Windows 8 Mail app doesn't work with Gmail when 2-step verification is enabled

Question

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.

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

You need to create an app password for the Mail app at gmail.com

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

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.