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I'm unable to link my Gmail account to Windows 8 Mail app when I have 2-step verification enabled on my Google account. The error message that's given is: "That email address or password didn't work." Disabling 2-step verification on my Google account fixes the problem. I guess this is really more of a bug report than a question, but I would love to hear if anybody else has a workaround that doesn't require me disabling the security on my Gmail account.

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5 Answers 5

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There is actually a simple way to get your GMail acount to work with Windows 8 Mail App even with 2-step verification enabled. You'll just have to use Application Specific password.

  1. Go to your Google Account settings. You must be logged in: https://www.google.com/settings/account
  2. Click on Security from the Accounts tab.
  3. In the Authorizing applications and site section click on Edit button
  4. Scroll down. At the bottom you'll see the section Application-specific passwords. Type a Name click on Generate Passwords.
  5. You'll be given a password. Use that password with Windows 8 Mail App.
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  • Ooh! I like this! Great solution!
    – aardvarkk
    Commented Oct 27, 2012 at 19:16
  • @aardvarkk it is the only one.
    – Prasanth
    Commented Oct 30, 2012 at 18:22
  • @xander This is true, but if you uncheck the contacts and and calendar data it will function.
    – Highstead
    Commented Jun 11, 2013 at 5:04
  • @xandercoded See my answer below for the new method.
    – cyberbit
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 17:18
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Another possibility is that it's failing because Google recently deactivated Exchange ActiveSync for free Gmail accounts. Try un-checking the option to include contact and calendar data, which makes the Mail app use IMAP instead of EAS.

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  • I appreciate you adding this. This is what worked for me. Once I unchecked the option you mentioned, it worked. Thanks.
    – Tyson Phalp
    Commented Mar 22, 2013 at 14:49
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You need to create an app password for the Mail app at gmail.com

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For those looking for a 2015 solution, this method worked for me.

  1. Use the process outlined by Rakib to generate an app-specific password.
  2. Remove your Google account from Windows Mail.
  3. Add an account under Settings > Accounts using Other account, NOT Google. You can't use the Google interface to login, you MUST be prompted for your email and password in a native Windows form.
  4. Enter your Google email and app password when prompted.
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It does work, you have to use a "Application-specific passwords" if you have one, otherwise you need to create one. You can learn more about that here.

Basically you are going to go to your security settings where you enabled 2-step authentication, and select edit, scroll down to the bottom and click the link that says "Manage application-specific passwords"

Scroll all the way to the bottom of that page and generate a new password, after giving it a name

That is the password you will use in Windows Mail.

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