This article is for administrators. For actions users can take, go to Less secure apps & your Google Account.
Starting May 1, 2025, Google Workspace accounts no longer support less secure apps, third-party apps, or devices that ask you to sign in to your Google Account with your username and password. You must use OAuth to let these apps and devices access your account. Third-party email apps that are no longer supported include Microsoft Outlook and the mail app on iOS and macOS. For detailed instructions and information, visit Transition from less secure apps to OAuth. For the latest dates, visit Google Workspace Updates.
Apps that are less secure don't use modern security standards, such as OAuth, increasing the risk of accounts and devices being compromised.
Examples of apps that don’t support modern security standards include:
- Native mail, contacts, and calendar sync applications on older versions of iOS and Apple OS X
- Some computer mail clients, such as older versions of Microsoft Outlook
Examples of apps that support modern security standards include Gmail, Microsoft Outlook for Windows, Outlook from Microsoft 365 (desktop version), Microsoft Outlook for Mac, Instagram, PayPal, Amazon, Facebook, and Basecamp.
Transitioning to more secure app access to Google Accounts
Blocking sign-ins from less secure apps helps keep accounts safe. Therefore, Google is limiting password-based programmatic sign-ins to Google Accounts.
The less secure apps enforcement setting is no longer available in the Google Admin console.
Use alternatives to less secure apps
- Deploy new apps or update your existing apps to support OAuth 2.0 for authentication.
- If some users can’t migrate to a more secure platform, review the following table for alternatives.
| Less secure app | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Apple Mail configured with POP3 |
Re-add your Google Account to Apple Mail and configure it to use IMAP with OAuth. This automatically initiates the connection with OAuth. |
| iOS Mail |
Continue using iOS Mail if you have iOS 6.0 or later. OAuth support is automatically included in iOS 6.0 and later when you add an account using the Google option. |
|
Outlook for Windows through password-based POP or IMAP |
Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GWSMO). |
| Mozilla Thunderbird |
Re-add your Google Account to Thunderbird and configure it to use IMAP with OAuth. This action automatically initiates the connection with OAuth. |
|
Office devices |
To continue using office devices with SMTP, IMAP, and POP3 protocols, either configure them to use OAuth or create an app password for use with the device. |
| Any other app | Request that the app developer update the app to use OAuth 2.0. |
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