Windows 8 Mail App doesn't work with Gmail when 2-step verification is enabled

Now, this is an issue/problem I faced today on my system.

Couple of weeks, I had activated the Google’s 2 step verification for my account & today when I tried to use the Windows 8’s default Mail App, I was unable to login & kept getting error that password is incorrect or sometimes, can’t get the settings for the account.

After trying different settings for couple of minutes, I finally got a fix for it and it’s actually a simple way to get the Gmail account connected & working with Windows 8 Mail App even with 2-step verification enabled.

For this, what we need is an Application Specific password.

And, how to enable it is via the following steps:

1.     Go to your Google Account settings & log in: https://www.google.com/settings/account

2.     Click on Security from the Accounts tab.

3.     Under, Connected applications and sites Section, click on Manage Access.

4.     Now, Google will ask you to re-enter the Google Account Password for Verification.

5.     Once, you verify, scroll down and at the bottom you'll see the section Application-specific passwords.

6.     Type a Name and click on Generate Password.

7.     You'll be given a password. Use that password with Windows 8 Mail App and should be able to login to the Windows 8 Mail App.

It worked for me.

Tried and Tested Solution.

Note: As per Google, this would work for following applications as well.

·         Email programs including Outlook, Apple Mail, or Thunderbird

·         Older Android smartphones