Q: Apple Mail refuses to accept my password for Gmail account

Yes! It is a google issue, they are so rapacious in their gobbling up of whatever of yours they can. I'm changing my Apple ID

I did this and it fixed the problem -- deleted my gmail account from my IPad nd then added it back. 

This was after days of frustration and changing my password a zillion times trying to get it to work!!!  Grrrrrrr.

Thanks Selena. I seemed to have the same problem as you, two years later! Inserting the 16 digit code into the password solved the problem, I did not need to delete the 2 step verification process. Wish Gmail had put this in their instructions in the firts place.

Thanks! This has frustrated me and wasted hours of my time for months! Shutting off the 2 step verification finally did it.

Where exactly did you put the 16 Digit code? Did you use it instead of your password? Thanks

yay!!

This worked for me, though I had to restart mail and re-enter the password.

The current way to access it is: Go to Gmail on web. Click on your ID circle (upper right hand corner) and click MyAccount .You should see Sign-in and Security on the left, and, below that, Connected Apps&Sites. Click there and you can choose to turn on "access to less secure apps."