How do I add a Gmail account alongside an Exchange account in New Outlook for macOS?

This article explains how to add a Gmail account to Microsoft Outlook for macOS using the 2026 authentication process. Outlook now uses Google’s secure OAuth sign‑in flow, meaning setup is completed through a browser window.

Before You Start

Google requires modern, secure authentication. When adding your Gmail account, Outlook will automatically launch a browser window where you will sign in to your Google account and approve access.

If you use Google 2‑Step Verification, Outlook will prompt you to complete your additional authentication step (such as entering a code or approving a prompt).

Step‑by‑Step Instructions for macOS

1. Open Outlook

  • Launch Microsoft Outlook on your Mac.
     

2. Open the Accounts Panel

Depending on your Outlook interface:

  1. In Outlook, go to Outlook → Settings.
  2. Select Accounts.
  3. Click the + Add account button.


3. Enter Your Gmail Address

  1. When prompted, type your Gmail email address.
    • If you already have, or are planning to have, a UIC Exchange account configured in Outlook, adding a UIC Gmail address can be tricky. For this to work, you'll need to specify the full hostname address for the UIC Gmail account, which looks like netid@gmail.uic.edu (replace netid with your actual netid). 
  2. Click Continue.
    1. Outlook will detect that this is a Google account and present you with two options to connect with Gmail. Click on the 'Sign In' button and a browser authentication window will open. You may see a prompt asking you to choose an account if you have previously signed into multiple Gmail accounts in your preferred browser. If so, select the account that has @uic.edu. If one is not listed, click on the "Use another account" link in the window.

      Sign In with googlechoose an account
       

4. Authenticate with Google

Once signed in, you will be presented with a prompt to grant access to Microsoft Apps & Services. Click continue. If you have previously granted permissions, you may also see the window stating "You're signing back in to Microsoft apps & services."


When prompted, click Allow to grant Microsoft Outlook permission to access your Gmail data (email, contacts, calendar). Select all permissions; if you don't, you might get an error in Outlook stating that there are missing permissions.



 

Once approved, Google closes the window and hands the session back to Outlook. Because you specified the full netid@gmail.uic.edu address, you will see a message window about a mismatched account. This window will have two buttons: One with a blue background and one with a white background. Click on the white background button that has your netid@uic.edu address rather than the blue one.

  • Return to Outlook, where you should see a confirmation stating that your Gmail account was successfully added.
  • Click Done to finish setup.

Your Gmail mailbox will begin syncing automatically.

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