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Can't send Gmail anymore

VincentBrick
VincentBrick
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Suddenly a few weeks ago I tried to send a message from my Gmail account using Thunderbird and it asked me for my password. I entered it, and it failed, and Google sent me something about an "unsafe app" trying to log into my account. In trying to troubleshoot, I changed the mail server from smtp.googlemail.com to the currently specified by Google smtp.gmail.com, and I thought I was able to send an email (this was several weeks ago) but now here again I cannot.

I keep going through the troubleshooting but nothing works, I even tried setting the account up again from scratch in Thunderbird. What else can I do?

Thanks.

Suddenly a few weeks ago I tried to send a message from my Gmail account using Thunderbird and it asked me for my password. I entered it, and it failed, and Google sent me something about an "unsafe app" trying to log into my account. In trying to troubleshoot, I changed the mail server from smtp.googlemail.com to the currently specified by Google smtp.gmail.com, and I thought I was able to send an email (this was several weeks ago) but now here again I cannot. I keep going through the troubleshooting but nothing works, I even tried setting the account up again from scratch in Thunderbird. What else can I do? Thanks.

Chosen solution

What are your settings? They should be imap.gmail.com on 993 (or pop.gmail.com on 995), SSL/TLS, OAuth2 authentication; smtp.gmail.com on 465, SSL/TLS (or 587 STARTTLS), OAuth2 authentication. Cookies must be allowed in TB Preferences/Privacy & Security. Remove the passwords from Saved Passwords in Privacy & Security, restart TB, enter the account password in the OAuth browser window when prompted.

If you do that and it doesn't work, an antivirus app or VPN could be the cause.

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All Replies (4)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

What are your settings? They should be imap.gmail.com on 993 (or pop.gmail.com on 995), SSL/TLS, OAuth2 authentication; smtp.gmail.com on 465, SSL/TLS (or 587 STARTTLS), OAuth2 authentication. Cookies must be allowed in TB Preferences/Privacy & Security. Remove the passwords from Saved Passwords in Privacy & Security, restart TB, enter the account password in the OAuth browser window when prompted.

If you do that and it doesn't work, an antivirus app or VPN could be the cause.

VincentBrick
VincentBrick Question owner
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The OAuth2 ended up being the issue.

Why did this happen? Did Google suddenly change the required authentication method without informing users? As part of my troubleshooting process i reconfigured the email from scratch, so why is Thunderbird's auto-configure not setting this to the correct setting if it is required to send emails?

And lastly, can you recommend a resource that explains, in layman's terms, how email works and what this stuff all means?

Thanks.

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor
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OAuth2 has been available for over a year, but I don't know if Google informed users; the vast majority of gmail users access accounts through a browser or mobile mail app.

TB should enter the correct settings automatically during account setup, at least it's supposed to in recent versions. What is your version?

There is a support article on Gmail, that serves as a starting point.

VincentBrick
VincentBrick Question owner
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I am version 78.6.1, as far as I am aware it updates automatically, so should be latest version.

I browsed that article, but may have to accept that stuff like email has to remain over my head for now. Hoping to find a simple explanation a non-techie can understand but that may not actually exist. Thanks anyway.