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Thunderbird cannot verify email account, correct password is being used. Why did my gmail suddenly stop connecting?

  • 3 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by christ1

Maybaby75
Maybaby75
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For years I have used Thunderbird, several machines and installs. Never have I had a problem with my gmail accounts. Around Dec 20 I started getting "cannot connect to gmail.pop" error messages when connecting to one of my gmail accounts. Yesterday I noticed that both of my gmail accounts are now affected. I enabled both imap and pop on both gmail accounts, and still nothing changed. I wondered if maybe re-adding the accounts to Thunderbird might solve the problem, instead I have an new problem. I cannot add my gmail accounts back to Thunderbird. I went back to gmail and changed the password setting and still, I cannot add my gmail accounts back to Thunderbird. I get the error "cannot authenticate... are the username and password correct?" I know for sure that my passwords are correct. I've logged out of gmail and logged back in with no issues.

How do I get my gmail accounts to work through Thunderbird again?

For years I have used Thunderbird, several machines and installs. Never have I had a problem with my gmail accounts. Around Dec 20 I started getting "cannot connect to gmail.pop" error messages when connecting to one of my gmail accounts. Yesterday I noticed that both of my gmail accounts are now affected. I enabled both imap and pop on both gmail accounts, and still nothing changed. I wondered if maybe re-adding the accounts to Thunderbird might solve the problem, instead I have an new problem. I cannot add my gmail accounts back to Thunderbird. I went back to gmail and changed the password setting and still, I cannot add my gmail accounts back to Thunderbird. I get the error "cannot authenticate... are the username and password correct?" I know for sure that my passwords are correct. I've logged out of gmail and logged back in with no issues. How do I get my gmail accounts to work through Thunderbird again?

All Replies (3)

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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You may need to 'Allow less secure apps'. https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6009563

Maybaby75
Maybaby75 Question owner
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I had previously changed my accounts to allow less secure apps. I also turned off the 2-step verification through google on both accounts. These are changes I had previously and do not explain or resolve why after years of working my accounts suddenly stopped connecting and now I cannot add them back to my Tunderbird program.

Modified by Maybaby75

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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If you set up your Gmail IMAP account with OAuth2 authentication 'Allow less secure apps' isn't needed.

Also make sure to read the entire Google support article.