Gmail on Android mobile question

Si_Clist

What determines how often my Android phone picks up incoming emails?  Or to put it another way, my laptop is set up such that my Gmail account checks for mail every two minutes.  Does it follow that the same Gmail account on my mobile also checks every two minutes, or what?

[Deleted User]

If you have sync turned on it picks new mail up almost instantly in my experience.

DoaM

As above, the Gmail server knows when your phone is active because it is silently polling in the background ... i.e. keep-alive pings ... as long as you have a data connection (mobile or WiFi). Thus when an email arrives the notification is pushed to the active devices linked to that Gmail account.

For more info search for gmail android sync interval.

Socajam

Why do you need to check for mail every 2 minutes - seems excessive

Si_Clist

blueskinnedbeast said:

If you have sync turned on it picks new mail up almost instantly in my experience.

Sorry for the dumb question, but how do I know if I "have sync turned on"? 

DoaM

Settings | Accounts | [ Gmail Account ] | Account Sync

JJ_Egan

Should have a sync icon along side wifi bluetooth etc at the top of the phone screen .

Or add via pulldown =

DoaM

JJ_Egan said:

Should have a sync icon along side wifi bluetooth etc at the top of the phone screen .

Or add via pulldown =

No such icon on my phone (Moto G8 Plus).

[Deleted User]

Si_Clist said:

blueskinnedbeast said:

If you have sync turned on it picks new mail up almost instantly in my experience.

Sorry for the dumb question, but how do I know if I "have sync turned on"? 

Sync did have an icon in the status bar but that disappeared in one of the Google "improvements".
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.painless.pc
If you install this power toggle app(there are others available this is just the one I use) you can add the sync button to your phone home screen.
I like to turn sync on and off quickly and easily without going through the settings menu.
Hope that helps you @DoaM as well.

[Deleted User]

Socajam said:

Why do you need to check for mail every 2 minutes - seems excessive

Why not?
If you have two step authentication turned on for sites or accounts getting quick responses can be very important.
Maybe the OP uses Gmail for business and likes to give quick responses.
Maybe the OP has OCD.
Entirely up to them though 

giraffe69

It works on my phone(Samsung a70, Android 9 now 10).
Settings, Accounts and Back up, Accounts, Pick Google account and then sync account (has 12 choices of things to sync)