Gmail 2FA/MFA launches internal browser and fails after accepting
The internal browser doesn't complete the 2FA/MFA interaction. Say the browser version isn't supported anymore. Situation: I have many gmail accounts in thunderbird. one (a family-link controlled one, if that helps) had it's pw reset, and now TB is asking me to enter the PW via a browser window (internal TB) instead of accepting the pw I have in TB. All the other accounts (no pw resets on those) are fine. The internal browser window launchs, I put in the creds, 2FA/MFA contacts the phone, I accept on the phone, and then the browser comes back and says the browser version isn't supported. That's the problem. I can't interact with the browser either way.
2 possible solutions, as I see it: 1) Give us a choice to select the default system browser (FF for me) 2) Somehow update the browser so it looks (or is) compatible
All Replies (5)
Thanks for the answer Chris. I went through all the settings, but I have them all. The article starts out by saying if your on an old version. I attached a screenshot that I'm current. It still breaks. Again, I have multiple gmail accounts attached and this is the only one, having had a recent password change, that now launches a browser window to do 2FA/MFA. All the other accounts don't do this. The browser used is getting flagged as old. I allow cookies to all sites. Auth is set to Oauth (for all gmail accounts). I'm not sure why this one account is acting differently or why the browser isn't able to complete the transactions. I think the easiest solution is to launch an external browser and stop using the internal one. But I don't know how to change/affect that function. Is there a config editor setting to force a browser launch, overriding the internal? That would be nice.
Thanks for trying to help.
I think the easiest solution is to launch an external browser and stop using the internal one.
No, it's not. This is about Thunderbird, and not any other browser you may have installed.
I have multiple gmail accounts attached and this is the only one, having had a recent password change, that now launches a browser window to do 2FA/MFA.
Then you probably did turn on 2-step verification for the account. Check your Google security settings for that account on the Google web site (not Thunderbird).
I'm not denying that I have it on and turned it on by my own efforts. I "want" 2FA/MFA on. All the other accounts have it on with no problem. This account is a FamilyLink account. Any changes I make to it are going to be a PITA, even to test it, I could wind up having to reset everything.
The problem IS Thunderbird's internal browser, whatever that engine is behind the scenes (I suspect an older or stripped-down version of FF), and not giving the user the choice to bypass it for another browser that's known to work, is most definitely the problem. For the shear reason that there's no need to use an internal one if there are perfectly good external/default browser.
The problem IS Thunderbird's internal browser, whatever that engine is behind the scenes (I suspect an older or stripped-down version of FF)
It's the exact same browser as Firefox is using for the same version number.
... and not giving the user the choice to bypass it for another browser that's known to work, is most definitely the problem.
No, it's not. You're trying to authenticate Thunderbird, and not some other browser of your choice.
I don't know what the problem is with this particular account, or whether there's something broken for this account in your profile. As a test you can try to create a new profile using profile manager. Start Thunderbird with the new profile, and set up the troubled account in the new profile. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-multiple-profiles