Google 2-step verification failing in 10.10.3 'Internet Accounts'

Same here - very frustrating. Having gone through several attempts to put in correct passwords via google 2 step verification, both my gmail addresses work ok now, but I still get messages to enter my password, first just for the address that I don't sign in with - but today again for both...!!

Let's hope that Apple address this soon - as it's putting me off using Mail altogether...

Last week, I thought I had sent an important email (job application!) which completely disappeared - not in drafts/sent or on main google server.

I understand that there is rivalry between Apple and Google - but it is very poor customer care to make life so difficult...

Now I'm finding that emails have no content...

Appear no problem on google server...

Same here.

After many 2-step verifications, I decided to delete the account and restart from scratch. It actually succeded in recognising the account, but as soon as the window closes, a new "unknown" error message from Google pops up.

So now I haven't got even my old emails on my mac.

BTW: within System Preferences, Google asks for the account password, not the application specific (one time) password.

Apple (or Google?), please, help!

@

Correction. The account was created, but after the "unknown error from Google" it was disabled in Sys Prefs. I moved to Mail, successfully authenticated with the App specific password and went back to Sys Prefs to check. Everything is working now!

@

You should not enter your Google password if you have 2 way verification on. You must create the 16 letter temporary passcode and enter it where it asks for your Google password. This is only needed for Apple or 3rd party apps. It is a one time process unless you disable 2 way verification. Then, you will have to repeat the procedure again. Apple makes it easy as you only have to enter the special one time password into the Google account under preferences and it should work for all of your Google apps that you check mark.

https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833?hl=en

The 16 character "application specific" passwords do not work. See image below.

I am using Google Authenticator app (not SMS) for my 2FA. This error occurs when trying to us an application specific 16 character password in Internet Accounts on os x 10.10.3. This is for a regular gmail account, not a Google Apps account. If I try to use my regular password and 2FA, I get the same error that others have reported.

I wrote before that you need to use the account password.

Although, delete the internet account first. Then rebuild it and it will work.

I don't use Google Authenticator to generate my 16 alpha pass codes. I go to my Google Account and click on 2- step verification about half way down the list of items. I assume you are authorized to sign in with your Chrome browser or receive an SMS to enter a 4 digit number. Once in accounts and 2-step verification, click on the app specific passwords and create a new one with a name like Mac Mini or whatever. Copy and paste the 16 alpha code into Google under your Internet Account settings in Preferences. I'm pretty sure a Gmail account would do the same thing from any browser but I used Chrome which has the same Google account.

I know this should work for Yosemite but when I updated from Mavericks, I didn't even need to create any new app specific codes. I can also disable and reauthorize my MacBook Pro and Android phone to require a 4 digit sms code. It is more difficult to reauthorize the phone as the SMS is disabled.

Maybe your question is about some other method that I haven't used that is also supposed to be valid but the above works for me and I have the latest version of Yosemite with the new Photos app. I just shared a couple of photos and didn't need to add any new pass codes as I guess it just passed it on to my gmail account.

The point of this 2 step support in 10.10.3 was in part to eliminate the need for application specific passwords. You shouldn't need them.

I need to enter the "app specific" password just once for Google under Accounts in the Preference settings and this was before the latest update to Yosemite. It then works for my Calendar, Mail, Contacts and Notes. I didn't check mark the Message box. It also works for iMovie and Photos for sharing and to publish to YouTube. Only one "app specific" password needs to be used for all of these Apple apps. If they eliminated the need for any "app specific" password I am not aware of that new feature. It would make things a little easier. I have a hard time believing you would have 2-step verification if you could simply enter your Google password under account settings as that would defeat 2-step verification without a 4 digit SMS code. If you had to enter an SMS code every time that would be a problem unless Google and Apple somehow gave you the option to make it persistent or not when setting up the account. I can see where someone might want to revoke access to a third party app but keep their 2-step verification on for their browser apps. Maybe Google "knows" to send an SMS message when you enter your password into Apple Account Preference but that would be a surprise.

+1, I have the same problem as the original author. The 10.10.3 global 2-step authentication does not work: Failure to authenticate with Google.

Does this maybe only affect German users?

No, I'm in Luxembourg and it doesn't work here either. Not with my normal password and 2-step verification and not with an app-specific password. I can receive, but not send e-mails from my gmail.com address in Apple Mail.

Hi ascanio,

You say above that you still got the "unknown error from Google" but were about to "fix" the problem using an app specific password in Mail.app. I don't actually need to delete and recreate the account to get it to function; I can also just use a 16-char app specific password entered into the Mail.app settings and it does work fine (thanks for reminding everyone of this! 🙂). There is still a bug because a user is supposed to be able to setup the account in Internet Accounts, within System Preferences, and just use regular 2FA without a 16-char app specific password.

The Mail.app/16-char app specific password trick is workaround (thanks again for reminding everyone!).

The real solution is for Apple/Google to fix their products.

Warm regards,

zzyyfff

Hi georosejr,

Google Authenticator implements the Time-based One-time Password Algorithm (TOTP) and has nothing to do with generating the 16-char app specific passwords. It's a different way of doing 2FA, it's used instead of codes received over SMS. I am actually using the Authy app instead of Google Authenticator, but it does the exact same thing, generating codes on the fly for any service that uses 2FA using the TOTP algorithm, obviating the need to reply on SMS. SMS is potentially less secure because of cleartext transmission over phone networks, harder to copy/paste from, and there is a delay is receiving the code. A code generating app like Authy or GA is more secure and easier for the user.

For anyone needing google account 16-char app specific passwords (this is not 2FA! only for apps that don't yet support 2FA!), go here:

https://security.google.com/settings/security/apppasswords

Warm regards,

zzyyfff

Same issue here, without 2-step authentication. And a similar problem occurs on iOS 8.3. Apple really f*cked up here.