How can I use my Gmail account for reading and replying to email from my website?

The answer below describes a manual method of redirecting your domain email to your personal Gmail account (because you like their SPAM filtering and interface). But the new recommended method is to setup google apps for your domain so that you use can use Google's web mail interface with your own domain. See our FAQ on Setting up Google Apps for Email Hosting.

1. Redirect your Email to Gmail

Set your email account to Redirect messages to your Gmail Account. Every email host provider may provide different steps that we may or may not be able to help with. In general, you can follow these basic steps:

• Log into your email control panel.
• Set all email received to forward/redirect to your Gmail address.

2. Set Gmail to Send from Alternative Address.

Change your Gmail Settings so that email sent from Google will be sent from your website email account address (instead of  your Gmail account address):

• Login to your Gmail account.
• Go to Settings > Accounts.
• Under "Send Mail As", click "Add another email address".
• Enter your Name and your website email account address, e.g. joeschmoe@mydomain.com.
• Click "Next Step", then "Verify".
• A verification email will be sent to your website email account address.

3. Verify the new Settings.

The verfication email was sent from Gmail to your website email account, but because of the previous redirect it should end up in your Gmail inbox.

• Go to your Gmail Inbox and find the verification email sent from Gmail.
• Open the verification email, and click the activiation link provided.

Now, you can use Gmail as your Universal Email Account. When you compose new emails (or reply to emails) in Gmail, you can select from a drop-down menu which email address you want the new email to be sent from.