GMail security changes coming soon, affects access to POP and SMTP
I have been using Thunderbird for several years for my GMail accounts, and have always preferred to download my messages using the POP and SMTP protocols, rather than use the IMAP protocol which leaves them all on the web. Google now inform me that "To help keep your account secure, Google will no longer support the use of third-party apps or devices which ask you to sign in to your Google Account using only your username and password. Instead, you’ll need to sign in using Sign in with Google or other more secure technologies, like OAuth 2.0. What do you need to do? Email software, like Outlook 2016 or earlier, has less secure access to your Gmail. Switch to Office 365, Outlook 2019 or newer, or any other email software where you can sign in using Sign in with Google." These changes are due to take effect from May 30th. How can I prepare for them and still use the POP and SMTP protocols after that date? Is OAuth 2.0 appropriate?
Chosen solution
Tools/Account Settings, set the authentication method on the incoming and outgoing servers to OAuth2, then restart TB and enter the account password in the OAuth window to allow TB access.
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Chosen Solution
Tools/Account Settings, set the authentication method on the incoming and outgoing servers to OAuth2, then restart TB and enter the account password in the OAuth window to allow TB access.
THANK YOU very much! Simple solution to the problem. Many others will want this, I expect.
I went to Tools/Account Settings, but I couldn't find how to get to authentication method. Please explain.
illroute66 said
I went to Tools/Account Settings, but I couldn't find how to get to authentication method. Please explain.
Select Server Settings for the account in Account Settings, and also Outgoing Server (SMTP) at the bottom of the left pane of Account Settings.
Thanks. I have att, yahoo, hotmaill, and gmail in Thunderbird. If I change the Outgoing Server to dafault Google Mail and OAuth2, will that affect the other accounts?
I'm currently using outbound.att.net and normal password for the default. There is no setting for that server for OAth2 for that server. What settings and server should I use as default? I had a lot of trouble in the past finding the right SMTP server to use that would be the default that worked will all accounts.
You should have separate smtp servers for each account:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1350593
Since the providers have different authentication requirements, it's not recommended to have a single default smtp that works with them all (although it's possible, but not necessary, to have them all send through the gmail smtp). With AT&T, use normal password, but a secure mail key is required in TB in place of the account password. Yahoo and gmail use OAuth2 authentication and the regular account password, while Hotmail uses normal password and the regular account password, unless two-step verification is on the account, in which case an app password is required.
It looks to me that I am REQUIRED to pick ONE SMPT server as default. I can't see how to remove the default option. Can you explain how to do that?
Modified by illroute66
Make the Default smtp the one for the Default account, which is the one that's underlined in the left pane of Account Settings, usually at the top of the pane. That doesn't affect which smtp server is used by any account.
Looking at your picture, I suggest changing the Hotmail smtp to smtp.office365.com, 587, STARTTLS, and the incoming to outlook.office365.com on 993 (IMAP) or 995 (POP), SSL/TLS, to be consistent with current recommendations.
Thank you so very much, sir for all your help!!
I went through this OAuth2 set up once using latest Thunderbird and gmail and was able to retrieve my mail, but I keep getting emails saying I am allowing unsecured access to my google account, namely gmail and that it will end on May 30. What else can we do?