Outlook 2016 Cannot Authenticate to GMAIL

Question

All of a sudden Outlook 2016, installed from Office 2016, began asking for password. I verified that GMAIL via the browser could successfully login with the known password. Tried to create a new Outlook Profile but I could not even get through the Test Account process. So I changed the password in GMAIL and verified I could login while in the browser. Changed the password in the existing Outlook Profile but same result. Tried, again, to create a new Outlook Profile but it would not successfully Test Account with GMAIL. So I installed Thunderbird and configured similarly to Outlook. It was successful. I also did a repair of Office 2016 and a Repair in the Outlook Profile settings. Same result. What am I missing? Please advise. Thank you.

Additionally, using POP3 with ports 995, SMTP 587 and SSL. These settings have worked for years in Outlook 2016.

Answer 1

This is one of those cases where both Google and Microsoft need to investigate all the reports (together) - there are just too many cases like this to just be "isolated" - from where I'm sitting, they're the only ones who can definitively narrow this down

How to get there - is anyone's guess. The proverbial answer would be to get in touch with both Google and Microsoft Support (an answer which I'll be the first to admit would not go over well if I was on the receiving end of that answer). Unfortunately I no longer have any MS contacts in Support since retiring as an Outlook MVP a few years ago.

Answer 2

Hello MarkPhelps300

Hi, I'm Karl and will be happy to help you today.

What you need to do is enable 2 factor authentications on your Gmail account and then generate an <App Password> to be used as the password or the email account in Outlook. this the result of a new Google policy effective June 1, 2022

Recap of steps

#1 - enable 2 factor authentication for the GMail account

Turn on 2-Step Verification

https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1858...

#2 - generate a Google <App Password> for this account

Sign in with App Passwords

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/185833?h...

#3 - Change the password in Outlook to use the <App Password> you generated in step #2

Answer 3

Karl,

I thought of this after I posted it. I will proceed and thank you, kindly, for your response.

Answer 4

Karl,

Here is a screen print of the Outlook Account settings screen:

Answer 5

#1 - My I ask where you entered the password? I've gone thru this multiple times and just did copy 'n paste into Outlook which was a contiguous 16 character <App Password> without the spaces as you see on the Google site when you generate the <App Password>

#2 - To change the password for the account, from withn Outlook

a) press CTRL+ALT+S

b) select the <Group> (most people only have one)

c) press <Edit>

d) select the GMail Account

e) select <Edit Properties>

f) change the password (16 char - no spaces)