# How to use Gmail with a custom domain

Adding [your own domain to an email address](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/e-mail/technical-matters/reasons-to-get-your-own-email-domain/) comes with some real benefits. It instantly builds trust, and when you’re emailing clients or colleagues, it looks a lot more professional than a standard @gmail.com address. In this guide, you’ll learn how to connect your Google account to a custom domain for a fully professional setup in just a few steps.

## How to connect Gmail and a custom domain quick guide

1. Register a custom domain for Gmail and create an address.
2. Open the Gmail menu **Accounts and Import**.
3. Enter the new address and SMTP server information.
4. Verify the alternative Gmail address via the confirmation link.
5. Select the desired sender address from the drop-down menu when composing a message.

## How to buy a custom domain for Gmail

First, you need a **domain name** that properly reflects your business. It could be that your preferred domain is already taken. If that’s the case, you can add a suffix to your name, such as “smith-carpets.com” or “carl-cleans-cars.com”. Additionally, other domain endings can be used to describe specific topics well, such as *.fitness*, *.shop*, or *.design*, and thousands more.

### Buying a domain from IONOS example

You can **purchase your own domain with IONOS** in just a few clicks. Go to the official [IONOS website](https://www.ionos.com/ "Official IONOS website") and select the menu item **Professional Email Address** under **Email & Office**. Click on **See plans** to view the available plans for this service.

[![Image: IONOS website: Create your own email address](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/b/0/csm_ionos-email-office_a34aed45a2.webp "IONOS website: Create your own email address")](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/ionos-email-office.png) Email plans from IONOS provide ad-free inboxes and good protection against viruses and spam; Source: https://www.ionos.com/office-solutions/create-an-email-address The “Mail Basic 1” plan should cover most use cases just fine. Along with a **free domain**, you get a **spam filter** and a mailbox with plenty of storage to get your professional setup off the ground (as of May 2026).

After you’ve decided on a plan, continue to the next step to **choose your domain name**.

The availability of your preferred domain name will be shown in real time. Once you’ve found a domain that’s free, you can complete the purchase.

In your IONOS customer account, create the desired email address under the domain you just bought by going to the **Email** tab. Another window will open in which you simply enter your preferred username before “@your-domain.com”. It is advisable to separate first and last names with a period; you can combine double names with a hyphen.

You will then see a confirmation, some security notes, and further down the page, a link to instructions for setting up your email in various **email clients**. Be sure to record the **assigned password** so you can later access the mailbox via the IONOS web mailer or an email client and retrieve the confirmation for linking it with Gmail.

## How to connect Gmail and a custom domain step by step

With your email domain fully set up, it’s time to configure your email address in your Gmail account. First, open the Google email service in your preferred browser and log in to your account.

To use your newly configured email address, access the settings by clicking the gear icon. Then, select **See all settings** to open the required submenu. Look for the **Accounts and Import** section.

[![Image: “Accounts and Import” section in the Gmail settings](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/5/0/csm_gmail-settings-accounts_a97b6593bc.webp "“Accounts and Import” section in the Gmail settings")](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/gmail-settings-accounts.png) Under “Accounts and Import” you can find additional account settings. In the “Send mail as:” line, click on the **Add another email address** button. Gmail will then open a separate browser window where you can enter your desired name and the **new email address** under your own registered Gmail domain. Then click on **Next Step >>**.

[![Image: Add a new email to your Gmail account](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/3/b/csm_gmail-add-address_8d72f9eb9e.webp "Add a new email to your Gmail account")](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/gmail-add-address.png) With the “Treat as an alias” option, the new domain is treated like your original Gmail address. In the next step, you need to provide the necessary information for the **SMTP server**. The IONOS SMTP server address is `smtp.ionos.com`, and the outgoing port is 587. Enter your full (new) email address as the username. Use the password you created when setting up the email address. After entering all the details, click on **Add Account >>**.

[![Image: Configure SMTP server in Gmail](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/7/d/csm_us-smtp-server-gmail_681b3f89d8.webp "Configure SMTP server in Gmail")](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2026/us-smtp-server-gmail.jpg) Your Gmail communication is optimally secured with TLS. You will need to **confirm the accuracy of this information**. To do this, check the **email** Google sent to the address you wish to link. This email includes a confirmation link that you must click to complete the setup. Once this step is finished, you will receive a confirmation message in Gmail.

[![Image: The new email address with custom domain is available in Gmail](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/1/5/csm_gmail-confirmation_f28193029d.webp "The new email address with custom domain is available in Gmail")](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/gmail-confirmation.png) The link will take you back to your Gmail inbox. When composing a **new email in Gmail**, you can now access a drop-down menu in the sender field (“From”). This menu will display all available sender addresses, including your new Gmail address under your custom domain.

[![Image: Gmail: Choose sender](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/4/b/csm_gmail-choose-sender_2a573f0798.webp "Gmail: Choose sender")](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/gmail-choose-sender.png) Decide whether you want to use your default address or your new custom Gmail domain.  Tip If you want to steer clear of Gmail altogether, you can also use one of the [Gmail alternatives](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/e-mail/technical-matters/sending-emails-alternatives-to-gmail/) or delete your [Gmail account](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/e-mail/technical-matters/delete-gmail-account/).


This is a markdown version of: [https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/e-mail/technical-matters/gmail-with-custom-domain/](https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/e-mail/technical-matters/gmail-with-custom-domain/) for AI/LLM consumption.