Adding a Gmail Account to Outlook 2010 or 2013

One of the handy features of Outlook is the ability to use it as a focal point for multiple email accounts. You can read, compose, and organized email here for both free web-based accounts, such as Gmail, or for other types of accounts, like those associated with your internet service provider. Because Outlook is in constant contact with your email sources, you can use Outlook or the online email interfaces, like Gmail.com, interchangeably.  As an additional bonus, adding a web-based email account to Outlook is easy as pie. I'll demonstrate with Gmail.

To begin, choose File at the top of the screen,

Then Add Account,

And the Add Account window pops up. Select E-Mail account, fill in your name, email address, and password, and choose Next.

Outlook then connects with your email server and sends a test message. If all is well, it congratulates you on linking your email with Outlook. If it doesn't work, select the Back button at the bottom of the window and double-check the information you put in. Choose Finish.

Now you're back on your Outlook main page, and you should see your email account listed on the left. Outlook will automatically load everything in your account's inbox. To load other folders, select them.