The Complete Guide:
Third-Party Email App Access in 2025
The End of "Less Secure Apps"
If you're trying to connect your email account to a third-party application like WordPress, Thunderbird, or older versions of Outlook, you've likely encountered authentication errors or warnings about "less secure app access." The email landscape has dramatically changed over the past few years, with major providers eliminating traditional username/password authentication in favor of more secure methods.
Key Changes Timeline:
- Gmail: Completely discontinued less secure app access as of May 1, 2025
- Microsoft Outlook.com: Ended basic authentication September 16, 2024
- Yahoo Mail: Requires app passwords for all third-party access since 2020
- Apple iCloud: Mandatory app-specific passwords since June 15, 2017
This guide will walk you through setting up secure access for each major email provider.
