editing internet account passwords on OS X

Like most people I have several different email and internet accounts set up on my laptop OSX El Capitan. When I go to System Preferences/Internet Accounts , there is no way to change the password for my [for example] gmail account. I have spent a couple of hours trying to find the capacity built into the os to do this, but I can't. I've searched apple help files, online, stackexchange... noone seems to know how to do this simply and directly. Every answer is a workaround- like, delete the account then re-add it with the new password. Or, try to force it by editing the smtp server settings. No answer directs one to the place in the os where this incredibly simple and urgent task can be accomplished.

Does anyone know the answer here? Apple, did you leave this function out? What the heck?

Best, Ed Keller

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2), G5 tower, G4, SGI o2, etc

Posted on Sep 18, 2016 9:00 AM

17 replies

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Sep 18, 2016 10:20 AM in response to edkeller

edkeller wrote:

Hi Drew. FWIW, I've been using macs continuously since the early 80s, starting with a 512k mac. As well as working on and doing admin on SGI Irix, windows, etc. since the late 80s. So, I have a reasonably good grip on systems, and a pretty deep committment to Apple. And, on top of this, no offense intended, your tone is inappropriate as a reply- since I'm being polite.

What I want is very simple. Like nearly everyone, I use range of outside services- like gmail- which have their own accounts and logins.
OSX provides me a way to set up access to those outside systems within the OSX system preferences.

In all these years you haven't had this 'feature', what suddenly changed to make you need it now? Passwords have always been stored in the keychain & OS X has always used it to create, update and delete them (it goes back to Mac OS 9 & 8 if I recall correctly).

You may be amazed to hear it but I don't have any control over what Apple do with their OS, so you will need to tell Apple if you want anything to change…

https://feedback.apple.com/

This is a user forum, so I come here to help users please go see an Apple store & me know if there is a new way to edit the passwords via System Preferences, I'm all up for learning new ways to do things.

Old Toad

Level 10

215,718 points

Sep 18, 2016 11:02 AM in response to edkeller

Try deleting your Gmail account from Mail's Accounts preference pane and then add it back with the new password. That's always worked for me.

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editing internet account passwords on OS X