Google enables “Gmail delegation” to allow others access to your account

Today, Google enabled “Email delegation” so that individual users can now permit access to another Gmail account, a feature that has been available for Google Apps accounts for awhile.

• Click the Settings link, and select the Accounts tab.
• Under ‘Grant access to your account,’ click the Add another account link.
• Enter the email address of the person you’d like to access your account and click Next Step.
• You’ll see a confirmation message. Click Send email to grant access if you’re sure.
• The delegate will receive a verification email explaining that you’ve granted access to them.
• After the delegate confirms this request, it may take up to 30 minutes for the verification process to be completed. To see if the delegate has confirmed access to your account, look at the Accounts tab in Settings

This is different than just “Send Mail As,” another similar feature that lets you seamlessly combine Gmail accounts. Once enabled and verified via e-mail, you will be able to toggle between the two accounts in the upper right hand menu bar. Each account opens in a different browser tab to view both accounts simultaneously while signed into your primary account. Signing out of either of the accounts will sign you out of all the accounts you’re currently viewing, and, of course, you can revoke access at any time.

Watch the video for the Apps demonstration here: