Can't add Gmail to Mail.app, iOS

I'm replying for everyone who still couldn't fix this problem, this is how easily I did it. I'm connected from Italy (both wi-fi and LTE connections have Italian IP addresses) but I set United States as Region on the iPhone. So I went to Settings on the iPhone, General, Language & Region and set it to Italy. Then I tried to add the Gmail account at it just worked as it should have. Apparently in my case it had to do with the iPhone region and probably the Gmail account and/or the network regions which didn't match.

So in short: make sure your iPhone Region matches the Country you are connected from.

P.s. After I added my Gmail account I was able to set back the iPhone Region to USA.

Hey all - Google has the solution, you have to add it as if it were an exchange address, the server is m.google.com. Check it out:

https://lifehacker.com/5859854/how-to-set-up-gmail-google-calendar-and-google-co ntacts-on-ios

I recently had a similar issue while trying to add a gmail account. After a long discussion and troubleshooting session with a senior advisor at Apple Support, it was discovered that my phone had cached a certificate that was no longer valid and was simply being rejected by Google. "Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings" cleared the cache and resolved the issue. Note: this will also clear out your remembered WiFi passwords, so make sure you know them before trying this.

Here's the solution. Go to your GMAIL account on a computer and allow it to accept "less secure apps" as they now consider Apple to be (??). Here is the link. https://myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps

I spent two hours on the phone with Apple and Verizon before I figured this out (they were very nice but did not have the answer). I am now back to getting Gmail after the software upgrade on my iPhone.

This is a general reply to the topic, not specifically to jmbarry...

The problem lies on the Google side; they have put hurdles in place to encourage people to use their email clients. They say they are more secure, and that mail apps like the native iPhone email is less secure. So, when the iPhone email app tries to connect, Google's Gmail blocks the connection.

Search for "Let less secure apps access your account" (Let less secure apps access your account - Google Account Help) and you can see that you need to change one or more settings in your Gmail account to allow what they say are less secure apps to access your Gmail account. Once you do that, you should be able to connect via the iPhone's email app.

I was still having problems, though, in a couple of cases, after I restored from a back-up. When I selected "Google" when trying to add a new email account on the iPhone or, when trying to re-enter my Gmail password (when trying to re-connect my existing accounts), I got a screen that quickly flashed and then failed back to the original. I found that I had to delete my old Gmail accounts and create new ones, but using the "Other" account option on the iPhone email app. To do that, use these IMAP / SMTP settings (Use IMAP to check Gmail on other email clients - Gmail Help).

Turn off Wifi. Some WiFi Firewalls block adding emails. Worked for me flawless. (After I reset, uploaded backups and still came across the problem). As soon as I turned off the WiFi, I was able to create my accounts and all emails were restored correctly with no error messages. Hope this helps for all.

I see you have a VPN active - it's possible that's interfering. Can you remove that and see if you can set up the account?

I'm assuming you've tried while on a few different wifi networks as well?

~Lyssa

Hello, I tried another way and it worked : try logging in from Calendar or Memo, not from Email. so go to setting - Calendar and add your gmail account from there. It logged me in with no problem, after trying to log in from Email for possibly 100 times....

I had this issue too. But I happen to be an admin on my GSuite account I was connecting to (commercial version of Gmail) The issue was that I had a warning in my admin account that a user (myself ) had exceeded the quota allowed for Gmail using IMAP (How Apple mail connects to Gmail) That is why I could use the Gmail app from Google because it uses a Google proprietary connection that has no volume limits. But Apple uses an Open connection called IMAP. If you are trying through a paid Gmail account, ask to remove the limit from your own admin. Otherwise according to the message I got, you have to wait 5 days for Google to allocate your account more bandwidth. Its not an Apple problem but a Google limit on how it manages bandwidth to Apple mail users using the IMAP protocol. Frankly this is a Google issue that is meant to drive people to their products.

I hope that helps.

I was finally able to fix it. Since I had changed my gmail password I went to settings on my phone, then accounts & passwords/apps & website passwords. Found the gmail one and changed the password to my new one. It was keeping my old one. Fixed it. Maybe try this to make sure your passwords match. Good luck!

I had the same issue. I would add my gmail account, put in my password click next and it just goes back to the set choose which email service to choose screen

It drove me crazy.

MY SOLUTION on my iphone 6 plus running ios 12

was to clear the cashe by holding down the power button till the power off appears, release the button then hold the home button down till the home screen comes up. After that, I was able to add my gmail account the normal way

It's due to Google's less secure app feature being turned on. You will get an email from Google saying it blocked a sign in. Click the check activity button and click yes this was me button. There will be a link that will take you to where you can turn off the less secure app feature and then you can add your Gmail accounts in the iPhone mail app. Hope this helps! 🙂

I couldn't add gmail or icloud email addresses to the mail app, on a replacement ipad on IoS10. Each time I added the password it just returned to the first screen without setting up the account. As suggested previously, I did a reset, and I found that the icloud address had now been added - ??? I was then only able to add my gmail account through calendar. Thanks for everyone's help.