Mail can't sign in to gmail account

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Level 2

177 points

Mail can't sign in to gmail account

Today I got a message telling me I needed to enter my password for my gmail account in Mail. No reason given, and I hadn't done anything unusual to deserve it. So I go into Internet Accounts and enter my known good password, but get the message that either the account or password is incorrect (why it can't tell me which never ceases to mystify me!). In the meantime, I can neither receive nor send emails.

My gmail service is POP, and is of the form 'recent:myname@gmail.com'. This allows emails to actually download to both my iMac and iPad, to be dealt with separately (I use the iMac, and my wife uses the iPad). This has worked well for many years. I do not want to switch to IMAP, since this will lead to confusion over who is dealing with which email, and items will either never get deleted or one person will prematurely delete an email intended for the other.

I can get into my email via Google's email server OK. I have also followed Google's steps to reset my password and got a 'Success' message. Still can't get Mail to connect to gmail.

Reading earlier posts, it looks likely that Google's recent security change is at the bottom of this. It's also looking possible that 2-factor authentication might be necessary, but I don't see how this would work. And I keep seeing 'Sign in with Google' suggestions, which I can't see how they would work with Mail.

So I am a little lost on how to proceed. Can anyone suggest a way forward that allows me to get to my gmail, and

Doesn't require password entry every time I start up the Mail app (iMac or iPad)
Allows me to continue using the POP protocol
Doesn't get me involved in incessant 2-factor authentication activities
Doesn't delete all the saved emails I have accumulated over the years (still stored on my computer via Mail).

Thanks for any suggestions.

Paul.

iMac 24″, 12.4

Posted on Jun 7, 2022 2:17 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

DEFCON 3

Level 2

158 points

Jun 7, 2022 7:31 PM in response to Paul Fryer

Paul Fryer wrote:

So I am a little lost on how to proceed. Can anyone suggest a way forward that allows me to get to my gmail, and

Doesn't require password entry every time I start up the Mail app (iMac or iPad)

• Allows me to continue using the POP protocol

• Doesn't get me involved in incessant 2-factor authentication activities

• Doesn't delete all the saved emails I have accumulated over the years (still stored on my computer via Mail).

I encountered the identical problem today, inexplicably losing POP Mac Mail access to Gmail on all of my mobile devices as well as my MacBook.

I was able to restore access by establishing 2-factor authentication (not required when using known devices) and then generating so-called “app passwords” as described in this support document:

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/185833

Use the 16-letter code(s) produced through this process in the password fields of your Mac Mail POP and SMTP server settings.

No mail should be lost in the process.

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Answer 2

Jun 7, 2022 5:59 PM in response to Paul Fryer

Paul Fryer wrote:

• Today I got a message telling me I needed to enter my password for my gmail account in Mail.

see if there is anythingg here

Apple Mail won't accept my gmail password - Apple Community

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Answer 3

4_Horses

Level 1

8 points

Jun 7, 2022 5:36 PM in response to Paul Fryer

This started for me around 11am PDT. I use GMail POP. I have been trying everything all day and nothing works. The last time this happened I disabled 2-step verification and that solved it. This time though I did not have 2-step verification enabled.

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Answer 4

cscott36

Level 1

13 points

Jun 8, 2022 12:53 PM in response to DEFCON 3

These solutions don't work for me. From another posting in another thread:

googles recent change: "from May 30, 2022, Google no longer supports the use of third-party apps or devices which ask you to sign in to your Google Account using only your username and password."

I have tried the following to fix the issue with no success.

- Multiple captcha resets

- Deleted and re added the mail box (this work briefly once, but no longer helps)

- Enabled 2-Step-Verification, this did not work and also caused gmail to be unable to send via my alias email address from gmail on any device. (returned a mail delivery error email)

- Note, as a test adding the mail account using the default set up via google account in apple mail does work, but I can not send from my alias address.

So this sounds like Apple Mail and IMAP/POP may not be used anymore.

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Answer 5

Paul Fryer Author

Level 2

177 points

Jun 8, 2022 6:10 PM in response to DEFCON 3

Thanks for all that- really helpful.. I was able to do it OK, and my iMac is back in business.

The iPad is only part-way there. It can now get incoming emails OK, but can't send them. That may be because there doesn't seem to be anywhere in the iPad Settings for Mail to insert a password (i.e. app password) for outgoing mail. Do you know where such a password field might be, or is there some other way to get this outgoing side to work?

Paul.

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Answer 6

DEFCON 3

Level 2

158 points

Jun 8, 2022 6:36 PM in response to Paul Fryer

Paul Fryer wrote:

Do you know where such a password field might be, or is there some other way to get this outgoing side to work?

In your existing iPad Mail Gmail account (found under Settings —> Mail —> Accounts) you should be able to tap Outgoing Mail Server (presumably listed as SMTP), then Primary Server. This should allow you to edit the server settings, including the Password, which should of course be the Google-supplied “app password”.

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