User profile for user: unkleE
unkleE Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

How do I fix "Unable to verify account name or password." error on my Mac Mail?

I have this problem which I have found many people have had, but I haven't seen a solution on this Forum or elsewhere.


I use Mac Mail on a Mac Mini running Sequoia 15.3.2. We have several email accounts, including two on Gmail, which we access via Mac Mail (for convenience). One Gmail runs IMAP and works fine. But the other Gmail account, which we only recently set up, runs POP3. (It is a joint account, and if we run IMAP, when one of us trashes an email, the other doesn't see it. POP3 prevents this.)


So this Gmail account is set up to run POP3, but when I enter all the details into Mac Mail, it says "Unable to verify account name or password." It gives me no reason for this inability so I have no clue what could be wrong. I suspect, because of the prevalence of this problem on this forum and elsewhere, it isn't something I have done but some feature of Mac Mail.


Can anyone shed any definitive light on this please? Is there a workaround, or do I have to move to a third party mail client?


Thanks.



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Mac mini, macOS 15.3

Posted on Apr 13, 2025 3:22 AM

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User profile for user: unkleE
unkleE Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Apr 23, 2025 1:36 AM in response to unkleE

Hi anyone looking at this. To recap:


  1. I am trying to access a new Gmail POP account using Mac Mail. I have set up the account on Mac Mail but when I try to enter the server settings I get an "Unable to verify account name or password" error. I downloaded a trial version of Airmail and found I got a similar error.
  2. Following advice from razmee209, I sought advice on the Gmail forum, where it was suggested I use an App password. I set that up with Gmail, but I still got the same error in Mac Mail. But Airmail accepted this password and connected to Gmail.
  3. This seems to demonstrate that now the problem is with Mac Mail. I'd prefer to use Mac Mail (it's free & familiar) but unless I can find a solution, it's looking like I might have to use another client.


Does anyone have any further thoughts on this please?

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User profile for user: razmee209
razmee209
Community+ 2025
User level: Level 10
196,200 points

Apr 14, 2025 10:04 AM in response to unkleE

unkleE wrote:

I have this problem which I have found many people have had, but I haven't seen a solution on this Forum or elsewhere.

I use Mac Mail on a Mac Mini running Sequoia 15.3.2. We have several email accounts, including two on Gmail, which we access via Mac Mail (for convenience). One Gmail runs IMAP and works fine. But the other Gmail account, which we only recently set up, runs POP3. (It is a joint account, and if we run IMAP, when one of us trashes an email, the other doesn't see it. POP3 prevents this.)

So this Gmail account is set up to run POP3, but when I enter all the details into Mac Mail, it says "Unable to verify account name or password." It gives me no reason for this inability so I have no clue what could be wrong. I suspect, because of the prevalence of this problem on this forum and elsewhere, it isn't something I have done but some feature of Mac Mail.

Can anyone shed any definitive light on this please? Is there a workaround, or do I have to move to a third party mail client?

Thanks.

Google can't verify your account, suggest you reach out to their support or look at their help site/forum.

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User profile for user: unkleE
unkleE Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Apr 14, 2025 4:47 PM in response to razmee209

Hi razmee209, thanks for replying.


You suggest contacting Google, but I think Google has done what it should. It is Mac Mail that is unable to verify what I think is a valid POP3 account. I am not the only one to find this, but I can't find a solution.


Have you reason to think the fault is with Google when it appears to be with Mac Mail?


Thanks.


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How do I fix "Unable to verify account name or password." error on my Mac Mail?

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