How To Turn Off Less Secure Apps In Gmail

Allow less secure apps in Gmail

Allow Less Secure Apps to Access Your Gmail Account

Last updated on February 28th, 2021 | 33 replies

Google may block sign-in attempts from some apps or devices that do not use modern security standards. Since these apps and devices are easier to break into, blocking them helps keep your account safe.

Allowing Less Secure Apps

If you have to allow an application to access your Google account, you can disable this security block.

Sign in to Gmail
Click here to access Less Secure App Access in My Account.
Next to "Allow less secure apps: OFF," select the toggle switch to turn ON.
Visit the Display Unlock Captcha page and click Continue to remove the security block.

The Allow less secure apps setting may not be available for:

Accounts with 2-Step Verification (2FA) enabled. If 2FA is already enabled on your account, you should create an application-specific password and use this password for your application. If you still can't access your account with an app password, visit the Display Unlock Captcha page and click Continue to remove the security block.
Google Workspace (formally G Suite) users: This setting may not be available if your Google Workspace administrator has locked less secure app account access. Please read the Google Workspace section below or contact your Google Workspace administrator for help.

I still can't log in..

If you still can't log into your account through your application after changing the "Allow less secure apps" setting, consider enabling 2-Step Verification and creating an application-specific password.

If you cannot access your account using an app password, your application may not meet Google's new security standards. For example, older versions of Outlook may no longer work with Google's authentication system. Consider upgrading your application to the latest version and try logging in again.

Google Workspace (formally G Suite) Admins

Google Workspace Admins: Enabling less secure apps to access Google Workspace accounts

Sign in to your Google Admin console (Sign in using an administrator account)
Click Security > Less secure apps.
Select Allow users to manage their access to less secure apps.
Click Save.
Once you've set Allow usersto manage their access to less secure apps to on, affected Google Workspace users within the selected group or Organizational Unit will be able to toggle access for less secure apps on or off themselves. It may take a minute or so for the setting to take affect.
Now log in as the Google Workspace user and visit https://myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps to toggle Less Secure Apps access.

Google Workspace Admins: Important Security Changes Coming

Starting in June 2020, Google will limit the ability for less secure apps (LSAs) to access Google Workspace account data. This is most likely to impact users of legacy email, calendar, and contacts apps.

LSAs are non-Google apps that can access your Google account with only a username and password. They make your account more vulnerable to hijacking attempts. Instead of LSAs, you can use apps that support OAuth—a modern and secure access method.

Access to LSAs will be turned off in two stages:

After June 15, 2020 – Users who try to connect to an LSA for the first time will no longer be able to do so. This includes third-party apps that allow password-only access to Google calendars, contacts, and email via protocols such as CalDAV, CardDAV, IMAP, and Exchange ActiveSync (Google Sync). Users who have connected to LSAs prior to this date will be able to continue using them until usage of all LSAs is turned off.
After February 15, 2021 – Access to LSAs will be turned off for all Google Workspace accounts.

For more information, please read Google's blog article: Turning off less secure app access to Google Workspace accounts

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