Google does not allow older applications that use obsolete sign-in methods to access your Google accounts. Similarly, they do not allow any apps that are not tested to be secure by Google. For keeping your account secure, Google blocks access of such apps by default. If you use an old app in your mobile phone or an email client on your desktop computer, Google will simply refuse its connection and it will fail to access your Google account. If you check your GMail inbox, you will find alert messages telling you about “less secure apps” trying to access your account and how Google blocked their access.
However, if you really really want to access your Google account through such less secure apps, then Google allows an option to turn off this security measure for a while.
Here is how you can allows access to less secure apps to your Google account:
- In your desktop computer, login to your Google account in any modern web browser like Chrome.
- Visit https://myaccount.google.com/ in the web browser, then Security section and look for the Less secure app access section. Click on Turn on access (not recommended) under this section.
- On the next screen that shows up, you can enable the option Allow less secure apps.
- Now you will be able to access your Google account using less secure apps that use relatively less secure sign-in technology.
You should use this feature only for temporary use, e.g., when you are trying to access your emails using an old version of e-mail client from backup. But after the temporary access, you should turn this feature off as it leaves your Google account vulnerable. In fact, Google will automatically turn off this feature in your Google account after you have not used it for a while in order to keep your account secure.