Nobody likes to see emails queued up in their outbox or missing out on important emails. However, no connection to Gmail app can cause these problems.
The Gmail app for iOS and Android has the same UI and we will be extensively covering how to fix the problem on the devices working on either of the Operating Systems.
Also, there is no Gmail app for Windows.
Through this article, we will tell you the reason behind and help you fix the no connection error in Gmail.
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Why does Gmail keep showing “No connection”?
Gmail shows this error whenever it is unable to connect to the server. There can be a number of reasons for this, such as no internet connection, modifications in APN settings, restrictions on the Gmail app, etc.
Though the chances are thin, the error may be due to a server outage and would be fixed within a few hours.
In the next section, we will tell you how to fix the “No connection” error with respect to its cause.
How to fix Gmail app error message “No Connection, Retry!” ?
The following methods would help you troubleshoot the no connection error on the Gmail app:
Check your internet connection
Internet is the fundamental utility for using Gmail and sending/receiving emails. You must check your internet connection before going any further. Run an internet speed test or open any website or application to ensure you have an active internet connection.
In case the connection is unstable or inactive, contact your ISP (internet service provider).
If having stable internet doesn’t solve your problem, move to the next troubleshooting methods.
Reset APNs
APN (Access Point Name) settings contain the necessary information for making internet connections on your phone.
APN settings are automatically set up in your phone, and altering them affects internet speeds across apps on the device.
These alterations can be either manual or done by third-party apps. Reset the APN settings to default to maintain a balanced flow of internet in Gmail and other apps.
To reset APN settings on iPhone to default go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Network, then tap Reset Settings.
Use the following steps to reset APN settings to default:
TO reset APN settings on Android, go to Settings > SIM cards & mobile networks then select SIM card. Now tap Access point names or APN > Reset.
If you cannot reset APN settings to default, search for the APN settings for your ISP and save these in your settings.
Unblock data usage
Data saver, background data restrictions, and restrictions on Gmail can cause it to not connect with the server.
You can disable data saver in Settings > Network/Connectivity in both iPhone and Android phone.
Remove restrictions from the Gmail app. Certain apps can be restricted from using the internet on iOS and Android. Remove the restrictions for connecting these apps with the internet.
Use the following steps to remove internet usage restrictions from the Gmail app on Android:
- Tap and hold the Gmail app then tap on the App info option that pop up just along the app icon.
- Now scroll down and tap Restrict data usage.
- Make sure the toggle buttons for SIM cards and Wi-Fi are turned on then tap Ok.
Follow the steps below to remove internet usage restriction on Gmail app on iPhone:
- Open the Settings app
- Then go to Mobile Data > Current Period.
- Now scroll and find the Gmail app in the list of apps on your device.
- Finally turn on the toggle button for Gmail app to remove data usage restrictions.
Or you can directly uninstall and re-install the Gmail app to skip removing app-based internet restrictions on both iOS and Android.
Make sure Gmail sync is on
Make sure the Gmail account is synchronized with that on other devices and keep it connected.
Use the following steps to enable sync for Gmail on Android and iOS:
- Firstly open the Gmail app and go to the Menu option at the top left shown as three horizontal lines in the below image.
- A panel will open from the left, scroll down to the bottom and tap Settings.
- A list of accounts on the phone will open, select the account for which you want to enable sync.
- Now scroll down and finally mark the Sync Gmail/email checkbox.
Sometime, you might have to face problems syncing your Gmail due to Gmail sync error.
Reboot the device
Rebooting the device would kill all the running apps. Restarting the phone would cause the mobile phone to delete all temporary files on its RAM.
Doing so will free up space on your RAM for using Gmail App.
To reboot your iPhone, press and hold the side button (often called screen lock button), slide the power off slider to turn off the phone and wait for the iPhone to turn off.
Then press and hold the side button again until the apple logo appears. The phone will restart in few seconds.
To reboot your Android phone, long press the power button, tap Reboot or Restart icon then tap it again to confirm. The phone will then turn off and start automatically after a few seconds.
Clear cache and data
Every app piles up some cache and other data with its usage over time. Gmail also keeps cache data that helps in the faster loading of the app. However, it causes problems when its size has increased remarkably by making the app bulkier.
You should clear cache once in a while to make sure that the apps don’t become bulky for your phone.
To clear cache and other app data for Gmail on Android, press and hold the Gmail app logo, tap the App info option then tap on Clear data. Subsequently select Clear all data and finally tap Ok to confirm.
To do so on iPhone, go to Settings app, tap the user name (at the top of settings menu) then go to iCloud > Manage storage. Find and tap on the Gmail app. Subsequently tap Delete documents & data at the bottom and lastly tap Delete to confirm.
Re-add the email account
Sometimes the mobile phone only needs a fresh start with your email account. Removing your account from Gmail and adding it again can fix the “no connection problem” in certain inbox categories on your iOS or Android mobile.
Use the following steps to re-add an email account in the Gmail App on Android & iOS:
- Firstly open the Gmail app and tap the profile/accounts tab at top top right as shown in the below image.
- Now tap on the Manage accounts on this device option below the list of accounts.
- Then select Google.
Note: This step may vary for iOS users. - Now select the account you want to remove.
- Press the three dots options menu then select Remove account.
- Then select Remove account to confirm and your account will be removed.
- Now, in order to add the account, again go to Gmail and tap the profile/accounts tab.
- Select the Add another account option below the list of accounts on your phone.
- After that, select the type of account you would like to add. For a Google/ Gmail account, select Google.
- It would load for few seconds, then enter the email or phone registered with the account you want to add and tap Next.
- Subsequently enter the password associated with that account and tap Next.
- Finally tap I agree to complete adding the account.
Conclusion
If the “no connection” error on the Gmail app is not fixed, you will not be able to send and receive new emails. Moreover, your old emails would not be loaded.
We are sure that you would be able to get rid of the problem with the to-the-point troubleshooting methods discussed in this article.
FAQs
Why is Gmail app showing “no connection” in certain categories such as social and promotions?
Gmail app may show the “no connection” in categorized email inbox is usually server-side. Re-installing and re-adding the email account can fix the problem in some cases.
However, if the problem is not solved, try reading emails through the all inboxes option, internet browser or wait till the Gmail team resolves the issue.
Why is Gmail app showing no connection after update?
Old and redundant app files can cause a problem once you have updated your phone. Clear the app data and update the app to the latest version.
If the problem is caused by updating Gmail, the problem is most probably a result of some bug in that version. Update it again once a newer version is available. Till then, you can try clearing the Gmail app data.