Google Announcement - 30 May 2022
I received an email circular from Google recently which said that on 30 May I might lose access to apps that are "using less secure sign-in technology". Specifically, it said that "Google will no longer support the use of third-party apps or devices which ask you to sign in to your Google Account using only your username and password". I dare say many other Thunderbird users received the same email.
I have been using Thunderbird to collect my email from a Gmail pop server for several years, and I would like to go on doing that, so of course I am concerned about this. I am sure that I am not the only Thunderbird customer who uses Gmail in this way, so I have created this account to ask the experts what they know about this upcoming change and any for advice they can give us.
Will we be able to go on accessing Gmail pop accounts with Thunderbird after 30 May?
Will we need to change our settings in any way?
Valgt løsning
Set up to allow cookies. This is required.
- Menu app icon > Preferences > Privacy & Security
- Select 'Accept cookies from sites'
Now set up account Authentication Method to use OAuth2 for incoming and outgoing server settings.
- Right click on gmail account name in Folder Pane and select 'Settings'
- Bottom right - Outgoing Server SMTP - click on 'Edit SMTP_Server..' button
- Authentication Method: select 'OAuth2'
- click on 'OK'
- Select: 'Server Settings'
- Authentication Method: select 'OAuth2'
Exit Thunderbird and allow a few moments for background processes. Start Thunderbird.
Gmail will pop up a browser looking form asking you to authenticate and to allow Thunderbird access. Enter information as prompted. The password you enter is the normal one.
This will then generate an oauth token which gets stored in the same place as all passwords. From then onwards Thunderbird will use that OAuth2 token to access server. You do not need to remember that token, it is purely used by Thunderbird.
Gmail/Google accepts this as a secure sign-in technology.
Les dette svaret i sammenhengen 👍 1All Replies (3)
Valgt løsning
Set up to allow cookies. This is required.
- Menu app icon > Preferences > Privacy & Security
- Select 'Accept cookies from sites'
Now set up account Authentication Method to use OAuth2 for incoming and outgoing server settings.
- Right click on gmail account name in Folder Pane and select 'Settings'
- Bottom right - Outgoing Server SMTP - click on 'Edit SMTP_Server..' button
- Authentication Method: select 'OAuth2'
- click on 'OK'
- Select: 'Server Settings'
- Authentication Method: select 'OAuth2'
Exit Thunderbird and allow a few moments for background processes. Start Thunderbird.
Gmail will pop up a browser looking form asking you to authenticate and to allow Thunderbird access. Enter information as prompted. The password you enter is the normal one.
This will then generate an oauth token which gets stored in the same place as all passwords. From then onwards Thunderbird will use that OAuth2 token to access server. You do not need to remember that token, it is purely used by Thunderbird.
Gmail/Google accepts this as a secure sign-in technology.
I believe there is a bug report which is working on this to allow those settings. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1757713
So, whilst those settings in previous comment may not work today, there is work going on to fix.
I suggest you try out the settings. You can always revert back to 'Normal Password'.
I would appreciate the feedback.
Endret av Toad-Hall
Thanks for this Toad-Hall. I'm sorry I have only just responded. I have not been too well lately and so I can be pretty slow getting around to doing things.
Thanks also for the pointer to the bug-report. It is good to know the technicians are working on this issue.
I have made those changes and all seems OK so far. I suppose we shall have to wait until 30 May to be sure?