Gmail alias verification failed

Gmail verifies an address before it lets you send as it, usually by emailing a link or code to that address. Until you confirm it, Distro shows the sender as Waiting for Google and won't offer it in the From list. Distro can't verify addresses for you; it only reads what your Google account reports.

Symptoms

• On Sending accounts, the sender shows Waiting for Google, and its details say "Waiting for Google to verify this address".
• After clicking Enable, Distro says "Google hasn't verified" the address yet.
• In Gmail, the address under Send mail as is marked as unverified.
• The verification email never arrived, or the link didn't work.

Likely causes and fixes

The email was confirmed, but Distro hasn't checked since

Open the sender in Distro and click Check again. Distro re-reads your Google account's "Send mail as" addresses and the sender becomes Active if Google now reports it as verified.

The verification email went somewhere you didn't look

Gmail sends the verification email to the address you're adding, not to your main inbox.

• For an address hosted at another provider (Microsoft 365, Zoho, your web host), look in that provider's mailbox.
• For an address that forwards somewhere, check where it forwards to.
• Check spam, junk, quarantine and any filters or rules.
• If your company uses an email security gateway, ask IT whether it held the message.

The address can't receive mail

If the address has no working mailbox, or the domain's MX records don't point to a mail service, the verification email can't arrive. Make sure the address receives mail first: send it a normal email from another account. See What are MX records?

The link or code expired, or the wrong one was used

In Gmail, open Settings → See all settings → Accounts (personal Gmail: Accounts and Import). Next to the unverified address under Send mail as, Gmail usually offers to resend the verification. Use the newest email only. If that doesn't work, delete the address there and add it again.

Gmail never got as far as sending a verification email

If you added an address hosted elsewhere, Gmail first checks the SMTP details you gave it. If those were wrong, the address isn't added at all. See Gmail is asking for SMTP settings.

It's a Google Workspace alias that's asking for verification

A real Workspace alias of your user normally doesn't need a separate verification step. If Gmail treats it like an outside address, the alias may not be on your user yet, or may be on a different user. Ask your admin to check the user's alternate email addresses in the Admin console. See How to add a Google Workspace alias.

After it's verified

1. Open the sender in Distro and click Check again (or click Refresh addresses on the Google account).
2. Confirm it shows Active with Alias of your main address.
3. Pick it in your campaign's From field: Use a verified alias in Distro.