Email Delegation

Post date: Nov 2, 2020

You can grant access to your Gmail account by adding a delegate. This person can read, send, and delete messages for you. More information can be found at https://support.google.com/mail/answer/138350?hl=en.

What your delegate can do

Delegates can do things like:

  • Send or reply to emails that were sent to you. When they send a message, their email address will show. For example, the sender will show as "sent by johnsmith@gmail.com."

  • Read messages sent to you

  • Delete messages sent to you

Delegates can't do things like:

  • Chat with anyone for you

  • Change your Gmail password

Add a delegate

You can add up to 10 delegates. If you're using Gmail through your work, school, or other organization, you can add up to 25 delegates within your organization.

  1. On your computer, open Gmail. You can't add delegates from the Gmail app.

  2. In the top right, click Settings (looks like a gear), See all settings.

  3. Click the Accounts and Import or Accounts tab.

  4. In the "Grant access to your account" section, click Add another account. If you’re using Gmail through your work or school, your organization may restrict email delegation. If you don’t see this setting, contact your admin.

  5. Enter the email address of the person you want to add. The account you're delegating must have "Require user to change password at next sign-in" disabled.

  6. Click Next Step, Send email to grant access.

The person you added will get an email asking them to confirm. It may take up to 24 hours for you to see them as a delegate after they confirm.

Note: The invitation expires after a week.

Remove a delegate

  1. On your computer, open Gmail. You can't set up delegates from the Gmail app.

  2. In the top right, click Settings (looks like a gear), See all settings.

  3. Click the Accounts and Import tab.

  4. In the "Grant access to your account" section, click Delete next to the account you want to remove.