How to set up Gmail on Apple Mail??

[subaiku]

Hey guys, ever since a week ago since I reinstalled my Macbook with Sierra I've been having problems seting up my email accounts again in Apple Mail. This time it's Gmail! I've tried everything i can find from Google, tried setup selecting Google account but I keep getting an Authorization Error.

Other things that I've tried that didn't work:

- Manually setting up as IMAP account
- Changing default browser to Chrome
- Using Google app password
- Restarting the Macbook and Apple Mail.
- Enabling 'Less secure apps' in my Google account (but this doesn't exist when in my Google profile account?)

https://www.***************/cannot-add-authenticate-gmail-google-account/

- Restart in safe mode

Am at wits end.. 😫

 

[AlixSPQR]

Sierra is old and unsupported, maybe that's why*. Can you access Gmail via Chrome? However, Chrome is also unsupported on that OS (High Sierra or above is supported). So you can try Chromium-legacy if Chrome doesn't work.

*If it's about root certificates, then the solution is to update them, see links below.

How do I update my root certificates on an older version of Mac OS (e.g. El Capitan)?

I have difficulty reaching various secure web sites. They give me a certificate expired error. They work on Firefox but not Safari or Chrome. They also work on newer versions of macOS (e.g. Catalin...

apple.stackexchange.com

(If you trust curl and want the certificates downloaded): https://curl.se/docs/caextract.html

 

[subaiku]

Sierra is old and unsupported, maybe that's why*. Can you access Gmail via Chrome? However, Chrome is also unsupported on that OS (High Sierra or above is supported). So you can try Chromium-legacy if Chrome doesn't work.

*If it's about root certificates, then the solution is to update them, see links below.

How do I update my root certificates on an older version of Mac OS (e.g. El Capitan)?

I have difficulty reaching various secure web sites. They give me a certificate expired error. They work on Firefox but not Safari or Chrome. They also work on newer versions of macOS (e.g. Catalin...

apple.stackexchange.com

(If you trust curl and want the certificates downloaded): https://curl.se/docs/caextract.html

I can access Gmail via chrome, no problem. It's only in Apple Mail that I have a problem with. Stange thing is that I was on OSX10.10 previously and there were no problems at all with my email accounts.

Re: root certificates. I took a look at the links, but unfortunately I don't quite understand what to do with them.. I;m not that technical.. 😅

 

[AlixSPQR]

I can access Gmail via chrome, no problem. It's only in Apple Mail that I have a problem with. Stange thing is that I was on OSX10.10 previously and there were no problems at all with my email accounts.

Re: root certificates. I took a look at the links, but unfortunately I don't quite understand what to do with them.. I;m not that technical.. 😅

I'm afraid that if you don't understand the process of updating the root certificates, then you'll have to settle for Gmail via Chrome. Failing root certificates is the only explanation I can find, despite of you having no problems with Yosemite.

Maybe you can find a working desktop app for Gmail in App Store or on GitHub (or a similar site).

Build software better, together

GitHub is where people build software. More than 100 million people use GitHub to discover, fork, and contribute to over 420 million projects.

github.com

 

[headlessmike]

Google updated their services to on work with modern login methods in May 2022. Basically it means that you cannot log in to Gmail using only a password anymore. They've withdrawn the ability to allow 'Less secure apps' after that date as well. Root certificates are not gonna help. Only updating your OS or using the web browser will.

 

[monokakata]

I have two gmail accounts that I haven't bothered to set up in Apple Mail. I simply have gmail forward mail to one of my other email accounts that I do have set up on Apple Mail. It works perfectly although only for incoming -- in the sense that if I want to reply using the gmail account, I have to go to gmail via browser. But if it doesn't matter from which email account the reply is sent, I just do it from Mac Mail.

 

[satcomer]

I did in in modern Mac OS with no problem! If I remember right in High /sSeria in was in Sytyn Preferences pane to set it up in Internet Accounts if I remember right!

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:
What Mac do you have?
What year was it made?
Can it run an OS "later than" Sierra?

Looks like headlessmike provided the answer in reply 5 above.
Sierra may just be "too old" for Mail to work with Gmail.

 

[headlessmike]

Turns out I was not entirely correct. The old way of logging in does not work anymore for older OS's. However, I was able to set up Gmail over IMAP in Mail on OS X Leopard using the "App Password". This requires have two-factor authentication enabled, but with that done it worked for me. The interim method of allowing less secure apps has been fully discontinued though.

 

[subaiku]

Turns out I was not entirely correct. The old way of logging in does not work anymore for older OS's. However, I was able to set up Gmail over IMAP in Mail on OS X Leopard using the "App Password". This requires have two-factor authentication enabled, but with that done it worked for me. The interim method of allowing less secure apps has been fully discontinued though.

Hey thanks for your replies, I was starting to think your previous answer was correct as I was searching through Google high and low. I had previously tried the "App Password" route but wasn't successful. 2 step verification is on and I set it up as IMAP as well. May I ask what did you use for outgoing and incoming mail server and ports?

 

[subaiku]

OP:
What Mac do you have?
What year was it made?
Can it run an OS "later than" Sierra?

Looks like headlessmike provided the answer in reply 5 above.
Sierra may just be "too old" for Mail to work with Gmail.

I'm on a Macbook Pro mid2012, I can run a later OS but don't wish to for various reasons regarding to software I use for work. (Plus I'm a bit of an old skool guy )

 

[headlessmike]

Hey thanks for your replies, I was starting to think your previous answer was correct as I was searching through Google high and low. I had previously tried the "App Password" route but wasn't successful. 2 step verification is on and I set it up as IMAP as well. May I ask what did you use for outgoing and incoming mail server and ports?

I just used imap.gmail.com for incoming and smtp.gmail.com for outgoing mail and haven't touched the ports, so they're on their default values.

One thing I thought of is that when you receive the App Password it's presented as a series of characters and several spaces. The spaces are not part of the password which should only contain the characters show. On my first attempt I assumed that the spaces were necessary, which resulted in an authentication error. So, maybe that's what you're doing to?

 

[subaiku]

I just used imap.gmail.com for incoming and smtp.gmail.com for outgoing mail and haven't touched the ports, so they're on their default values.

One thing I thought of is that when you receive the App Password it's presented as a series of characters and several spaces. The spaces are not part of the password which should only contain the characters show. On my first attempt I assumed that the spaces were necessary, which resulted in an authentication error. So, maybe that's what you're doing to?

Ok, I've been trying the App Password, with no spaces too. Still no luck. Is this the panel where you key in the password? (I've also tried putting in the username as well, will also get the same error. Do you remember what the original port number is?)

 

[subaiku]

Ok, just an update to this issue of mine. I finally managed to get gmail working in my apple mail. I followed the instruction by Animaster here:

Auth 2.0 Error 400 on Mail account - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

Also, not sure if it has anything to do with it but I had also installed the ISRG Root X1 certificate beforehand, it's at the end of the thread..

How do I update my root certificates on an older version of Mac OS (e.g. El Capitan)?

I have difficulty reaching various secure web sites. They give me a certificate expired error. They work on Firefox but not Safari or Chrome. They also work on newer versions of macOS (e.g. Catalin...

apple.stackexchange.com

Weird thing is that in my Apple Mail there is more mail than when I check in the browser, 5255 vs 2183.

 

[wegster]

Ok, just an update to this issue of mine. I finally managed to get gmail working in my apple mail. I followed the instruction by Animaster here:

Auth 2.0 Error 400 on Mail account - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

Also, not sure if it has anything to do with it but I had also installed the ISRG Root X1 certificate beforehand, it's at the end of the thread..

How do I update my root certificates on an older version of Mac OS (e.g. El Capitan)?

I have difficulty reaching various secure web sites. They give me a certificate expired error. They work on Firefox but not Safari or Chrome. They also work on newer versions of macOS (e.g. Catalin...

apple.stackexchange.com

Weird thing is that in my Apple Mail there is more mail than when I check in the browser, 5255 vs 2183.

Am betting some of the 'extra' mails are either duplicates across your various attempts, or they are filtered into folders on the server side and you aren't syncing the IMAP directory structure to your Mac. Worth checking both anyways..