Outlook 2016 repeatedly asking for Password for gmail account

Anonymous
2022-10-03T04:14:03+00:00

Today, I've had to clean re-install Windows 10 and, therefore, also had to re-install Office 2016.

Everything is working fine except that I can't configure Outlook to retrieve emails from my gmail account and have been browsing/searching the subject for hours.

Have had the same problem a few times before and solved it by changing the following gmail settings:

(i) to accept "less secure apps" (which option, by the way, is no longer available),

(ii) turn off "2-step verification".

Those settings have not been changed since, but Outlook is repeatedly asking for a password and I can't set up the account. I get the same result if I let Outlook configure the account or if I do it manually using the settings from the gmail page or via the mail link in Control Panel.

Have also checked that Microsoft apps & services has been given access to gmail.

The only new thing I found was this: https://accounts.google.com/DisplayUnlockCaptcha and I confirmed.

Question: Is this a Microsoft problem or a gmail problem . . . each not trusting the other's security?

Anyway, whichever it is, I would be most grateful for suggestions.

Many thanks in advance.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For business

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Anonymous
2022-10-03T05:04:36+00:00

Hello JohnTCI

Hi, I'm Karl and will be happy to help you today.

What you need to do is enable 2 factor authentications on your Gmail account and then generate an <App Password> to be used as the password or the email account in Outlook. This is a Google change that took effect June 1, 2022

Recap of steps

#1 - enable 2 factor authentication for the GMail account

Turn on 2-Step Verification

https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1858...

#2 - generate a Google <App Password> for this account (do not turn off 2FA fter generating the <App Password>)

Sign in with App Passwords

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/185833?h...

#3 - Change the password in Outlook for the email account to use the <App Password> you generated in step #2 (suggest using copy ;n paste - the <App Password> is a contiguous 16 character string - no spaces)

*** for an account already configured in Outlook, to change the email account password

#4 - press CTRL+ALT+S to bring up the Send / Receive dialog

#5 - Select the <Group> (most people only have one) --> click on ,<Edit>

#6 - Select the GMail account --> click on <Account Properties>

#7 - paste the <App Password> for the email account password

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  1. Karl Timmermans 3,685 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-10-08T00:17:30+00:00

    Don't know if you're following my thread that you moved to OneDrive a few days ago,

    Reply is in that thread. In case anyone else is following this, that thread is

    OneDrive questions/issue - Microsoft Community

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-10-07T22:42:25+00:00

    Hi Karl,

    Don't know if you're following my thread that you moved to OneDrive a few days ago, but now that we've cracked the Outlook password issue (except in Edge) I've been able to look into the OneDrive issue again and have just posted.

    Am seriously thinking of upgrading to 365 and switching from Google Drive to One Drive, except for gmails.

    The post has a specific question re Outlook .ost files and I would be grateful your opinion on that and any other questions that you may be able to address.

    Many thanks,

    John

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  3. Karl Timmermans 3,685 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-10-07T20:17:48+00:00
    1. Does making\creating a new profile using the <Control Panel> <Mail> create a new .pst file or does it use the existing .pst file?

    Creating a new profile, in and of itself, does not create any data files. All that magic happens when you configure an email account. In the case of a POP account, it would look like this when configuring the account using the Control Panel Mail app

    1. I looked at my Gmail Account settings, specifically looking at the <security> settings to see what was there and that raised a few more questions. Note in the image (yes I learnt that too) that even though I used the wizard to get the IMAP mail account setup (which works, subject to images), it didn't seem to switch on 2FA despite that being a major forced change to Gmail access, I'm puzzled?

    Image

    Not quite clear about what you are asking / referring to in terms of "I used the wizard to get the IMAP mail account setup (which works, subject to images), it didn't seem to switch on 2FA"

    You need to turn on 2FA manually and follow the steps before adding anything to Outlook (any version) as a POP account (that said Outlook '2019 doesn't need 2FA / App PAssword for an IMAP account

    1. If I switch on 2FA on Gmail settings which I would have to do to create an <App Password>, I am now wondering if that will break the existing, albeit not quite right due to images, IMAP settings I have or worse impact what happens on my Android (phone) mail client? If I lost that phone access I would be truly scuppered at the moment. I realise this is a GMAIL area, but I have not found their help areas very good,. I may be taking you beyond what you feel comfortable to answer?
    1. My current IMAP settings see below are according to Gmail basic, this was created by the wizard in June.

    I have not found if this 'basic' access maybe what is preventing images? (probably not).

    As mentioned, you will need to generate an <App Password> if you are going to connect the account to any other <email client> as a POP account. Know of no reason why using 2FA impacts anything to do with images

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-10-07T16:21:44+00:00

    Hi Karl,

    I have tried (slowly) today to look through each part of what you have presented in preparation to attempt a switch back to using POP from IMAP.

    You measure twice comment is sound advice, and like you even doing that myself I have made mistakes that are as you suggest frustrating and annoying so you point about 'Asking' before ploughing on is soundly made. Having gone through your notes as best I can I have the following questions please?

    1. Does making\creating a new profile using the <Control Panel> <Mail> create a new .pst file or does it use the existing .pst file?
    2. I looked at my Gmail Account settings, specifically looking at the <security> settings to see what was there and that raised a few more questions. Note in the image (yes I learnt that too) that even though I used the wizard to get the IMAP mail account setup (which works, subject to images), it didn't seem to switch on 2FA despite that being a major forced change to Gmail access, I'm puzzled?

    Image

    1. If I switch on 2FA on Gmail settings which I would have to do to create an <App Password>, I am now wondering if that will break the existing, albeit not quite right due to images, IMAP settings I have or worse impact what happens on my Android (phone) mail client? If I lost that phone access I would be truly scuppered at the moment. I realise this is a GMAIL area, but I have not found their help areas very good,. I may be taking you beyond what you feel comfortable to answer?
    2. My current IMAP settings see below are according to Gmail basic, this was created by the wizard in June. I have not found if this 'basic' access maybe what is preventing images? (probably not).

    Image

    Kindest regards

    Phil

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