Linking Outlook to Gmail account
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Thread: Linking Outlook to Gmail account

  1. #1
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    Linking Outlook to Gmail account

    Bought Outlook for business reasons, and went to link it to my gmail address. At startup after installation entered gmail address and password and could not connect, merely get user/password dialog box repeating with no explanation. Got email from Google saying that something tried to access gmail that was deemed insecure and not known to be from me and that they blocked it. (They did not check with me before blocking it.)

    I went into gmail settings and found where that was indicated, several places, and checked "Yes, that was me." That did not solve the problem.

    Gmail says it may solve the problem to check "Allow less secure devices to access Google account," but warns that doing so may be unsafe. I have not done that, but a new client needs me to use Outlook.

    Any suggestions? I have no idea that I can call Google and get any help (ha, ha), and Outlook says the problem is Google.

  2. #2
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    You're right. Google doesn't support one on one help for the free version.

    Google is VERY proactive on questionable logins. They will act to block them first and then let the user sort out any issues later. Experience has forced them into this type of response and IMO, its the only choice they really have.

    If you can't figure out why (or where) they've blocked you, my vote is to forward all of your Gmail to your Outlook. I make heavy use of Gmail forwarding and it works fine. Sometimes you have to tweak the spam filter a bit (at either end) but that's fairly simple to do.

    Good luck!

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    Only have Outlook as a mail client, using it to access the only email account I have which is gmail. Only way I could finally find to go, in a section of the Google help forum, is to turn on the "Allow less secure apps to access gmail" because it seems Google rates Outlook as a "less secure app," which seems a little odd. It worked, and Outlook is now accessing gmail. Not happy about it, though.

  5. #5
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    Another link:

    https://www.howtogeek.com/174837/how...13-using-imap/

    If you use 2-factor authentication, you can eliminate the "Allow less secure apps to access GMail" issue.

    2016 link for Outlook 2 factor authentication:

    https://www.msoutlook.info/question/902

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    I assumed that you meant you had an additional email address and you were also trying to also use Outlook to retrieve Gmail. Sorry for the confusion!

    In the for-what-it's-worth / my opinion perspective, I would agree with Google that Outlook is not a "safe" program. It's current, supported and updated. But it's had tons and tons of issues over the years and will likely have more.

  7. #7
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    I read the first link, about setting imap, and understood it just fine. Gmail is, in fact, already set to use imap and Outlook is connected to gmail using imap.

    I read the second link about 2 factor authentication and understood not one single word of it. I do not know if it is done on gmail, outlook, or both, whether it is done once for installation or every time I want to check mail, and I have no idea what role the phone plays. I also found nothing in gmail settings about where to "turn on" 2 factor authentication, although I found several places informing me that it is not turned on.

    Now that Outlook is connected, will it be disconnected if I turn on 2 factor authentication at this point?

    Given a choice I would not use Outlook, but I have a new client that needs for me to use it.
    Last edited by Bill Heffner; March 30th, 2018 at 09:48 AM.

  8. #8
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    If you have Outlook working, I would leave it as-is. As long as you are not clicking on those links for the Russian women or the discount pharmaceuticals or responding to the Nigerian Finance Minister's requests for information, Outlook is no more insecure than using a web browser to access webmail.

    If I were going to use 2-factor authentication, I would not use the kind that sends text messages to your phone. That just links both accounts and sends information that Google does not need to Google, and makes you phone even more valuable to thieves and hackers.

  9. #9
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    As long as you are not clicking on those links for the Russian women or the discount pharmaceuticals or responding to the Nigerian Finance Minister's requests for information
    No, I don't do any of those.

    The more I kept reading about 2 factor authentication, the more certain I became that if I attempted anything I would simply render Outlook useless, and possibly wind up with my iPhone effectively bricked as well. Thanks.

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    someone yesterday told me that Hotmail is the new Outlook .. is that correct ??? Is Hotmail ( and AOL ) even feasible these days as email..?
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  11. #11
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    someone yesterday told me that Hotmail is the new Outlook .. is that correct ???
    No. MS just renamed Hotmail to Outlook Live, or something like that.

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  13. #13
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    Microsoft keeps things as complex as possible. Outlook is a mail client, which also serves as a calendar and some other things. People do scheduling on it, and send each other "invitations" to meetings. (Which is why my client needs me to use it, so I can send him invitations.) There is also "outlook live" which is a mail server, and you can connect Outlook to an outlook live mail account, but you don't have to; you can use a mail account on a different mail server.

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