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Mojave 10.14.4 fails to Authenticate Gmail account

Just update to Mojave 10.14.4 and now Apple Mail will NOT connect to one of my Gmail accounts.


This issue is UNIQUE to Apple Mail as I can access the Gmail account using Spark on the same computer without issues.


This issue is UNIQUE to Mojave 10.14.4 as it did not exist with 10.14.3 and it does not exist on another computer running an earlier version of Mac OS X.


The issue puts me in an endless loop. I get a notification "Google requires completing authentication in Safari." This takes me to a Sign in dialog where I enter email account and password. Password is correct and accepted, after which I'm back in the loop again asking to enter Google Password.


If I login to my Google account in Safari I can see the recent events that I signed in without any problems on this Mac, but Apple Mail does NOT connect and I am back in the endless loop.


Oddly I can add events to the Google Calendar for the account so apparently something is amiss strictly with Apple Mail.


Suggestions?

iMac 27" 5K, macOS 10.14

Posted on Mar 26, 2019 8:18 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 23, 2019 7:05 PM

Thanks to mulberrywriter for the answer .

Most easiest way without downloading and deleting accounts.


  1. Go to your gmail account in browser.
  2. There is a little gear in your gmail under all emails (I did this way so explain step by step from my side)
  3. Choose Settings under that gear
  4. Choose Account and Imports
  5. Choose Other Google Account settings
  6. Choose Review your privacy settings.
  7. Choose device information. If it is Turned off - you need t click on it and turn it ON. If it is ON, You can turn it off and again turn it on.
  8. Do not logout. Go to Mail and Click on Lighting icon near your account.
  9. Click everything it will ask.
  10. In browser you will see an option to "Allow". Click it and DONE. It will finish authentication smoothly.


Process takes 2 minutes. All calendar info and emails will stay with no issues. I hope it will works fine after as well.

868 replies

Mar 27, 2019 8:34 AM in response to Ken Graham

Same problem here.

For all may gmail accounts, I was asked to re-authenticate after updating from 10.14.3 to 10.14.4.

Some of accounts worked just fine after the re-authentication. Some does not work, with problems on Mail and Calendar.

When trying to re-authenticate with the troubled accounts the process is interrupted in the middle (after the password step).

Rebooting mac does not solve the issue.

Mar 27, 2019 8:46 AM in response to Ken Graham

Following. Same issue. It appears to be an issue with a couple of things although I have not nailed down what just yet.


1.) Google's Less Secure apps setting. I had one Google account authenticate after the latest update but went and turned of Less Secure apps at Google and lost connection to macOS. So, I re-enabled Less Secure apps and now I get the continuous loop and cannot login.


2.) Multi-factor authentication may play something here too but I need to verify.

Mar 27, 2019 8:51 AM in response to Ken Graham

I tried it many times. It works with one account consistently on G Suit. Another google account does not work any more, which is a very old G Suit account.


It does not work with 10.14.4.

It works with Spark on the same Computer.

It does not work on an other 10.14.4.


I made it work again on a pretty clean 10.14.3 which was not updated.


What I could see is that they changed the integration of Safari and the PreferencePane. In 10.14.3 it is a dropdown attached to the prefpane. In 10.14.4 it is a floating window of Safari in private mode. So they broke it!!


Please Apple fix that!

Mar 27, 2019 9:04 AM in response to observer_144

Both of my gmail accounts are pretty old. The GSuite one doesn't work even after changing the password. The regular Gmail one is, knock on wood, still functioning.


At least in changing the password I got the prompt to "allow" Google to do certain things, but it still doesn't work after that.


I don't think there's any difference between the lightning bold and the "Login Failed" link. Both fail here.

Mar 27, 2019 9:55 AM in response to stuuke

I tried the following workaround. It only fixes e-mail access, it is ugly, but it is working (for me at least). I

deleted my google account from the accounts list and added it back as generic IMAP account with imap.gmail.com and smtp.gmail.com as incoming and outgoing servers, respectively. No problems with authentication and my gmail account is functional gain.

Mar 27, 2019 10:17 AM in response to AP1399

I'm another user whose personal Google email works on 10.4.4 Mail but whose GSuite email does not. The new wrinkle that I have is that at the same time my macOS GSuite mail stopped working, so did my iPad Mail app access - on 12.1.4; I had not upgraded to 12.2. On the other hand my iOS Mail app access is still working, but I use that Mail app more often than on the iPad. So maybe it's not entirely an Apple issue...

Mar 27, 2019 10:20 AM in response to Carsten0815

This morning I tried to access my g suite account via the mail app in macOS and it prompted me to re-authenticate. I did so and it just keeps asking me to do the same thing over and over again. I have 2 g suite accounts and the second account is working fine after the re-authentication. This account now stopped working on my iPhone, but I can access it through the web and it's not blocked. In the accounts section in macOS it "Enter the password for the account “(null)”. Google requires completing authentication in Safari.". When I click on Open Safari, it walks me through authenticating, and when I go back into accounts it says the same thing.


On the iPhone, it's saying to re-enter my password and I do via the google website (iOS takes me there when I click on the re-enter password button) and after entering it, it just takes me back to the same screen. It's like gmail isn't passing the token (or some data) to the device.


I tried to removing the account completely on my Mac and re-adding it, same thing. I tried to disabling access to macOS via the security settings on my account and then re-adding, same thing. I also tried to turning on 2-factor authentication...same thing, and then I turned 2-factor off and got the same thing.


I did setup the account using IMAP on my Mac for now and it's working fine, but no access to calendar or contacts.


I'm on macOS 10.14.4 and iOS 12.2.

Mar 27, 2019 11:43 AM in response to Ken Graham

Mine is also doing the Null error message. I also updated my phone to 12.2 and am having a similar problem. The phone won't even add the account.


I have a grandfatheres Google Apps account and this is what is giving me the error. In fact I tried a different account from my personal Apps/Guite account and it also fails on Desktop and iOS. My work GSuite account I can delete and re-add no problem.


It's like Safari on both isn't passing the email address piece along to the Internet Accounts and setting up an account without any email address info.

Mojave 10.14.4 fails to Authenticate Gmail account

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