For many years now I have used gmail as a general purpose account for things like mailing lists (and forum output). I also have a Yahoo account which I use purely as a honeytrap for spam from companies. And I have a protonmail account for friends and family, replacing the mailbox that my ISP no longer provides.

But suddenly I find I cannot get into gmail. I log on and get taken to some blasted security screen where I am instructed to turn off "less secure access". Of course what they mean is that I should access gmail only through a smartphone with two-factor authentication. But I don't have a smartphone and I need to access gmail through my browser and they're not letting me. I've sent them a stinging "feedback" note but I doubt if it will have any effect.

Into the trash it will go.

I ditched Gmail for personal use years ago and use Kolab instead, which is a Swiss privacy-focused email service. I pay a fiver a month for it but it's worth it.

They will up their control of the internet further and what you're experiencing is only one example of it. I think I experienced your issue before and it was the final push I needed to get off the boat.

I could easily switch forum output to protonmail. That's my only mailing list now; I've discontinued the LFS ones. But I have a few friends and colleagues who find a gmail address more accessible. BTInternet for example treat emails from unusual addresses as spam and most people don't check their spam folder.

It's still find it useful to keep a Gmail account - since many websites require an email address for signup, I still give mine as a spam-catcher. Kolab is for personal use and I informed my friends/family when I moved over.

Well, there's your problem...

I have no problems with Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail, been using them for years.

Using Linux, (sometimes BSD), & Firefox, (occasionally Chromium) - I'm with Virgin.

My problem is that I play with a local Gospel Choir, our leader is with BT Internet and she's not going to change, so I have to use gmail to contact her. Otherwise I have no guarantee that my messages will reach her.

I just got in again via a DDG tab. Don't know how long that will last.

@fatmac. I had no problem either until today. I did get periodic warnings about "insecure access" but I ignored them and seemingly that put their backs up.

For the record, how do you access gmail? Do you just log in with your browser? Because seemingly that's what they don't like me doing.

I've a gmail account I use and I have both the 2FA options turned off in security and have no problems logging in to the account from my browser.

You can also set up 2FA to use a normal mobile phone and Google will send you a text message with the relevant 2FA code each time you log in.

hazel

I use gmail with you know what turned off.

try this...to see if you can get it.

go to ....not gmail
https://www.google.com

sign in...if you can
then go to
https://myaccount.google.com/security

and you can re-check you know what is turned off

https://imgur.com/qkdQY1j

What infuriates me is that they instruct me to turn off the "less secure access" but won't tell me what that is. I don't want to turn off my browser access simply because they have decided that it's less secure. On the other hand, they could be referring to the pop3 back door that I set up years ago using their own instructions. Not that I particularly want to turn that off either; I don't use it so much now as I did but it's still useful for permanently downloading selected emails.

You'll laugh! That is precisely the screen that I get trapped in and it won't let me go through to my mailbox.

can you share....some info?

is it currently off for both?

As you can see...I changed mine in Feb so I did have it on...then turned it off.
Maybe you only need a phone that can do txt/sms

once you are in....then turn it off

good luck

I think it was off for both. Right now I'm actually in my mailbox and I don't want to log out and log in again for obvious reasons. But if I get trapped there again, I'll write down the info you want and post it here.

or pm.

umm I am lazy and saved the login....but I have logged in using a different distro without a problem after Feb
IMHO you are safe to logout for more obvious reasons

I would get her phone number and text her, that way you can inform her when she needs to check her spam folder. "Sent you an email."

Several reasons this might not be an option, good luck.

Yes, basically, that's all I do, user name & password.

If you use a saved link/bookmark, try recreating a new link/bookmark.