how to set up gmail in hermes hostinger 2026 2026

Estimated time to complete: 15, 25 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Setting up Gmail with your Hostinger account means connecting your custom email address (like you@yourdomain.com) to Google's Gmail interface. This guide covers the whole process: creating your business email in Hostinger's hPanel, configuring the DNS records so Google can send and receive mail on your behalf, and adding that account to Gmail itself. You won't need to leave Gmail's inbox once this is done.

Before You Start

Setting up Gmail with Hostinger's email system requires a few things ready first. Missing any of these can cause the setup to fail partway through.

• A Hostinger hosting plan that includes email hosting. Most shared hosting plans come with email accounts, but budget plans sometimes limit the number. Check your plan under hPanel's "Email" section to confirm.
• A domain name using Hostinger's nameservers. The DNS records you'll add only work if your domain is pointed to Hostinger. If your domain is registered elsewhere and still using the registrar's nameservers, those records won't take effect. You can check this in hPanel under "Domains."
• A Google Workspace account for business email, or a regular Gmail account for personal use. Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) gives you professional features. A free Gmail account works fine for basic email forwarding but doesn't support custom sending through SMTP the same way.
• Your email account already created inside Hostinger. You need to set up the mailbox in hPanel first. This guide picks up after that step, so create your email address under hPanel's "Email" section before moving on.

Important: DNS changes can take 1, 48 hours to propagate fully. Your email might work sooner, but don't panic if it takes a day to show up everywhere.

How to Set Up Gmail in Hostinger hPanel, Step by Step

Step 1: Log In to hPanel

Go to Hostinger's website and sign in to your account. You'll land on the hPanel dashboard automatically. If you're taken to a different page, look for the "hPanel" button in the top menu and click it.

Step 2: Open the Email Section

Find the "Email" tab in the left sidebar menu. Click it to expand the options underneath. You'll see a list of any email accounts already created for your domain.

Step 3: Create Your Email Account (If You Haven't Already)

If you already have an email address set up, skip to Step 4. If not:

Click "Create New Email Account" or the "Add Account" button. Enter the email prefix (the part before the @ sign, like "hello" for hello@yourdomain.com). Set a strong password.

Click "Create."

Important: Write this password down somewhere safe. You'll need it again during the Gmail setup.

Step 4: Find the MX Records

Email uses MX records to tell the internet where to deliver messages. To route your Hostinger email through Gmail, you'll replace Hostinger's default MX records with Google's.

In the "Email" section, scroll down until you see the "DNS Zone" or "Zone Editor" option. Some hPanel versions place this under a separate "DNS" tab. Click it.

Look for existing MX records. You'll see something like "mx1.hostinger.com" or similar entries. Leave them alone for now, you'll come back after getting Google's records.

Step 5: Open Google Workspace or Gmail Settings

For Google Workspace (business): Go to admin.google.com. Sign in with your Google Workspace admin account. Click "Apps," then "Google Workspace," then "Gmail." Find the "Email routing" or "Mail delivery" section.

For free Gmail (personal): This method uses Gmail's "Check mail from other accounts" feature. It's limited, you can only check mail, not send as your custom domain through the same simple setup. To send from your domain, you'll need to add SMTP configuration manually.

This guide covers the Google Workspace path, which gives you full send-and-receive capabilities from your custom domain inside Gmail.

Step 6: Get Google's MX Record Values

In your Google Workspace admin console, go to the "Domains" section. Select "Manage Domains." Click "View Details" next to your domain name. Find the MX records tab.

Google provides these specific MX record values:

Copy these exactly. The order matters, lower numbers get priority.

Step 7: Add Google's MX Records in hPanel

Go back to Hostinger's hPanel. In the DNS Zone Editor, look for an "Add Record" or "New Record" button.

Select "MX" as the record type.

For each of Google's five MX records:

Enter "@" or your domain name in the "Host" field (hPanel often shows this as "Name" or "Leave blank for root domain"). Paste the Google server address in the "Points to" or "Value" field. Enter the priority number.

Repeat this for all five records.

Important: Before saving, delete or disable Hostinger's default MX records. If both sets exist, mail servers get confused about where to deliver. Delete the old ones unless you have a reason to keep them.

Step 8: Wait for DNS Propagation

Wait time: 1, 48 hours, though it often finishes in under an hour. During this time, Google's servers check that your domain's MX records point to them. Your email won't work reliably until propagation completes.

You can test propagation using a free DNS checker tool online. Enter your domain name, and it shows which MX records are visible globally.

Step 9: Verify Domain Ownership in Google Workspace

While waiting for DNS propagation, Google Workspace asks you to verify you own the domain. This is separate from the MX records.

In the Google Workspace admin console, find the "Verify domain" prompt. Google gives you a TXT record with a unique verification code. Copy that code.

In hPanel's DNS Zone Editor, add a new TXT record. Paste the verification code in the "Value" field. Set the host to "@" or your domain name.

Save.

Google checks for this TXT record periodically. Once found, it marks your domain as verified.

Step 10: Configure Gmail to Send as Your Custom Domain

After domain verification and MX record propagation, the final step makes your custom email work inside Gmail.

Log in to your Google Workspace email account. Click the gear icon in the top right, then "See all settings." Go to the "Accounts and Import" tab.

Under "Send mail as," click "Add another email address." Enter your full custom email address (you@yourdomain.com). Check the "Treat as an alias" box if you want replies to go to your primary Gmail. Click "Next."

Google now asks for SMTP settings:

• SMTP Server: smtp.googlemail.com
• Port: 465 (or 587)
• Username: Your full custom email address
• Password: The password for that email account (from Step 3)
• Use TLS: Yes

Click "Add Account." Google sends a verification code to that custom email address. Go check the inbox in your Hostinger webmail interface (you can access it via hPanel's "Email" section and clicking "Webmail"). Copy the verification code.

Paste it into the Gmail prompt.

Done. Your custom domain email now sends and receives through Gmail.

Step 11: Test the Setup

Send a test email from your custom address to another account you own. Reply to it. Check that the reply lands in your Gmail inbox.

If the test fails, don't move on yet. Go to the troubleshooting section below.

What to Do If Something Goes Wrong

Problem: Verification code never arrives in custom email inbox

Fix: Check your Hostinger webmail through hPanel, not through Gmail. The verification email might be caught in the spam folder. If it's not there, resend the verification from Gmail's "Accounts and Import" settings page.

Sometimes it takes 5, 10 minutes to arrive.

Problem: MX records show as "wrong type" or hPanel rejects them

Fix: Make sure you're selecting "MX" as the record type, not "A" or "CNAME." hPanel's DNS editor sometimes defaults to "A" record when you open the dropdown. Double-check the "Points to" field has no extra spaces at the start or end.

Problem: Email delivers to Hostinger's default inbox instead of Gmail

Fix: This means old MX records are still active. Go back to the DNS Zone Editor and remove every MX record except Google's five entries. Hostinger sometimes adds a default catch-all MX record that overrides your new ones.

Remove it.

Problem: "Authentication failed" when adding SMTP settings in Gmail

Fix: The password you entered doesn't match what Hostinger has on file. Reset the password for your custom email account in hPanel's "Email" section. Try again with the new password.

Also check that you're using port 465, some Gmail configurations require this specific port.

What Happens Next

Your custom email address now functions through Gmail. Every email sent to you@yourdomain.com arrives in your Gmail inbox. Every reply ships from the same address.

You don't need to log into a separate webmail interface anymore.

This setup works well for one or two email addresses. If you manage multiple team members, each person needs their own Google Workspace account configured similarly. The DNS changes you just made apply to the whole domain, so they only need to complete Steps 10 and 11 on their end.

Now that your email is connected, you might want to explore what else your Hostinger plan includes. Their web hosting features pair well with a working email setup, everything under one roof.

If you're setting up Hostinger for the first time, claim your discount on the preferred plan through our coupon page to get started at the best available rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Gmail for free with my Hostinger email?

Yes, Google lets you add up to five external email accounts to a free Gmail account using the "Check mail from other accounts" feature. The send-as function works but requires SMTP configuration, which is less reliable than the full Google Workspace setup. For business use, Google Workspace is worth the subscription.

How long do MX record changes take to work?

Most changes propagate within 1, 2 hours, but Google says up to 48 hours is normal. You can speed things up by lowering the TTL (time to live) value on your MX records in hPanel before making the change. Set TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) a day ahead of time, then make the swap.

Will this delete my existing Hostinger email data?

No, the email stored on Hostinger's servers stays there until you delete the mailbox. If you want to move old emails to Gmail, use the import tool in Gmail's "Accounts and Import" settings. It pulls messages from your Hostinger account using POP3.

Do I need to keep my Hostinger email account active after setup?

Yes. Your email address still lives on Hostinger's server. Gmail connects to it to send and receive.

If you cancel your Hostinger plan or delete the email account, the address stops working, even in Gmail.

Can I use this setup for multiple domains under one Gmail account?

Yes. Gmail's "Send mail as" feature supports multiple addresses. Repeat Steps 10 and 11 for each additional domain email you want to add.

Each one needs its own email account in Hostinger and its own MX records pointing to Google.

What happens if I switch hosting companies later?

Your email breaks if you move your domain's DNS away from Hostinger and the new host doesn't use Google's MX records. To keep email working during a migration, set the MX records to point to Google on the new provider before changing nameservers. Wait for propagation, then complete the hosting transfer.

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