Google just turned off access to gmail from Mail.app?

I have received the exact same email today.

One of my Gmail addresses was misbehaving (I was deleting some messages, but they kept appearing in my inbox. I tried deleting them from Gmail server and they were deleted, but still they appeared in my inbox). So I deleted that account and tried to re-create it.

First, when I selected "Google" as the new email account, I got a message saying that this was not a secure connection due to either my network or proxy settings. I am not using any proxy and my network settings are just fine.

So I tried to create it as a simple email account. After completing the procedure, the problematic emails disappeared and I received this email about non-secure apps. I turned off the detection of less secure apps, and everything was fine.

Then I received another email from Google, telling me that I have changed my settings as far as secure apps were concerned, and now it was more easy for a hacker to break into my account. So I followed the link in that email and switched off the non-secure apps option. After that, my Apple Mail app could not access that Gmail account. I turned on again, the access to non-secure apps, and everything went back to normal !!!!!!

What is strange though, is that my other Gmail accounts do not seem to have any problems.

Google's mania for security is driving me up the wall !!!!!

If that's a phishing attempt as some people suggest, please explain this to me:

With the non-secure devices access turned off, from Google's site, when I check for email from that account, I get a triangle with an exclamation mark, next to the mailbox name in Apple's Mail.app, which when clicked, says:

Alert

There may be a problem with the mail server or network. Verify the settings for account “Gmail” or try again.

The server returned the error: Please log in via your web browser: https://support.google.com/mail/accounts/answer/78754 (Failure)

Emails are delivered to my inbox though, but the triangle stays there!

As soon as I switch on the access of non-secure apps (meaning insecure apps can access my account), the triangle disappears.

This is ridiculous!!!!

Here is an old article on the issue of non-secure apps and Gmail.

http://royalwise.com/why-gmail-*****-for-apple-users-part-1/

That is dated March 2015, so I guess Google updated their checking procedures to include either El Capitan Mail.app or iOS 10.3.2 Mail (that's the one used in my iPhone, which also checks that email account).

Talk to Google. The email is legitimate.

Google did NOT turn off access from Mail.app.

It may or may not be the case that someone else may have accessed your gmail account from some platform.

You may contact Google; also, for good measure it may be a good idea to change your password.

What version of Mac OS X are you using? You can find this in "About this Mac".

I am using Mac OS X 10.11.4 and Mail is happily checking 3 different Google email accounts.

The cause of the problem is most likely that you don't have Mail configured properly to access the Google mail account.

Or maybe that mail was NOT from google.

In any event, you are right to not push that button.

You can always review the list of allowed devices.

1. Go to Google.com
2. Ensure that you are logged in.
3. Click My Account
4. Click "Device activity and notifications"

Solution:

1. Go to https://www.google.com/settings/security/lesssecureapps
2. Select: Active
3. Restart Mail

No better way to make someone feel secure than provide a "click here" button. 😕

The actual link in your step one is https://www.google.com/settings/security/lesssecureapps