Questions
- As a current Bowdoin student, faculty, or staff member, can I read my @bowdoin.edu email in Gmail?
- I don't want to use Outlook for my day-to-day email — can I open my Bowdoin email in Gmail instead?
- Is it possible to add my active Bowdoin mailbox to a personal Gmail account so I can check it from Gmail?
- Can I read my current @bowdoin.edu email in Gmail while I'm still at Bowdoin?
- What mail apps can I use to read my Bowdoin email if I don't want to use Outlook?
- Does Gmail support Microsoft 365 work and school mailboxes like Bowdoin's?
- Why won't Gmail let me add my active Bowdoin email account?
- Can I use Gmail as my main mail app for ongoing Bowdoin email?
Environment
This applies to current Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students with active @bowdoin.edu accounts who want to read their Bowdoin email in an application other than Microsoft Outlook. Bowdoin email is hosted on Microsoft 365.
- In scope: Active Bowdoin mailboxes and the question of using Gmail (or another mail app) for ongoing, day-to-day reading
- Mail service: Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online)
- Out of scope — leaving the college: If you are graduating, retiring, or otherwise leaving Bowdoin and want to migrate or archive your email to a personal account, see Faculty or Staff Leaving the College (or the equivalent student-leaving article) in the Related Articles section.
Resolution
Gmail cannot connect to a Bowdoin mailbox
A personal Gmail account cannot be set up to read mail from a Bowdoin account. Gmail's "Check mail from other accounts" feature does not work with Microsoft 365 mailboxes, and there is no setting on either side that bridges the two.
Why this is the case: Microsoft 365 mailboxes require a secure modern sign-in method (OAuth). Gmail's account-import feature only supports older sign-in over POP (Post Office Protocol) with a username and password, and Microsoft turned that option off for Microsoft 365 in late 2022. Without a sign-in method both services support, Gmail has no way to reach the Bowdoin mailbox.
Mail apps that do work with Bowdoin email
The following mail applications support Microsoft 365 and can be set up with a Bowdoin account. Bowdoin IT supports Outlook as the primary client; the others are reasonable alternatives for personal preference.
| Mail app |
Platforms |
Notes |
| Microsoft Outlook |
Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, web |
Recommended. Best feature support and the only client Bowdoin IT directly supports for troubleshooting. |
| Apple Mail |
macOS, iOS, iPadOS |
Built into Apple devices. Add the account as an Exchange or Microsoft 365 account and sign in with the full @bowdoin.edu address. |
| Mozilla Thunderbird |
Windows, macOS, Linux |
Supports Microsoft sign-in in current versions. Free and open source. |
For step-by-step setup instructions for any of these apps on a Bowdoin-issued device, see the Bowdoin email setup articles listed in the Related Articles section.
Read Bowdoin email in a web browser
If installing a new mail app is not an option, Bowdoin email is also available through any web browser at outlook.office.com. Sign in with the full @bowdoin.edu address and Bowdoin password. The web version works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge on any computer, including a personal one, without installing anything.
Forwarding Bowdoin email to Gmail
Automatic forwarding from a Bowdoin mailbox to an external address such as a personal Gmail account is restricted by Bowdoin's email security policy and is not permitted. Forwarding college email to a personal account also moves Bowdoin data outside Bowdoin's protected systems, which can create data-handling concerns.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources
AI-assisted content: This article was drafted with the assistance of an AI writing tool and reviewed by Bowdoin IT staff for accuracy.