Connecting Your Gmail Account

Connecting your Gmail account to Gini takes just a few taps. Once connected, Gini will scan your incoming emails for phishing scams and alert you to dangerous messages.

Before You Start

Make sure you have:

  • The Gini Help app installed
  • Your Gmail email address
  • Your Gmail password (or your Google account sign-in)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open Email Protection Settings

  1. Open the Gini Help app
  2. Tap Settings at the bottom of the screen
  3. Tap Email Protection

Step 2: Choose Gmail

You'll see a list of email providers. Tap Gmail.

You'll see a description: "Connect your Google account"

Step 3: Sign In to Google

A Google sign-in screen will appear. This is Google's official sign-in page, not a Gini page.

  1. Enter your Gmail email address
  2. Tap Next
  3. Enter your password
  4. Tap Next

Step 4: Approve the Connection

Google will show you what Gini is requesting access to:

  • Read your email messages
  • View your email labels

This is normal and necessary for Gini to scan your emails for threats.

Tap Allow or Continue to approve.

Step 5: Wait for Confirmation

You'll see a message confirming your Gmail is now connected. Gini will immediately start scanning your inbox for threats.

What You'll See After Connecting

Once your Gmail is connected:

  • A green checkmark appears next to Email Protection in Settings
  • The Email Protection screen shows "Gmail Connected"
  • You can view any flagged emails in the app

How Gini Works with Gmail

After connecting:

  • New emails are scanned automatically as they arrive
  • Recent emails are scanned to catch any threats you might have missed
  • Suspicious emails are flagged with warnings in the Gini app
  • Your Gmail inbox looks the same - Gini works quietly in the background

Your Gmail Privacy

When you connect Gmail to Gini:

  • Your emails stay in Gmail - We don't copy or move them
  • Scanning is automatic - No action needed from you
  • Only threat analysis - We look for scam patterns, not personal content
  • No human reads your emails - Only our AI system scans messages
  • You can disconnect anytime - And we lose all access immediately

Troubleshooting

"Sign in failed" or error message

  1. Make sure you're using the correct Gmail address
  2. Check that your password is correct
  3. If you have 2-step verification on your Google account, complete that step when prompted
  4. Try again - sometimes temporary connection issues happen

Google asks for additional verification

If Google doesn't recognize the sign-in attempt:

  1. Check your phone for a Google prompt and tap "Yes, it's me"
  2. Or enter a verification code sent to your phone
  3. This is Google's security feature protecting your account

"Permission denied" or "Access blocked"

  1. Make sure you tapped "Allow" when Google asked for permission
  2. Try disconnecting and reconnecting your account
  3. Check if your Google account has restrictions (some work accounts do)

Connected but not seeing any alerts

This is actually good news - it means Gini hasn't found any phishing emails in your inbox. If you receive a suspicious email later, you'll see the alert.

Disconnecting Gmail

If you ever want to stop email protection:

  1. Open Gini Help
  2. Tap Settings > Email Protection
  3. Tap Disconnect Gmail or Disconnect
  4. Confirm your choice

Once disconnected:

  • Gini stops scanning your emails immediately
  • We no longer have any access to your Gmail
  • Your Gmail continues to work normally

Multiple Gmail Accounts

Currently, you can connect one Gmail account at a time. If you have multiple Gmail addresses, connect the one you use most often or receive the most suspicious emails on.

Questions?

For more help, see:

  • How Email Protection Works
  • Understanding Email Risk Scores
  • Email Protection Is Not Scanning My Inbox (Troubleshooting)