How to Fix Connection Issues on Gmail

Do you experience connection issues on Gmail?

Gmail is one of the biggest web-based mailing services in the world. It has an estimated 1.5 billion registered users worldwide, and that number continues to add up every day. 

Given the app’s scale and user base, it’s no surprise that users encounter unexpected issues on the platform. These occasional downtimes and errors are simply inevitable on any type of platform or application. 

Now, if you are here, you probably encounter slowdowns or connection issues on Gmail. 

Depending on the situation, you may have noticed your emails are loading slow, you can’t access your account, or Gmail’s website is not working. 

Usually, these issues are caused by server-related problems or slow network connections. On the other hand, it can also be due to outdated app versions, corrupted data, or third-party applications. 

To help you out, we’ve decided to make a guide for fixing connection issues on Gmail. 

Let’s get right into it!

1. Check Gmail Servers. 

When you encounter connection issues on Gmail, the first thing you should check is the servers. Google’s team might be performing maintenance on their system, or an unexpected problem occurred. 

To confirm this, visit Google Workspace’s status page, and see if Gmail service is available.

Google Workspace Status

 

If the service is offline, it means that the problem is on Google’s side. You simply have to wait for their team to address the issue since most server-related errors can’t be fixed on the user’s end. 

On the other hand, you can head to the next solution if Gmail’s servers are working fine. 

2. Restart Your Device. 

Before doing advance measures on your device, we suggest restarting your system first if you encounter connection issues on Gmail. This should refresh your temporary data and eliminate temporary errors that may have occurred during runtime. 

For Android users, check the guide below to restart your system: 

  1. Locate the Power button on your device. 
  2. Next, press and hold it until the options menu appears. 
  3. Finally, hit Restart
connection issues on Gmail

On iOS devices, see the steps below to restart them: 

  1. Access the Assistive Touch on your screen. 
  2. Now, go to the Device tab and tap on More
  3. Lastly, choose Restart
connection issues on Gmail

If you’re using a PC, here’s how you can restart your system: 

  1. First, press the Windows key on your keyboard to access the Start Menu
  2. After that, go to the Power Options tab. 
  3. Lastly, choose the Restart option and wait for your system to reboot. 
connection issues on Gmail

For macOS users, follow the steps below to restart your device: 

  1. On your main screen, click on the Apple Menu
  2. Now, choose Restart from the drop-down section. 
  3. Click the Restart button on the dialog box to confirm your action. 
connection issues on Gmail

Go back to Gmail afterward to confirm if the problem is solved. 

3. Check Your Network Connection. 

A slow or unstable network could also cause connection issues on Gmail. While Gmail doesn’t require a lot of bandwidth, you still need to have decent internet to use its services without problems. 

To check if your network is the culprit, run a test using Fast.com to measure its current bandwidth. 

Speed Test

If the result indicates that your connection is the problem, unplug your router from the outlet and wait for 5 to 10 seconds before plugging it back in to restart it. 

Restart Router

Once done, perform another test to check if the problem is solved. If you continue to experience network-related issues, contact your internet service provider and ask them to fix the problem with your connection. 

4. Turn Off VPN. 

VPNs are third-party tools that protect your network and data from hackers and other entities. They work by masking your default IP address and filtering your activity to hide locations, bank accounts, passwords, and credit card numbers. 

However, this process could also introduce delays and interruptions to your network.

If you experience connection issues on Gmail, we recommend disabling your VPN first before accessing the platform. 

PureVPN

On the other hand, you can also switch to a much more reliable provider like PureVPN if you’re not comfortable turning off your protection. Unlike other services, it uses high-speed servers worldwide to ensure fast and secured connections. 

PureVPN also works for most streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+. 

5. Clear Your Browsing Data. 

If you’re using a browser to access Gmail, it’s possible that your browser cache and data got corrupted. When this happens, your browser may struggle to function correctly, which could cause connection issues on Gmail. 

To rule this out, follow the steps below to clear your browsing data: 

  1. First, open your preferred browser and go to the Settings
  2. After that, navigate to Privacy & Security and click on Clear Browsing Data
  3. Now, change the target Time Range to All Time and include caches and cookies in the process. 
  4. Lastly, hit the Clear Data button to delete your browsing activity. 
connection issues on Gmail

Once done, go back to Gmail and observe if you still experience connection issues. 

6. Clear Gmail’s Cache and Data (Android). 

For Android users, try clearing Gmail’s cache and data if you suffer from connection issues. This should eliminate temporary bugs and errors, causing connectivity problems to the application. 

Here’s how you can clear Gmail’s data: 

  1. On your device, go to the app drawer and locate Gmail
  2. Now, press and hold its app icon and tap on App Info
  3. After that, access the Storage tab. 
  4. Finally, tap the Clear Cache button followed by the Clear Data button. 
connection issues on Gmail

Once done, re-login to your Gmail account and check if the problem is solved. 

7. Update Gmail. 

If you still experience connection issues on Gmail, try updating the app on your device. The current version you’re using may have a bug or glitch that causes connectivity issues. 

For Android users, check out the steps below to update Gmail: 

  1. First, open the Google Play Store on your device. 
  2. After that, tap on your Profile and open the Manage Apps & Device tab. 
  3. Next, go to Updates Available and locate Gmail
  4. Lastly, tap on Update to install the app’s latest version. 
connection issues on Gmail

If you’re using an iOS device, you can update Gmail by doing the following: 

  1. Launch the App Store on your device and access your Profile
  2. Now, locate Gmail from the list of applications. 
  3. Finally, hit the Update button next to Gmail to install the update. 
connection issues on Gmail

After updating the app, go back to your account and observe if you still experience connectivity issues. 

8. Flush DNS (Windows). 

If you’re using a Windows PC, your DNS cache may have gotten corrupted, which causes connectivity issues on Gmail and other sites. To fix this, flush your DNS to eliminate corrupted data. 

See the steps below to guide you on the process: 

  1. On your keyboard, press the Windows + X keys to access the Quick Menu
  2. After that, click on Command Prompt (Admin)
  3. Finally, type ‘ipconfig /flushdns’ and hit the Enter key to proceed. 
connection issues on Gmail

Restart your system afterward and observe if you still encounter connection issues on Gmail. 

9. Reinstall Gmail. 

If none of the solutions above worked for you, the last thing you can do is reinstall the Gmail app. This should ensure that you’re using the latest version of the app and there are no corrupted or missing files on your system. 

Check out the guide below to reinstall Gmail on mobile devices: 

  1. First, go to your home screen and locate Gmail
  2. Now, press and hold its app icon until the selection menu appears. 
  3. Lastly, choose Remove App (iOS) or Uninstall (Android) to delete Gmail
connection issues on Gmail

Go to the Play Store or App Store on your device afterward and reinstall Gmail from there. 

10. Report the Problem to Google. 

At this point, you’ve pretty much-done everything you can to troubleshoot the problem. If you still encounter connection issues on Gmail, it’s time that you let the experts take over. 

Go to Google’s Support page and contact their team to ask for assistance regarding the issue you’ve been experiencing. Provide all the necessary details on your report that could help Google’s team address the issue faster. 

connection issues on Gmail

You can also browse the guides on their page and see if you can find other solutions. 

That wraps up our guide for fixing connection issues on Gmail. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • John Sixto

    John is a staff writer at Saint and comes from a SAP ABAP development background. He has a Bachelors in IT and has been writing since 2018, with over 500 posts published. He loves to build PCs and has a deep curiosity in understanding how different components and configurations work. John spends hundreds of hours at a time, researching and testing the software and apps, before he proceeds to write about it. LinkedIn X (Twitter)

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