The concept of delegated account access in Gmail allows a primary account holder (Owner) to grant another user (Delegate) permissions to read, send, and manage emails without providing them full access to the account or its associated credentials (e.g., password).

Roles:

• Owner: The primary Gmail account holder who wants to delegate certain functions of their email account.
• Delegate: The individual granted permission to access and manage specific parts of the owner’s Gmail account.

Features and Limitations:

• Access without Password: Delegates do not need the owner’s password to access the delegated email. They access it through their own Gmail accounts.
• Email Management: Delegates can read, send, reply to, and manage emails. If the delegate sends an email, the recipient will see that it was sent by the delegate on behalf of the owner.
• Limited Settings Access: Delegates can’t change account-specific settings, password details, or chat with anyone on the owner’s contacts.
• Multiple Delegates: An owner can delegate access to up to 25 users. Conversely, a Gmail user can be a delegate for a maximum of 10 accounts.

How to Set Up Delegation in Gmail:

1. Owner’s Steps:
   1. Open Gmail and click on the gear icon (Settings).
   2. Go to ‘See all settings.’
   3. Click on the ‘Accounts and Import’ tab.
   4. In the ‘Grant access to your account’ section, click on ‘Add another account.’
   5. Enter the delegate’s email address and follow the prompts.
   6. A confirmation email will be sent to the delegate.
2. Delegate’s Steps:
   1. The delegate needs to confirm the request from their own Gmail account.
   2. Once confirmed, when the delegate logs into their Gmail account, they can select the owner’s email from the account dropdown (located on the top-right) to access the delegated account.

Important Considerations:

• Revoking Access: The owner can revoke delegation at any time by going back to the ‘Accounts and Import’ settings.
• Responsibility: Delegates must act responsibly and ethically. Accessing someone else’s email requires trust, and any actions taken within that account reflect on the owner.