In addition to accessing BU Google Mail with any web browser at www.bu.edu/webmail or www.bu.edu/google, you can also configure desktop and mobile device clients to use BU Google Mail via IMAP, using the steps outlined below. Once your desktop or device client(s) are set up to use BU Google Mail, the actions that you take within the IMAP client will be synced to the web client.

Note: BU Google Mail +Apps will require the use of Duo Two-Factor Authentication. To enroll and for more information visit: http://www.bu.edu/tech/support/duo/duo-for-google-apps/

1Account Information

Your BU Kerberos password will allow you to access BU Google Mail with your desktop and mobile device clients.  However, those who created a BU Google Apps account prior to August 30, 2011 should review this additional information:

  • If you had set up your BU Google Apps account prior to August 30, 2011 but did not create a “Google Sync password,” you will need to sync your BU Kerberos password with Google in order to use it to access BU Google Mail via a desktop or device email client.
  • If you had set up your BU Google Apps account prior to August 30, 2011 and you had also set up a “Google Sync password,” you can continue to use the Google Sync password. However, if you change your BU Kerberos password, you will need to make sure that the password setting in any desktop device or client you are using is modified to use the BU Kerberos password instead of the Google Sync password. The Google Sync password is no longer required.

2Configure your Client

  • Enter your full BU email address as the username in the form login@bu.edu (NOT just login and not as login@gmail.bu.edu).
  • The IMAP server for incoming mail is imap.gmail.com. You should use that with port 993 (SSL) and your BU Kerberos password.
  • The SMTP server for outgoing mail is smtp.gmail.com. Use that with port 587 (STARTTLS) by providing your BU login name and Kerberos password.

NOTE: When you send mail to yourself in BU Google Apps via a desktop or device client, the message will only appear in your Sent Mail folder and not the Inbox.

For step-by-step instructions, you can refer to Google’s configuration instructions for IMAP and adapt them to use the BU-specific settings outlined above OR follow or instructions below which are out-of-date, but may still be helpful.

 *When using IMAP you may have to “allow less secure apps” to your BU Google Apps account.