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Gmail blocking Thunderbird
My issue began when I changed my Gmail password. Now every time I try to connect to gmail, Google login prompt pops up. I keep clicking "allow", but to no avail. Google security notified me that an unauthorized device was trying to gain access to my gmail account and gives me no options. What am I to do?
All my settings seem to be in order both in Gmail and Thunderbird. What have I missed?
Note: two other Gmail accounts are working seamlessly.
Please help.
All Replies (16)
Did you update the password in Tools/Options/Security/Passwords/Saved Passwords, show passwords, right-click, Edit Password?
sfhowes said
Did you update the password in Tools/Options/Security/Passwords/Saved Passwords, show passwords, right-click, Edit Password?
Yes. Been there. Done that. I also deleted the account and tried to add it back. Same Google login prompt pops up every time. I "allow" and nothing happens.
There's a problem today with adding gmail accounts with OAuth authentication:
sfhowes said
There's a problem today with adding gmail accounts with OAuth authentication: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1271710
Thanks for the link. Misery loves company.
See https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1592407
and comment #22.
TB 68.2.1: https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/68.2.1/releasenotes/
Endret
Thank you sfhowe! I changed "autho2" to "normal password" and it works!
This happened to me yesterday. A password was changed on one account and now Thunderbird can't access that Google account and I get a "Authentication failure while connecting to server imap.gmail.com". I have uninstalled and reinstalled Thunderbird removed and re-added the account that isn't working and still nothing. The other account is working fine (and all settings seem to be the same). I have checked the Google account settings and made sure that Enable IMAP is checked. I have Thunderbird as a third party with permission to access that account in Google. I've tired changing from "autho2" to "normal password" and still nothing. All that seems to be happening is lots of security alerts from that Google account. If this doesn't work out I will have to revert to the Windows 10 Mail program which is terrible! Please help!
MissNess said
This happened to me yesterday. A password was changed on one account and now Thunderbird can't access that Google account and I get a "Authentication failure while connecting to server imap.gmail.com". I have uninstalled and reinstalled Thunderbird removed and re-added the account that isn't working and still nothing. The other account is working fine (and all settings seem to be the same). I have checked the Google account settings and made sure that Enable IMAP is checked. I have Thunderbird as a third party with permission to access that account in Google. I've tired changing from "autho2" to "normal password" and still nothing. All that seems to be happening is lots of security alerts from that Google account. If this doesn't work out I will have to revert to the Windows 10 Mail program which is terrible! Please help!
Make sure your TB is up-to-date 68.5.
Open Tools/Options(Mac:Preferences)/Security/Passwords/Saved Passwords, delete all gmail passwords and oauth tokens, set the authentication on the incoming and outgoing servers to OAuth2, restart TB, and enter the new password when prompted by the OAuth browser window.
Thanks I have checked and I have the 68.5 for 64 bit. I open tools/options and there is no "security/passwords/saved passwords" in TB. Am I looking in the right place?
Endret
From the 3-bar menu, Options/Options/Security/Passwords/Saved Passwords. The path is Tools/Options... from the Menu Bar (press Alt if it's hidden).
Thanks for your suggestions. I have done all this now and am now getting the error for both accounts :( AHH! This is doing my head it!
UPDATE! I have fixed it! If anyone else is experiencing this problem this is what I did....
1 re deleated all passwords saved in TB as explained above by sfhowes. 2 removed all email accounts in TB. 3 uninstalled TB. 4 went into each Google account and removed TB as a trusted third party with access to account. Made sure enable IMAP was checked. 5 reinstalled TB. 6 added each new Gmail account in TB as directed, entering password, allowing TB to access my Google accounts (not changing any of the other settings).
And this worked! It all worked. I think the whole connection just needed to be started from scratch. Thanks so much to sfhowes for their help. I had no idea that TB kept a list of passwords saved in the program. :)
I have been having same problem for weeks. I have used POP for years and have several email accounts from Google and from Yahoo that I POP to my Thunderbird app. I recently set up 2 new Gmail accounts but cannot send from them. I get pop-ups. I get the Google Sign-In page (and of course am already logged into Google via my PC/Win10), it says Google wants to Allow Thunderbird to access my Gmail account. BUT that is not all - If I click ALLOW that will let Thunderbird Read, Compose, Send and Permanently Delete all my Google email.
I don't understand exactly what that means. IF I click Allow - then I am able to use the account. (I did it out of frustration for another account that had been working fine until a few weeks ago when this new permission thing started popping up. I am using TB 68.5.0)
I don't want Thunderbird to Compose or Send messages on their own. And I would rather delete my Google messages when I want to, not automatically by Thunderbird.
Can anyone advise on this?
If you have a gmail account set up in TB, that means you want to read mail delivered to the account, compose messages that will be sent from the gmail address, and delete or move messages in the account. All of this is done entirely through your actions - just as with any account set up in TB. Any action that is done automatically is initiated either by gmail, or by yourself in the account settings.
I will take your word for that being true.
It would be better if the computer geeks writing that would have said something like "Allowing TB access to your GMail gives you the ability to read, compose and send email messages and delete messages from your GMail account." I felt shades of Alexa or Echo in the way they wrote it. Thanks for your help.
sfhowes said
MissNess saidThis happened to me yesterday. A password was changed on one account and now Thunderbird can't access that Google account and I get a "Authentication failure while connecting to server imap.gmail.com". I have uninstalled and reinstalled Thunderbird removed and re-added the account that isn't working and still nothing. The other account is working fine (and all settings seem to be the same). I have checked the Google account settings and made sure that Enable IMAP is checked. I have Thunderbird as a third party with permission to access that account in Google. I've tired changing from "autho2" to "normal password" and still nothing. All that seems to be happening is lots of security alerts from that Google account. If this doesn't work out I will have to revert to the Windows 10 Mail program which is terrible! Please help!Make sure your TB is up-to-date 68.5.
Open Tools/Options(Mac:Preferences)/Security/Passwords/Saved Passwords, delete all gmail passwords and oauth tokens, set the authentication on the incoming and outgoing servers to OAuth2, restart TB, and enter the new password when prompted by the OAuth browser window.
Thanks, with these information you have allowed me to solve most of problems.
Using 68.6 (not checked with 68.5)
I was no more able to connect TB to my gmail account since a long time and could not find a solution because of so many variable explanations (the automatic update of the local gmail imap account had been no more executed - nor manual update request - read messages, but there are more updates with an imap), no error message was sent, no password request (just a not readable text during 1/100s showing probably that thunderbird had sent a request) :
1- I have changed the Google account configuration for "Two step Auth" (I have chosen the "validate by phone" and I use for me the "unlock process of your phone - the finger print")
1- i have deleted all ancient passwords for the TB account (various contents : the account is more than ten years old). But care not to delete the sites "oauth:*@gmail.com (Google calendar Oauth Token)" which hab been generated recently for google calendar and remain valid.
2- I have launched manually the "read new messages" : this have generated
1- display of the Google Authenticator Panel which asks the main password 2- - request of an unlock of the phone (message "please unlock your phone") - request of an OK on the phone - request of an OK on the computer.
This step is to be done just once, later the new password generated for and done for TB is used (see verification step 4) .
3- Then the download of the last messages (locked since a so long time) of my gmail account began.
4- I verify the passwords situation : A new password have been generated for the site : "oauth://accounts.google.com(https://mail.google.com/)" username: <my username> lastchange: <currentdate> etc. optional others infos
So, now everything is OK.
The answer to a question for which I had not found an answer for so long : Q- How Google sets the third-part application (Thunderbird) as confident and registered ?
My answer is - 1- When you have set your "two step authentication" to yes and configure it, 2- you must clean the previous passwords in TB options -> passwords (select your gmail), 3- when you ask to run "update messages" then Google will process just once to the two steps authentication (well known auth google) on your PC. This generates a specific password inside the passwords manager of your application (TB).
Note : the passwords will be used and remain valid until you change your main Google password or the main authentification process. You will receive by mail an alert about this grant process for TB.
Best regards
Trebly __________________________________________________________________
Note : About calendars you can have may be to do the same for your calendars : it seems that may be if you have changed your Google account security process you must reset your passwords for calendars as described for gmail account. You can have to activate the update link by dbl click on the calendar title (side TB). For now, not all is well functioning (I have 12 calendars to verify with different parameters and history). I will be interested in the GanntView of the calendars which currently do not functions.
Endret