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Gmail (POP) stopped working with Apple Mail?
- Thread starter ThomasJL
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Yes, I just checked the Gmail website a minute ago, and POP is enabled. However, Gmail is still not working with Apple Mail.
All of my previously received and sent e-mails are still in Apple Mail's Inbox and Sent box, respectively. Nothing is missing.
The problem is that, starting a few days ago and still continuing, I cannot receive nor send e-mails using Apple Mail with my Gmail account.
Might be running into this.
Please check and try the following:
- First and foremost, you want to rule out any connection issues
- Click on ‘Window’ at the top from Mail main menu and choose ‘Connection Doctor’
- If you see any issues with the connections, you can click on ‘Log Connection Activity’ and re-run the process.
- If the connections are all green, go to step 8.
- Next, click on ‘Open Logs’ and check if it is an authentication issue or another issue
- For stubborn issues, delete the email account from your Mail app and re-add it
- Run Connection doctor to check
- Open Keychain Access from Utilities folder or launchpad
- Type in ‘@‘ without the quotes in the search box on your right
- Select the account, right-click and Delete the password from your iCloud keychain
- Now, open up the Mail app
- Click on Mail > Preferences > Accounts
- Delete the email account
- Add the email account back with particulars
- Restart your MacBook and re-launch Mail
Have you tried replacing your existing password with an app password in Mail.app, and make sure that access for "less secure apps" is allowed?
Sign in with app passwords - Gmail Help
Important: App passwords aren’t recommended and are unnecessary in most cases. To help keep your account secure, use "Sign in with Google" to connect apps to your Google Account. An app password is a
support.google.com
Less secure apps & your Google Account - Google Account Help
Starting January 2025, less secure apps, third-party apps, or devices that have you sign in with only your username and password will no longer be supported for Google Workspace accounts. For exact
support.google.com
I have experienced exactly the same problem. I was on the phone to Apple and we tried a few things, but it didn't work. Mac Mail has gone haywire now. Gmail received emails on my iPhone without a hitch.
Every time I try to add a new SMTP setting to the list, it will not save it. Very frustrating.
Every time I try to add a new SMTP setting to the list, it will not save it. Very frustrating.
Ah, I see what you mean, no more POP... though it seems IMAP still works on Mac Mail, I just tested it... though for how much longer, no idea. I guess it might be time to look for alternative programs.
Less secure apps & your Google Account - Google Account Help
Starting January 2025, less secure apps, third-party apps, or devices that have you sign in with only your username and password will no longer be supported for Google Workspace accounts. For exact
support.google.com
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Go to your account at Google, go to "Security".
Check what you have here. This is my setup and I have no problem at all using my @gmail.com accounts with Mail.app.
The 2 app passwords are for Mail.app on my MacBook Pro, and Mail on my iPhone 8
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@Unsupported. Thanks, I've checked all these setting already, I don't even have 2-step-ver checked.
Gmail POP still will not connect
Gmail POP still will not connect
Don't know if this is even possible. I've had a look but can't find how to do this. It would be handy to be able to Label POP and IMAP emails differently, so we can differentiate between them.
This way, if we have to suddenly switch from POP to IMAP (like now), we would know which was which.
I have a lot of folders set up, with Rules set to auto-move emails into certain folders, so switching from POP to IMAP is gonna make things very confusing!
This way, if we have to suddenly switch from POP to IMAP (like now), we would know which was which.
I have a lot of folders set up, with Rules set to auto-move emails into certain folders, so switching from POP to IMAP is gonna make things very confusing!
You need to check that POP not IMAP is selected in Gmail when you log in with https://accounts.google.com/ in Settings.
Then go to Google apps clicking the icon to the right of the Settings icon in Gmail, choose "Accounts" and go to "Security". You should activate 2 step verification and get an app password to use in Mail.app.
In Mail.app preferences it should look something like this:
HTH
Then go to Google apps clicking the icon to the right of the Settings icon in Gmail, choose "Accounts" and go to "Security". You should activate 2 step verification and get an app password to use in Mail.app.
In Mail.app preferences it should look something like this:
HTH
Ironically, this is in fact the problem.
You need to enable two step verification. Then you need to create an app password, and use the app password to sign in inside your email client.
I wrote this for Apple Mail on old versions of OS X (as in, much older than Catalina), but the same process applies to any email client that does not use OAuth2: https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/441898/150839
Create App Passwords in Gmail for Specific Devices
Two-factor authentication for your Gmail account requires an application-specific password from Gmail for use as a replacement password in your favorite email program.
I had the same problem. I fixed it by using an App Password as Unsupported mentioned.
I had the same problem. Using App password fixed it for me.Create App Passwords in Gmail for Specific Devices
Two-factor authentication for your Gmail account requires an application-specific password from Gmail for use as a replacement password in your favorite email program.www.lifewire.com
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I have added my main Gmail account and it seems to Send and Receive email in Mac Mail. Thank you.
The only problem I now experience is that when trying to repeat the process for a 2nd Gmail account, the new SMTP profile I try to create, will not save in the list along with the other smtp settings.
I remember to add the unique (Google App) password that I have just made for its use with this app, like before, but to no avail. I am not accidentally entering the password for thr 1st Gmail account, or its standard pasword.
Mail > Preferences > Accounts
I have experienced this problem before with the SMTP list, including on previous versions of macOS and I don't know what causes it.
Please can you tell me if you happen to know of any other way to add a new SMTP record to the list?
I'm not sure I understand the problem.
I have 3 gmail accounts and they all show in the SMTP server list with the name I've given each of them in "Mail > Preferences > Accounts > Account Information". Have you given each gmail account a unique "Description" in that pane?
In "Mail > Preferences > Accounts > Server Settings" they all use smtp.gmail.com
See my previous screenshot:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/gmail-pop-stopped-working-with-apple-mail.2347620/post-31175180
HTH
Thanks, I understand this window and how to access it.
The problem is when I click on the "+" button to add a new SMTP profile, I enter the new smtp info, I click OK, but it doesn't save the new profile into the list. I have tried this over and over... is there some type of limit to the number of them?
If there is any other way to access the SMTP list I think I need this, as Mac Mail isn't playing ball.
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I have just tested my 2nd Gmail account [the one that wasn't working] and I was able to send an email using a setting that I had named IMAP.
... This is confusing because I was under the impression that POP and IMAP were for incoming only, and SMTP is for for sending only.
I cannot see any of my IMAP smtp profiles in the SMTP list, so I therefore assume that it is using a dormant IMAP account that corresponds to the same email address (I have a dormant IMAP account for each of my Gmails, but they set to inactive)
... This is confusing because I was under the impression that POP and IMAP were for incoming only, and SMTP is for for sending only.
I cannot see any of my IMAP smtp profiles in the SMTP list, so I therefore assume that it is using a dormant IMAP account that corresponds to the same email address (I have a dormant IMAP account for each of my Gmails, but they set to inactive)
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That spot where you see "IMAP" could be called anything. You could name it Fred and it wouldn't make any difference to the functionality of the SMTP server settings. It's just a description label for your own benefit.
Now I'm confused!
I thought you wanted to use POP with your gmail accounts, but you seem to have them all configured for IMAP 🤔
See the difference between POP and IMAP:
Post Office Protocol - Wikipedia
Internet Message Access Protocol - Wikipedia
You cannot mix the two.
An account is either POP or IMAP.
I'm puzzled as to why you need to edit the SMTP server list.
If you simply create a new POP account giving it a description (I use the name before the @gmail.com), as I explained above, you will see that the name in the server list is configured automatically. You shouldn't need to have to do anything else.
Apart from my 3 gmail accounts, which all share the same POP and SMTP servers, I also have have several other mail accounts on various hosts, including my own domain, and they are all visible in the server list.
The only IMAP account I have is iCloud, and it's true that although it is visible in the SMTP server list popup, it is not editable.
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