Google is Killing the Gmail 'Send As' Feature
Google has announced the discontinuation of the 'Send as' feature for third-party email addresses, effective January 2027. Users will no longer be able to send emails from external accounts via the Gmail interface.
If you use Gmail in conjunction with external email services — for example, to reply to work emails via an Outlook account or an old Yahoo or Walla! address — Google has some significant news. The tech giant has announced a policy change under which it is canceling the 'Send as' feature for third-party addresses, starting in January 2027.
Only Gmail in Gmail
The implication of this move is that you will no longer be able to configure external addresses to send messages through the Gmail web interface or the service's mobile apps on Android and iOS. Starting from the cutoff date, if you wish to reply to an email received at an Outlook address or a private domain, you will have to do so directly from that provider's interface or app. Otherwise, the email will display your personal Gmail address as the sender.
Google explains this decision by citing logistics and maintenance requirements. On the company's official support page, it states:
«As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that Gmail remains secure, smart, and easy to use, we are occasionally required to make the difficult decision to discontinue features that require disproportionate maintenance resources.»
The company emphasized that the change will not affect Google Workspace-based domains or sending emails between different Gmail addresses that you own.
Alongside the cancellation of external sending capabilities, this move effectively kills the Gmailify service, which allowed users to receive emails filtered by Google's robust spam protection, as well as fetching messages via the legacy POP protocol. While mobile apps will continue to sync and display incoming messages from external accounts, the ability to send and reply from those addresses will be blocked.
Online Backlash
Unsurprisingly, the reaction online has been critical. On forums like Reddit, heavy Gmail users have expressed dissatisfaction, with many claiming this is not about saving resources, but an attempt by Google to push users toward paid subscriptions like Google Workspace or Google One packages. Some users have even declared that this change will cause them to abandon the service entirely in favor of competing providers.
