How to Create and Use App Passwords in OE Classic and Why You May Need To

How to Create and Use App Passwords in OE Classic and Why You May Need To

PLEASE NOTE: THIS TUTORIAL IS OUTDATED. THE NEWEST VERSIONS OF OE CLASSIC SUPPORT GMAIL OAUTH2. We are leaving this tutorial online because it explains what App Passwords are. Some email providers, like Yahoo/ATT, require you to create App Passwords.  ___ Cloudeight 10/7/22.

A Cloudeight Tutorial

Before we get started we want to make sure that everyone with a Gmail account is aware that if for some reason you cannot check your Gmail account(s) in your email program, you can always access your Gmail online by going to https://www.gmail.com/ and logging in with your Gmail address (username) and your account password.

Because Google Gmail now requires a different way to set up email accounts in OE Classic and some other mail programs your Gmail may stop working. Don’t worry. We’re going to show you how to fix that. With the recent security changes that Google made to Gmail, rather than using your normal Google/Gmail password in OE Classic you will need to generate what’s known as an app password and use it in OE Classic instead of your normal Gmail password.

Before we get started with the tutorial, it’s important to note that once generated, the app password can only be used in OE Classic – it does not change your Google account (Gmail) password. Also, if you have more than one Gmail account you’ll need to generate an app password for each Gmail account that you have.

Our App Password Tutorial Begins Here

STEP 1. LOG IN TO YOUR GMAIL ACCOUNT

Log into your Gmail account at https://www.gmail,.com/ and click on your account initial or picture in the top-right corner. Then click on “Manage your Google account”.



STEP 2. TURN ON 2-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION & CREATE AN APP PASSWORD FOR OE CLASSIC

Once you open your account page you’ll be advised to turn on 2-Factor Authentication. You need to turn this on before you can create an app password.  Once you’ve turned on  2-Factor Authentication, Google will send you a special verification code and you’ll be asked if you want them to give you the code via a phone call or text message. If you have a cellphone, choose text message, if not, choose phone call. If you don’t have a phone number associated with your Google account, you’ll be asked to set one up.

Once you’ve set up 2-Factor Authentication,  go back to your Google Account home page.

On your Google Account home page, click on “Security” on the menu on the left side of the page.



Once you click on “Security” you’ll be asked to enter your Gmail password again.

STEP 3. CREATE AN APP PASSWORD FOR OE CLASSIC

When the Google Security page opens, scroll down the page until you see “Signing in to Google”.

Under “Signing in to Google” click on “App passwords”.



You’ll be asked the app (Mail) and device  (Windows Computer) you want to generate the app password for…




Under “Select app” choose “Mail”.



Under “Select device” choose “Windows Computer”.



Once you’ve selected “Mail” and “Windows Computer” click the blue “Generate” button to generate the app password.



Once you click Generate the app password will appear on a new page and it will look something like this:

4811 3974  9421 3882

Highlight the numbers and copy them as one group so that when you paste it later it will be one group of numbers instead of four. In other words, it will look like this:

4811397494213882

STEP 4. USING THE APP PASSWORD IN OE CLASSIC

Open OE Classic and click on “Tools” on the toolbar at the top, then click “Accounts”



In “Accounts” find the Gmail account you just created the app password for and click “Properties”…



On the account’s “Properties” page, click on the “Servers” tab at the top. In the password field highlight the password that’s already there (it will be all dots) and paste the app password, thus replacing your Gmail password with the app password you just created.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to click “Apply” > “OK” to save your changes.

You do not have to remember your app password – you will not use it anywhere else.



NOTE: If you have more than one Gmail account you’ll need to create an app password for each of them. In other words, you cannot use the same app password on multiple Gmail accounts, you’ll need to generate a unique app password for each Gmail account you have.

IMPORTANT! If you change your Google account/Gmail password, your generated app password will no longer work. You will need to create a new app password and use the new app password in OE Classic. So, if, at any time, you change your Gmail/Google Account password you’ll need to create a new app password. However, using 2-Factor Authentication means you won’t have to change your password as often since 2FA is far more secure than using a password alone.

And remember, creating an app password for OE Classic does not change your Gmail or Google account password. The app password does not affect your Gmail account on the web. You can still log into your Gmail account by going to https://gmail.com/ and entering your email address (username) and your normal Gmail password.  

If you need more help, please get in touch with the developer of OE Classic here or by clicking “Help” > “Contact” in the OE Classic mail program.