Office of Information Technology (OIT) > Google Apps > Getting Started
Getting Started
Signing Up for Google Apps
- Click Sign Up on this site's home page. Sign-up access also is available on the Web-based Email page.
- Review the Google Apps help/account information.
- Click Opt In.
- You will be forwarded to the Google opt-in page.
- Check your eligibility.
- Review the number of mail messages larger than 25 MB.
- Find out the amount of time required to transfer your existing email to your new Google Gmail account.
- Read and agree to the terms and conditions.
- Select your campus location.
- Optional: Set a Google desktop/mobile client password. This enables access to your Google account via desktop or mobile IMAP clients. Read more information about Google desktop/mobile client passwords.
Logging In to Google Apps
Once you've set up your Google account, you're ready to get started sending email using Gmail; creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations using Docs; chatting with colleagues using Talk; and keeping track of your schedule using Calendar. There are several ways to log in:
- Log in at http://google.umn.edu.
- If you log in to the University network with your Internet ID and password, you'll be authenticated for Google as well as other services.
Visit the Google Start Page for your campus.
The start page lets you preview your latest email messages, calendar events, and documents, and chat with people in your Contacts list:
- Visit Google Apps directly:
- You also may check your email by selecting the Gmail option on the Web-based Email site.
Managing Your Google Desktop/Mobile Client Password
- You can change your Google desktop/mobile client password by visiting your Internet Account Options page and selecting Change Your Google Desktop/Mobile Client Password in the Passwords/Security section. If you have forgotten your Google desktop/mobile client password, you can reset it by logging in with your Internet ID and password at your Internet Account Options page, and selecting Reset Google Desktop/Mobile Client Password. If you don't know either your Google desktop/mobile client password or your Internet password, call 1-HELP at (612) 301-4357 (1-HELP on campus) to first have your Internet password reset. After your Internet password has been reset, you can reset your Google desktop/mobile client password at your Internet Account Options page. You will need to use your Google desktop/mobile client password to access email when using an optional client. Information and instructions on configuring these email clients for use with Google is available on the Email site.
