"Access" can be either a transitive verb or a noun depending on context, and "to" can be either a preposition or a particle indicating an infinitive, and your friend is mixing up the uses.
"Access" as noun:
I need access.
I cannot get access.
"Access" as verb:
I cannot access Gmail.
"To" as preposition:
I need access to Gmail.
I cannot get access to Gmail.
"To" indicating an infinitive:
I need to access Gmail to send this report.
I need Gmail access to send this report.
I need to access Gmail for sending this report.
