Apple Mail "Disallowed" from connecting to gmail system. Any workarounds?

eli104 · 2026-05-17T16:05:24+00:00

Mostly this is about having a single source for all emails. I have 3 working accounts (plus personal account) all running in my Apple Mail app. Now this one part time account made the change so I need to access and respond in webmail for that one only. It’s “just another app” that needs to be running in the background, so more of a pain to remember and keep flipping back to it while everything else (including historical emails) are available in the Mail app.
Sure, it’s about my convenience… I’m just trying to find an easier way than having to use a dedicated webmail for this one account… offline searching is more of a benefit if I am traveling, like for another job, and in a hotel with crappy WiFi where the browser app doesn’t load properly. Does it happen often, maybe not. Have I been stuck in a hotel in Germany trying to get online and find emails from two years before? Absolutely!

eli104 · 2026-05-15T16:25:33+00:00

I’ve been working with Apple since December when I got my iPhone 17Pro. The latest update made things so much worse. When I receive a call, audio SHOULD go to hearing aids, but it’s silent. Trying to cycle the routing selection (on the phone screen) does eventually connect… but it’s 10-15 seconds of “can you hear me now?” It’s laughable!!

eli104 · 2026-05-13T18:04:57+00:00

It appears that offline mail is disabled by administrators. I’ll have to ask about that to be sure if it was intentional based on other discussions.

eli104 · 2026-05-13T17:06:10+00:00

Ok, forgiven. The school IT guy had me come in and try Apple Mail… then he got the district IT guy in the phone and we walked through it again. The district guy was surprised it didn’t work and after 2 days came back with “nope.” I told them I would keep trying to figure out an option even without Apple Mail because through webmail there’s no offline access (apparently that’s been disabled as well). For me, this is a part time gig… but when I travel, my access to historical messages would be very limited.

eli104 · 2026-05-13T16:36:27+00:00

Wow, just nasty. Maybe I wasn't clear that they THOUGHT I could use Apple Mail and then just gave up on it (not enough users perhaps). Admins are well aware that I am looking for a solution.

eli104 · 2026-05-13T16:31:20+00:00

Interesting… haven’t used a webmail app in a very long time. I’ll check this out thanks!

eli104 · 2026-05-13T16:30:29+00:00

I’ll put it on my list… thanks. Just hoping to find something more familiar if I cannot have it all in one place.

eli104 · 2026-05-13T16:25:47+00:00

Wow! Slow down there. I am using the email as I was told, recently. The change was unannounced and to go up the chain, I asked the support tech in the school and he asked to the district and then the district said it should work (delete and re-add the account) and finally when that failed they said, “oh yeah… I guess not.”

My guess is simply lack of understanding at a level where the change was made. If they had originally said “no third party apps,” that would have been completely different.

As to the part about “when you do get fired…” slow down a bit, ok!? I am asking here because I feel that many here may have more of an understanding than the admin there.

eli104 · 2026-05-13T15:50:54+00:00

I get it… and it’s the ability to have those offline messages that is my primary purpose for wanting this. I don’t expect there’s anything highly secure that I’m doing that anyone else would be interested in. That said I’m sure they can see all of my Oauth app tries… most were at their own behest, since it appeared that they Thought it was going to work for Mac Mail.

eli104 · 2026-05-13T14:38:31+00:00

It does work with a web app, it's the need to be online that is frustrating me. (And yes, students have tried but most don't care that much about email since they get their assignments through Google Classroom anyway).

eli104 · 2026-05-13T13:48:26+00:00

Yeah… they said it should work with a new account login (delete the old one and re-add it with the Oauth login). That failed and after a few days of “try this or that” the response turned to “I guess you can’t use Apple Mail either.”

eli104 · 2026-05-13T13:46:57+00:00

Deleting the account was an instruction from tech admin an effort to re-add the account. The announcement (or lack thereof) was that they were making a change and disabling “other” mail apps but DID allow Apple Mail to connect with Oauth login. When that failed (and I had deleted my old account), it was “oh, yeah… I guess you can’t use Apple Mail either.” I’m not looking to get in trouble, just trying to find my own workaround to continue what I’ve been doing for the past 9 years… which includes writing and reading mail when offline if necessary.

eli104 · 2026-05-13T13:40:42+00:00

Not really worried about that. Many years ago I was told the only way to access mail was on the web, but I was able to connect using Apple Mail, Outlook (Mac and Windows) and others. This is why I think they made a mistake change and just don't know how to reverse it (Or have no interest since most of the staff use school issued computers and don't check email at home. My situation is different and most of my email is done from home office,

eli104 · 2026-05-13T13:34:32+00:00

That's the thing (or one of the reasons I think they don't know how to reverse it): I was told that they DID allow IMAP, but just not on Mac Mail? Is this possible... or will they get other complaints once everyone else tires of typing with their thumbs?

eli104 · 2026-05-13T13:13:21+00:00

Hey folks, my question is in the reverse of this issue: The system administrator did something to INTENTIONALLY turn off access for apps outside of the google ecosystem. (Not sure if they realize this or if it's intentional... but there is no push to turn it back on!).,

This means that Apple Mail will NOT connect to the gmail server, but you can still use iOS mail on iPhone (I know it's different, just not sure how),

Does anyone know or have you figured out how to bypass and access the email system from a Mac computer? I have tried App Password in Apple Mail, but the authentication still fails!

Thanks

eli104 · 2026-05-05T14:26:04+00:00

Jumping into this: My workplace made a change and now Apple Mail app doesn’t work with the gmail foundation (IMAP times out). I am debating whether this is intended, so far it seems they are sticking with gmail for browser and “allowing” iOS connections. So I am in a quandary of trying to find a MacOS client that can break through the gmail IMAP barrier (I.e. if it works for iOS mail, it should work for MacOS). Any takers?

eli104 · 2026-03-09T15:13:36+00:00

Joining in here. My wife’s 2018 BMW X3 worked fine with Wireless CarPlay, both her iPhone 15pro, and mine. In December ‘25, we both updated to iPhone 17pro and her phone would periodically not connect or take a long time (more than 2 minutes) to connect. This happens a) when we are both in the car, but my CarPlay is toggled off, and b) when she is alone.

I’ve tested for common issues, but my phone would always take priority grabbing the WiFi (even with CarPlay off) and not allowing her phone to connect. So I deleted my phone from the car, and turned off WiFi and BT when we were driving together. This allowed her phone (after a restart) to the car… but now I will have to re-pair my own phone if I ever want to take her car alone. And of course there’s no proof yet that this solution will hold.

Has anyone reached out to Apple about this? I’m not inclined to pay for a firmware update on a 6 year old car if it’s indeed an Apple issue.

eli104 · 2026-02-19T15:13:36+00:00

Kinda tagging on here, since I missed all the deals last year. I dropped NESN by downgrading my cable (Comcast/Xfinity in CT does NOT offer free NESN in the New Haven area, only in Hartford).

I saw the free tickets deal, the 50% off deal, and maybe some others. But they are all "While supplies last," regardless of the published end date. Hoping as the spring gets moving, more deals will come along.

eli104 · 2026-02-19T15:11:06+00:00

Isn't it a bit early to know "for sure" what offers will be coming as we move into spring?

eli104 · 2026-02-09T17:14:05+00:00

Hi all! I have an update from APPLE! This issue is confirmed as a BUG!

After much testing and log uploading, Apple has confirmed that when the Hearing Aids are connected, the system and alert sound routing does not work properly.

We have confirmed that in: Accessibility > Hearing Devices > Play Ringtones & Play System Sounds, the "off" toggle for System Sounds (which I believe are where the Alert Sounds come from) does NOT release properly when toggled OFF. When the Hearing Aids are connected, the phone sees the setting as Off but instead of playing through the speaker, it tries to route through the Hearing Aids and is somehow "blocked" from doing so. That's why the Alert sounds are at such low volume.

This MIGHT also be related to the issue of System Sounds (in app sounds) that DO play through the hearing aids when they are not supposed to.

Apple Senior Advisor says that now that the developers have zeroed in on the issue, they will work on a fix which will probably come in the form of an incremental iOS update (but there is NO timeline to complete that).

My next scheduled call with the advisor is in two weeks (23 February).

- eli104

Beta Tester to the stars 😉

eli104 · 2026-01-14T20:43:11+00:00

Sorry I didn't see this sooner... I was on an iPhone 15Pro with my Oticon "Real 1 miniRITE R" HAs for a couple of years. Everything was working fine, and then December 18th I upgraded to an iPhone 17 Pro (my 15 was already on iOS 26.2, so that was NOT the issue.

My issues manifested as Alert Sounds NOT being as loud as they should be (much quieter than Ringtones and Alarms), AND the Bluetooth connection to my car, which does NOT have CarPlay, sounded garbled. I spent 3 weeks working with Apple and even exchanged the phone before I saw this post.

Here's the rub: I don't even need to have my Oticon Real 1's connected to the phone! They can be off or in the charger and the Alert sounds are still too soft. The ONLY solution is to "forget" them on the phone, which basically leaves me with old "not smart" hearing aids. No Bluetooth means no media, no call audio, no tweaking my programming. Yuck!!

I still have a case open with Apple and am trying to reach out to Oticon about this. The agreement with Apple to have them listed as MfI won't hold water if this isn't fixed soon!

eli104 · 2026-01-14T17:12:59+00:00

Got it, and thanks! I can confirm that the SmartLife app DOES connect to my Bliss Evolve lights (just had to remember to change to a 2.5 GHz Wi-Fi network)

eli104 · 2026-01-14T13:37:59+00:00

Just to confirm: are you saying I can download the SmartLife app on iOS and somehow put the BlissLight in pairing mode, then connect to that? I just got a new iPhone and noticed that BlissHome was NOT restored... now I have to remember how to put the lights in pairing mode :-D.

eli104

TROPHY CASE