Email - did google mess with IMAP email access. ?

jpaul · 1 Apr 2020 at 14:24

I use Thunderbird to access gmail account, for sending (smtp), and receiving (IMAP)

Yesterday I found I couldn't send email, saw cookies disabled message below right.

Per my long term setup, my Google account listed thunderbird as an insecure device accessing account,
I removed it, thinking it would just re-add, and everything would be fine, but, that didn't work.

Searching on web found this
Gmail on Thunderbird Enable Cookie Problem Solution
so I tried adding accounts.google.com as a cookie exception, at which point, on starting tbird, I now get a google login window, but,
after providing password, tbird fails to acccess(imap) the gmail mail, and I just get a spinning/waiting icon.

Has anyone else had this problem ? my other settings are shown

Django x2 · 2 Apr 2020 at 09:01

I didn't think IMAP and POP had been a thing on GMAIL for well over a year, probably two. You have to go into your GMAIL settings and ensure they are enabled (if you can still enable them)

jpaul · 2 Apr 2020 at 13:57

Looks like google planned a change 1April .... but say they are now stopping it

https://gsuiteupdates.googleblog.co...oauth-google-username-password-incorrect.html

Turning off less secure app access to G Suite accounts
December 16, 2019
Update
March 30, 2020: We have suspended the turn-off detailed here until further notice. We'll announce new timelines on the G Suite Updates blog at a later date. For more details, see this post.

I'll try setting up 2FA instead with google,
but since I live somewhere with unreliable mobile coverage, have to get some backup codes
https://www.guidingtech.com/use-google-2fa-without-phone/

I'll then try app passwords, to authorise thunderbird
https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords

I need to get a hardware authorization key ...ubikey/titan can they be had at reasonable price ?

jpaul · 2 Apr 2020 at 15:39

Google app passwords seem to have nailed it, after enabling 2FA.

jpaul said:
I need to get a hardware authorization key ...ubikey/titan can they be had at reasonable price ?

unwashed potato! · 4 Apr 2020 at 23:28

I use postbox so essentially thunderbird and have the same issue. Please can you explain what you did to sort it

jpaul · 5 Apr 2020 at 08:47

Apex said:
can you explain what you

the key was using googles app passwords for thunderbird . eg. https://wp.stolaf.edu/it/mozilla-thunderbird-with-google-2-step-verification/

BUT you have to enable two factor access/2FA on your account to be able to do that afaik,
which means if you want to log into google in a browser, you''ll need another authorisation code delivered via text, or,
but its more complex, via authenticator app.

I didn't really want to have to use 2FA (since I'm hygienic) but it is a necessary evil, to continue to use thunderbird,
but I don't log into my google account much, anyway, in a browser, only when trying to fix email problems, or acccess other disposable gmail accounts.