Updated: November 9, 2012, works on iOS 6 for iPhone 5, iPad Mini and the new iPad. The setup is the same as below. This setup works well with the current iOS 5.1.1
If you have a GMail Account and you need to sync your Contacts and Calendars from GMail, then the best bet would be Microsoft Exchange. The method belows works with Google Apps as well. You can get all your E-Mail Push, Contacts and Calendars all sync. Beware though, this setup will drain your battery faster than usual. Your email will also be downloaded when your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch is off. This method works on all iOS devices such as iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 5, iPad Mini, and the new iPad and so on on iOS 5 and iOS 6.
Here’s how to setup GMail Exchange on iPhone. Gmail now sync with your Contacts and Calendars, whereas before, it only does E-mail. GMail also downloads all your folder that you have set up in GMail with your Desktop Browser and you iPhone will display those folder like as if you are using your PC or Mac Browser.
1. Click on Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendar > Add Account
2. Click on Microsoft Exchange (Very Top Button)
3. Enter your GMail Address
4. Leave Domain Blank
5. Enter Username without the @gmail.com
6. Enter Password
7. Click on Next on the Keyboard until the Server box comes out.
8. In the Server Box, enter m.google.com
9. Click Save and in a couple of minutes, your Contacts from GMail should show up on your iPhone or iPad.
So far it works great for me, though it’s not as fast as I thought it would be, but it’s definitely better than refreshing your email manually. Just follow the same settings from above. Tested with my iPad 1 and iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Mini, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5.
This setup originally was from iOS 3.x. With iOS 3.x, Exchange was draining battery like water, however, with iOS 4.x, battery management for Exchange Mail is improved greatly, at least on the new iDevices.
On iOS 5 and now iOS 6, you can now setup multiple Exchange Account with GMail, and I have three setup, and if you have Google Apps for Business, like I do, you can also use that email address as Exchange Server for your iPhone. Enjoy this update.
Update on this post (December 6th, 2011): You can setup Google Apps mail the same way as the steps above. Here’s how:
1. Replace the @Gmail.com from the step 5 above with your own domain name. For example, if it’s your google apps domain is xyz.com, then it’s user@xyz.com as your username.
That’s pretty much it.
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Jennifer
March 8, 2012 at 2:51 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Back to question #3 by John…I’m having the same problem.
I have set up the exchange several times and can receive messages fine but I still cannot get my replies to come from my business email, even though it’s set up in gmail & works online.
Please help!
Niandi Carmont
February 12, 2012 at 2:24 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Have tried that several times but keep getting a message that the Exchange password is incorrect?
Eberhard
February 12, 2012 at 3:48 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I would try to login to Gmail with your existing password. If the error is persistent, that means your password is indeed entered in incorrectly.
Otherwise, I would change the password and try again.
greg
March 12, 2012 at 1:11 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
It took a lot of reading other folks problem, but THIS is what allowed gmail to sync up.
https://accounts.google.com/UnlockCaptcha
This unlocks your account for 10 minutes, then tells you to go back to your device and try it again, and it WORKS!!!!!!!!!! after spending hours and hours of frustration!!!!!!!!!!!!
John
November 16, 2011 at 5:06 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
It works for me!
One question however, how do I set Gmail Exchange up with a different ‘reply-to’ address on my iPhone 4s?
John
John
November 23, 2011 at 10:35 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Does anybody have a work around for this?
John
Eberhard
November 27, 2011 at 5:49 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi John,
It seems like there is no option for Reply-to on the address bar. The only thing I see is to change the From to a different email address, which I usually use to substitute Reply-to.
Good luck
Anonymous
December 14, 2011 at 1:28 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
You can do that on your gmail mail settings
Mahmoud
September 24, 2011 at 2:56 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I found the solution
In the setup, place exactly your full email address in the username so if ur mail is xer@gmail.com! Place user name as xer@ gmail.com
Tobias
September 19, 2010 at 12:27 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Is this possible with multiple calendars in one Google account?
Eberhard
September 19, 2010 at 11:47 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yes it is. I have it setup for personal and the other for work.
Eberhard
October 1, 2010 at 4:11 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Tobias, here’s the instruction I just blogged. http://bit.ly/a14TWi
Jas
September 16, 2010 at 11:34 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Will this sync your new emails too?
Eberhard
September 16, 2010 at 3:09 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yes it does
Cayuga
August 22, 2010 at 12:57 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Thank you for this info! I got all the way through, it asked me for my password, I typed it in…and it said it was incorrect. I did this a few times (the definition of “stupid” being “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” I then created a new password for the Exchange account, and the same thing happened. I deleted the Exchange account, and started over. Do you have any idea about what I am doing wrong? Thanks again.
Mahmoud
September 24, 2011 at 2:40 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I have the same problem
Did u find a solution?
José
November 1, 2011 at 3:08 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
me too!
Musharosky
August 6, 2010 at 7:43 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi there.
Thanks for the instructions, but I have one problem after setting up the exchange account. It just loads a couple of emails of my gmail inbox. If I set up the e-mail account without the exchange it works perfect.
What’s the difference there?
Eberhard
August 8, 2010 at 12:10 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi Musharosky,
Whenever a new Exchange Account is created, it only downloads new emails. Mine does the same thing.
Though the regular way, instead of Exchange, would be using the IMAP Server rather than POP, it would mimic what you see on your GMail account. If I use the IMAP Server, my iPhone has all the Folders I created in my GMail account. I use IMAP for email, and Exchange just to sync Contacts and Calendars. So you can have both IMAP and Exchange with the same GMail account.
Musharosky
August 8, 2010 at 12:41 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi Eberhard, thank you for your answer!
It somehow downloaded the other inbox mails as well, but you would suggest to use exchange just for contacts and calendars and for mail the imap protocol?
I guess the advantage is, that I would have all my emails, even when I’m not connected to the internet? But in this case I have to make 2 accounts in the settings, one exchange for contacts and calendars and one imap for email?
Do I get it right?
Eberhard
August 8, 2010 at 1:03 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
If you like to have all your emails, including folders, do the IMAP. Just for emails. Exchange just for your Contacts and Calendar. That’s how I did it. You should try both to see what works best for you. I need to have all the folders because I like to move my emails to certain folders.
Which means setup an exchange email for yourself@gmail.com and do the IMAP mail for the same username yourself@gmail.com. But set the Exchange Server not to get your mail, let IMAP do it all for you. Hope that’s clear. Good luck.
Musharosky
August 8, 2010 at 1:24 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi again,
I set it up now like you. The interesting part is now, that have the imap-settings it’s still able just to load the last 200 messages in each folder. I guess i have to live with that.
Just a side-note when i was experimenting with the exchange-account, even there I had all my folders.
Hope that works, future will show
Matt Arnold
September 17, 2010 at 2:23 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
There is a setting on the iPhone for the gmail account for how far back you want it to sync emails.
Djamel Mami
May 9, 2011 at 7:47 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I was having the same problem but just went under Mail in setting and into the Exchange account (which is really my gmail account). There is a “Mail Days to Sync” button- I went under that and hit “No Limit.” Seems to have solved the problem- all my folders are showing up now.
Paresh
August 5, 2010 at 6:17 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Extensive Battery Drain after setting up GMail with MS Exchange on iPhone 3Gs FW 4.0 Jailbroken.
If I delete the account, battery is back to normal but if I activate the account, battery starts draining.
Any help will be highly appreciated
Thanks a ton in advance!
Eberhard
August 6, 2010 at 9:14 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
That is true, but then again, I use that email as my primary to sync Calendars, Contacts and Mail. I can do that on the BlackBerry, but the screen is so much bigger on the iPhone. If you don’t need the instant sync through GMail, then I would just leave it deleted.
But you are right, it does use more battery.
Thanks
Lesther
April 17, 2010 at 9:57 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Similar settings works with the iPad, though with POP rather than IMAP. Thanks for the info.
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