias to your Gmail:

Go to Settings > Passwords & Accounts, then tap your IMAP-enabled Gmail account.
In the IMAP Account Information section, tap the arrow next to the email address.
Tap Add Another Email.

Use an enrolled Gmail account alias here. Although iOS allows any email address in this field, most spam checkers discard as spam any messages with an address that isn't authenticated to the sending domain.
Add as many addresses as you need.
When you're finished, tap Account to return to the previous screen, then select Done.
Your new address is now ready to use.

How to Use a Gmail Account Alias

When you compose a new email after you've added the alias, tap the From address in the message window to create separate lines for the Cc, Bcc, and From addresses. Tap the default From address again to display all enrolled email addresses. Choose your preferred address so that Mail sends the message with that address, using the account credentials associated with it.