Delegate access to an AUX account

Delegate access lets another University of Maine System (UMS) user read, send and delete mail in an auxiliary or shared account without sharing the password. Both the account owner and the person receiving access have steps to complete.

Instructions

The account owner grants access from the auxiliary account. The delegate then accepts an emailed invitation before the access becomes usable.

Before you begin

• Sign in at mail.google.com as the auxiliary account, using that account's own password. Access is granted from inside the account, so it cannot be done from your own account, and it cannot be done by someone who already has delegate access to it.
• You cannot grant delegate access from the Gmail mobile app.
• Open the account in a separate browser profile or a private (incognito) window, as described above. If you would rather not do either, sign out of all accounts first.

Granting access from the auxiliary account

1. Sign in to mail.google.com as the auxiliary account.
2. In the upper-right corner, click the Settings gear icon.
3. Click See all settings.
4. Click Accounts and Import.
5. Next to Grant access to your account, click Add another account.
6. Enter the delegate's maine.edu address, then click Next Step.
7. Click Send email to grant access.
8. The delegate appears in the Grant access to your account list with a pending status until they accept the invitation.

Accepting the invitation

These steps are completed by the person receiving access, in their own primary UMS account.

1. Open the message from delegation-noreply@google.com, sent as University of Maine System Team. It states that the auxiliary account has granted access to read, delete and send mail on its behalf.
2. Click the link under To accept this request.

   

3. On the Gmail Confirmation page, click Confirm to confirm viewing and sending messages on behalf of the auxiliary account.

   

4. A Confirmation Success page appears. Verification takes about 30 minutes to complete.

   

Opening and switching between accounts

1. Wait at least 30 minutes after confirming. Signing out of Gmail and back in helps the account appear.
2. Click the profile picture in the upper-right corner of Gmail.
3. Find the auxiliary account listed below the primary account and marked Delegated.

   

4. Click the account name. The account opens in a new browser tab.
5. Check the address shown at the top of the window to confirm which account you are working in.
6. To go back, close the tab for the auxiliary account, or open the profile menu again and select the primary address.

What delegate access includes

A delegate can:

• Read, send and delete mail in the auxiliary account.

A delegate cannot:

• Change the account password or open Google Account settings.
• Reach the auxiliary account's Google Drive files or Google Calendar. Mail delegation covers mail only. Drive files and calendars are shared separately, from within Drive and Calendar.

Also note:

• Mail sent from the auxiliary account shows the delegate's address alongside the account address.
• Several Gmail features are unavailable while working in a delegated account, including Google Chat, Google Meet, Tasks, Gemini in Gmail, Smart Compose, Smart Reply and spelling and grammar checks.

Delegate & collaborate on email — Gmail Help (External Link)

Removing a delegate

1. Sign in to mail.google.com as the auxiliary account.
2. Click the Settings gear icon → See all settings → Accounts and Import.
3. Under Grant access to your account, click Delete next to the delegate you are removing.

If the delegate cannot get in

• Confirm that at least 30 minutes have passed since the invitation was accepted, and that the delegate has signed out of Gmail and back in.
• Confirm the invitation was accepted and has not expired.
• Confirm the auxiliary account is not set to require a password change at next sign-in. Delegation fails until the owner signs in and clears that requirement.
• If access still fails, submit a ticket to the IT Service Desk.

Additional resources

• Delegate & collaborate on email — Gmail Help (External Link)

Environment

• UMS ID
• Gmail
• Google Workspace