For security reasons, Google does not allow less secure apps to access your Gmail account by default. However, there can be situations where you might need to enable this feature to use certain functionalities or third-party applications. In this blog post, we are going to guide you on how you can enable less secure apps in your Gmail account.
What Do We Mean by ‘Less Secure Apps’?
Less secure apps refer to applications that don’t use OAuth 2.0 for authentication. Google considers these apps as less secure since they are easier for hackers to break into. Hence, by default, Google blocks these apps from accessing your Google Account.
How to Enable ‘Less Secure Apps’ in Gmail
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can enable less secure apps in Gmail.
Step 1: Go to ‘My Account’
Firstly, log in to your Gmail account and click on the profile picture located at the top right corner of the page. Then, click on the ‘Google Account’ button. This will direct you to your account settings page.
Step 2: Go to ‘Security’
On the account settings page, navigate to the ‘Security’ tab located on the left-hand side of the screen. Once you click on this tab, you will be directed to the security settings page.
Step 3: Enable ‘Less Secure Apps’
Scroll down the security settings page until you find the ‘Less secure app access’ section. Here, you will see the status of this feature. If it’s turned off, click on the ‘Turn on access’ option (not recommended).
Note: Only if you have two-step verification disabled, you will see the ‘Less secure app access’ option. If you don’t see this option, it means you have two-step verification enabled, and you need to create an App Password for each app you want to use.
Conclusion
Enabling less secure apps can potentially make your account more vulnerable. Therefore, it’s recommended to use this feature only when necessary. If you’re a developer building an application that needs to access Gmail, consider using OAuth 2.0 for authentication to avoid the need of having to enable less secure apps. Stay safe!
