If you're not sure how you'd prefer to get to your email in Google Apps @ Illinois, consider these alternatives:

• The easiest way: Use the web interface
• Mobile devices: Use Google Sync
• Supported email clients : Use Outlook or Apple Mail
• Other email clients: Use IMAP (recommended) or POP

Easiest: Web interface at g.illinois.edu

You can check your email by going through the online Google Apps @ Illinois web interface located at g.illinois.edu.

This option requires no further set up or configuration. You'll have easy, worldwide access to your email, office applications, and contacts no matter which computer (or web browser-enabled mobile phone) you use.

Mobile devices: Google Sync

You can use Google Sync with many mobile phones, smartphones, and handheld computers.

Supported email clients: Outlook, Apple Mail

You can set up an email client in order to access your email, though the email client will not provide access to Google Docs and other Google applications. The CITES Help Desk supports the following email clients:

• Outlook 2007 (Windows)
• Outlook 2010 (Windows)
• Outlook 2011 (Mac)
• Apple Mail (Mac)

Other email clients (Thunderbird etc): IMAP or POP

IMAP (recommended)

You can access your Google Apps @ Illinois account using any IMAP email client. However, the CITES Help Desk does not provide Google Apps @ Illinois support for other email clients (including Thunderbird).

If you want to configure a non-supported email client for yourself, please visit the Setting Up IMAP on Your Desktop Email Client page.

POP (not recommended)

POP is an alternative protocol that most email clients can also support. However, since it's easier to lose your mail with POP than with IMAP, the CITES Help Desk recommends using IMAP whenever possible.

Instructions for Setting Up POP on Your Desktop Email Client are also available, though not recommended.