The post Gmail POP3 Shutdown in 2026 Reshapes Third-Party Access appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Google is preparing a major shift to how Gmail handles external accounts, and the change directly affects gmail pop3 users across consumer services. Gmail to end POP3 fetching from January 2026 Google has confirmed that, from January 2026, Gmail will stop fetching emails from third-party inboxes using the POP3 protocol. This means many users who relied on Gmail as a central hub for all their email may need to rethink their setup sooner rather than later. According to a recent support article, the change will impact any external account configured in Gmail via POP3. However, messages already imported into Gmail will remain in place, but new emails from those external providers will no longer be retrieved after the cut-off date. End of Gmailify and integrated Gmail features Alongside the protocol shift, Google is also ending Gmailify in January 2026. Previously, Gmailify allowed eligible accounts such as Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail/Outlook.com to benefit from Gmail features without a full migration. Those perks included powerful spam protection and smart inbox tools. However, with Gmailify shutting down, those third-party inboxes will lose access to Gmail’s advanced spam filters and several quality-of-life features. That said, this does not prevent you from continuing to use your original provider’s own spam tools and interfaces. Why Google is moving away from POP3 Google has not publicly provided a detailed explanation for the decision. However, security considerations appear to play a major role. POP3 still involves password transmission in plaintext within the protocol, which makes it more vulnerable if connections are not properly secured. Moreover, the broader industry has been shifting toward more modern access methods and authentication standards. While POP3 has served users for decades, its design predates current best practices, so phasing it out in consumer tools like Gmail is consistent with a security-first strategy. Impact…

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Filed under: News - @ January 6, 2026 2:21 pm