Where does the apple email program store my gmail password?

[justdog]

My wife changed her gmail password. Then forgot it the next morning. She can not sign into gmail via her phone/web browser/Imac Apple email.

But for some reason, her gmail is working fine on our MacBook Apple email program.

This leads me to believe that the MacBook Email has the correct password somewhere.

Apple keychain DOES NOT have the correct password on any device. IE, if she tries to sign into Gmail via a web browser, keychain puts the wrong password in.

If I go into Apple email/Accounts, I see no place to see what password it using to successfully use her gmail account.

Also, her gmail recovery info including phone number is all out of date. Recovery via google aint gonna work.



Any thoughts.

 

[posguy99]

Any thoughts.

It doesn't have the password. It has an auth token.

 

[Fishrrman]

Could she do this:

1. Go to gmail (use the web page interface)
2. Enter her email address, then
3. The password box will be presented. At this point...
4. Choose "forgot password", then...
5. Use that routine to select a new password
??

And this time ... WRITE IT DOWN on paper for future reference.

 

[justdog]

Could she do this:

1. Go to gmail (use the web page interface)
2. Enter her email address, then
3. The password box will be presented. At this point...
4. Choose "forgot password", then...
5. Use that routine to select a new password
??

And this time ... WRITE IT DOWN on paper for future reference.

Tried that...Her first password recovery prompt is enter PIN from your recovery phone number. Her recovery phone number is her old work phone, we just retired. As far as we can tell, gmail doesn't give any other options.

 

[Fishrrman]

I can think of something else to try, it's up to you.

Go to System Preferences, Internet Accounts.

There should be an entry there for "google" (of which gmail is a part of, I believe).

Click on it and take note of the account name and email address (the password won't be shown).
WRITE THIS INFO DOWN and make sure it's correct.

Now, with the google account still selected, go to the bottom left and click the "-" sign to DELETE it.

Follow through any warnings and delete the account.

Now, REBOOT. Don't skip this step.

When you get back to the finder, go back to the Internet Accounts pane.

Click the "+" sign to create a NEW account.

Try giving it the same name and email address that you saved.

For the password, make it what you wish, because I think google is going to refuse to accept it.
That's ok.
See what options you get through Internet accounts to reset it.
Maybe it will offer you a way to do so, that you didn't get through the web-based sign-on.

Again, no promises that this will work.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote above:
"But for some reason, her gmail is working fine on our MacBook Apple email program."

OK, more thoughts.

Go to the MacBook.
It should be signed into the account that your wife uses.

Open Keychain Access (it's in the utilities folder).

On the upper left, click "login".

To the right of that (along the top), look for "passwords". Click that.

Now, look down at the list of passwords.

Do you see any for gmail? There may be more than one.

If there ARE more than one, try this on the first one you see. If it doesn't work, move on to the NEXT one.
KEEP HANDWRITTEN NOTES!

OK. RIGHT click on the first gmail password key you see. If right click doesn't bring up the contextual menu, try "control-clicking" instead.
Hold the mouse button down and look at your options.

There should be one named "get info". That's the one you want to pick.

A new window will open, take a moment to examine it.
Down towards the bottom there may be a checkbox that says, "show password".
PUT A CHECK INTO IT.
You may now get a dialog asking for the password of the owner of the keychain (your wife).
Enter HER account password. (may be different from the email password)
If it's right, you should now see the password for the gmail account.
WRITE THIS DOWN. REMEMBER IT'S CASE-SENSITIVE.

Let the MacBook be, just as it is, for the moment.
Go over to the other Mac and let your wife try to sign in using the password you just wrote down.
Does it work?

If it does, you've succeeded.
Just close Keychain Access on the MacBook, you're finished there.

If it DOES NOT WORK, but there are more password keys for gmail, then try "the next one" in the list, repeating what you did above.

Etc.

Best of luck.