Getting Started

Welcome! This page will get you set up so you can send and receive messages from the family groups. The whole thing takes about five minutes, and you do not need a Gmail address to participate.

Wait — do I need a Gmail address?

Nope. Google Groups runs on Google's system, but you can use it with the email address you already have — Yahoo, Outlook, AOL, iCloud, your work email, whatever. You just need a Google account, which is a free login that can be attached to any email address.

A "Google account" and a "Gmail address" are not the same thing. A Gmail address is an email that ends in @gmail.com. A Google account is just a login. You can have a Google account using grandma@yahoo.com — Google doesn't care.

Do I already have a Google account?

Maybe! If you've ever:

• Used an Android phone
• Watched YouTube while signed in
• Used Google Photos, Google Drive, or Google Calendar
• Signed in to anything with a "Sign in with Google" button

...then you probably already have one. Try signing in at accounts.google.com with your everyday email address. If it works, skip ahead to Join the Groups.

If you're not sure, no harm in trying — and if it says "couldn't find your Google Account," follow the steps below to create one.

Create a Google account using your existing email

This is the part that trips people up, because Google really, really wants you to make a new Gmail address. You don't have to. Here's how to use the email you already have.

1. Go to accounts.google.com/signup.

   If you land on a "Sign in" page instead, click Create account and pick For my personal use.

   
2. Enter your first and last name.
3. Enter your birthday and gender when prompted. Google requires this.
4. When it asks you to pick a Gmail address, click "Use your existing email" instead.

   On the "Create an email address" screen, ignore the suggested Gmail addresses and click the Use your existing email button at the bottom.

   

   Depending on which version of the form Google shows you, the wording can also be "Use my current email address instead" or a small link that just says "Use existing email."

5. Type the email address you actually use.

   Your Yahoo, Outlook, iCloud, AOL, work email — whichever address you'd like the family group emails to land in.

   
6. Create a password.

   Make it something you can remember. Write it down somewhere safe. This password is for your Google account — it does not change the password on your actual email.

7. Verify your email.

   Google will send a code to the email address you entered. Open your inbox, find the message from Google, and type the code into the sign-up form to prove the address is yours.

8. Finish the prompts.

   Google will ask for a phone number (optional in most cases), and walk you through a few "agree to the terms" screens. Click through and you're done.

That's it. You now have a Google account tied to your regular email address. You'll keep using your regular inbox like always — group emails will arrive there.

Common snags

• "I only see the option to make a new Gmail address." Google sometimes hides the "use existing email" link behind a different button, or shows it only after you click into the username box. Look closely under the username field for a small link. If you really can't find it, email techsupport@rudysmithfamily.com and we'll walk you through it.
• "It says my email is already associated with a Google account." Good news — that means you already have one. Go to accounts.google.com and sign in. If you don't remember the password, use the "Forgot password?" link.
• "I never got the verification code." Check your spam/junk folder. Codes usually arrive in under a minute.
• "Do I have to use this Google account for anything else?" No. You can ignore it forever after this. It's only used so Google Groups knows it's really you.

Join the groups

You can't sign yourself up — these groups are invite-only, and someone has to add you from the inside. If you can already see and post to the groups, you're all set.

If you're not in yet (or you're not sure), email Addie at techsupport@rudysmithfamily.com from the address you'd like to use, and mention which groups you belong in (or just say "all of them" — she can sort it out). She'll add you, and you'll get a welcome message in your inbox.

How do I actually use the groups?

Once you're added, using a group is exactly like sending a regular email:

• To send to everyone in a group, send an email to the group's address (for example, family@rudysmithfamily.com). Everyone in that group gets it in their inbox.
• To reply to the whole group, hit Reply All. To reply only to the person who sent it, hit Reply.
• To share photos, attach them to the email like normal, or upload them to the family Drive folder and email a link.
• If something goes wrong, email techsupport@rudysmithfamily.com. No question is too basic.