gmail authentication failed

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Level 7

22,432 points

gmail authentication failed

Running 10.15.7 on a 2017 iMac.

In Mac Mail, after years of no issues, Gmail suddenly went offline last week and whether I tried to bring online from System Prefs or Mail, it failed with "Authentication Failed" message,

Removed account and tried to add back, but same failed message.

Tried various suggestions from both this community (Apple Support docs, rehashing setup steps and trying Safe Boot); and Google community (including Allow Less Secure Apps.). Also, Google support doc, https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7126229?visit_id=637499884488172264-4215791377&hl=en&rd=1No luck.

Changed password and still no luck.

Still able to access gmail via browser

If anyone has run into this and has a solution, I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thanks,

Russ

Posted on Feb 28, 2021 5:40 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 2, 2021 1:17 PM in response to Russ H

Hello Russ H.

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We understand that you’re unable to receive Gmail in the Mail app on your Mac. We’re happy to help.

Do you use 2-Step Verification with your Gmail account? Here’s more on Google’s 2-Step Verification: Protect your account with 2-Step Verification - Computer - Google Account Help

Let’s try the steps here: Use Connection Doctor in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

We also recommend the steps here: If you can’t receive emails in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

Let us know if you have further questions.

Take care.

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Answer 2

SnickZ.

Community Specialist

Mar 3, 2021 10:23 AM in response to Russ H

Hi Russ H.

We appreciate you trying the troubleshooting that we’ve provided. Do you use your Gmail account as your Apple ID? If so, it may have a different password than your Gmail account. We recall you mentioning that you changed the password previously. Was the password changed the Gmail account or your Apple ID if Gmail is used for your Apple ID?

Here’s some helpful information in the section titled “Set up Gmail with Apple Mail” here: Set up Gmail with a third-party email client - Google Workspace Admin Help

Let us know if you have further questions.

Take care.

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Answer 3

green500

Community Specialist

Mar 10, 2021 8:40 AM in response to Russ H

Hello Russ H.

Since other email accounts work as expected in the Mail app, we recommend that you contact Google for further assistance with your Gmail account. You can contact them here: Google Help

Let us know if you have further questions.

Take care.

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Answer 4

Russ H Author

Level 7

22,432 points

Mar 2, 2021 4:38 PM in response to barberlives123

Thanks for the reply, Barberlive.

Sorry that my initial post omitted the fact that my dot Mac account is working fine. Also when I added my Microsoft account, no problem. Only the Google account is failing.

No, I do not have 2 step authentication activated for gmail.

Russ

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Answer 5

Russ H Author

Level 7

22,432 points

Mar 6, 2021 7:25 AM in response to SnickZ.

Thank you for responding,

Yes, I am aware of the Google support doc that you linked to. It lists the steps required to add a new account to a third party client like Mail. FWIW, as a test I tried adding an account with a brand new email address, and it worked as expected. For obvious reasons that's not a a work-around I want to do.

If you have additional suggestions, I'd appreciate them.

In the meantime I'm using my web browser to access gmail.

Thanks again,

Russ

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Answer 6

Russ H Author

Level 7

22,432 points

Mar 12, 2021 6:32 AM in response to green500

Hi Green500,

Thank you for responding.

I had previously searched for possible solutions available through the help link you provided – both support docs and community discussions – without success.

As you may know, you can't really contact human beings at Google for Gmail issues.

Since others have had nearly identical unresolved cases to mine where it stopped authenticating out of the blue and have also not found a fix that worked, I'm going to drop any further attempts to re-enable the account in Mail.

Thanks for trying to help.

Russ

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gmail authentication failed

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