Email systems often fall into the “set and forget” category for many small businesses. Once they’re working, they tend not to be revisited unless something goes wrong. However, Google has announced a change that makes now a good time to review how your business email is set up.
From sometime in January 2026, Gmail will stop supporting an older email method called POP3, which some businesses still rely on to collect emails from multiple accounts into one inbox in Gmail.
This change won’t affect everyone — but if you use the Gmail website on your computer, it’s worth taking a closer look.
What is POP3, and why does it matter?
POP3 is an older way of retrieving email. It allows Gmail to “pull” messages from another email account (such as an Outlook or hosting-based email address) into your Gmail inbox.
For years, this has been a convenient way for business owners to manage everything in one place, especially if you like Gmail’s interface. However, POP3 has limitations and doesn’t meet modern security standards. For that reason, Google has confirmed it will be retired in early 2026.
Once this happens, you will not be able to retrieve any new emails in the desktop version of Gmail. Any emails already received will remain, but new messages will stop appearing unless your setup is updated.
What is not changing?
The good news is that many modern email setups will not be affected.
If your business uses:
- Other email clients (software) such as Outlook, Thunderbird or Apple Mail
- Native Google Workspace email accounts being accessed via the Gmail website
- The Gmail app if it receives your emails using IMAP
then no action is required.
IMAP is more secure, keeps emails synchronised across devices, and is the recommended approach going forward.
What should businesses do now?
A lot of the considerations about this change comes down to whether you like to use Gmail on your computer or laptop as the way you access your emails.
1. I want to continue to use Gmail on my computer
If Gmail is currently pulling emails from other accounts automatically, it may be using POP3. This is especially common in older or customised setups.
In this case you will need to move your emails to Google Workspace. This is a paid service from Google. There are transfer tools available to help with moving your emails into Google Workspace.
It can be a relatively complicated process as it also includes updates to your domain name, so you may need some help with that.
2. I am happy to move to another email program.
Once you choose your email program to use, (some common ones include Outlook, Thunderbird, BlueMail, Apple Mail), then you will need to load your emails into the new program. It is better to add it using IMAP rather than POP to future proof your email set up. You may want to talk to an IT person to help with this process as just adding the email to your new email program may not bring across all of your existing emails.
Some other things to think about
1. Move to IMAP where possible
IMAP provides better reliability and security and works across desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. Most email providers support it by default.
2. Use email forwarding if a single inbox is required
If you prefer everything to land in one Gmail inbox, email forwarding is a reliable alternative. Messages are sent directly from one mailbox to another, without relying on outdated protocols.
3. Take the opportunity to simplify
This change is also a chance to clean up old addresses, unused inboxes, and confusing workflows — improving efficiency and reducing the risk of missed emails.
Why Google is making this change
Google has not published extensive technical detail, but the reasoning is widely understood to be security-driven. POP3 is an older protocol that lacks the protections and flexibility of modern email standards.
By retiring the POP3 option helps reduce risk and aligns Gmail with current best practices for business communication.
The bottom line for New Zealand businesses
This is not a reason to panic — but it is a reminder that technology changes, even when things appear to be working fine.
If your email setup hasn’t been reviewed in several years, taking action now can prevent disruption later and ensure your business email remains secure, reliable, and future-proof.
If you’re unsure where to start, a quick review can often identify whether changes are needed and what the best next step is.
