How to Revoke an Application Password for Gmail

Security tab options keep your account secure

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
  • University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Updated on October 22, 2021

What to Know

  • Select your Profile icon > Google Account > Security > App passwords. Choose an app password and select Revoke.
  • For third-party apps, choose Manage third-party access in the Security tab. Choose an app and select Remove Access.
  • In the Security tab, look under Security Checkup to see recommendations for securing your account.

Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) keeps your Gmail account secure. However, the verification codes generated by the 2FA process don't work with some apps and devices. When that occurs, generate an app-specific password for the app or device to authorize it to access mail and folders through IMAP (or mail via POP). When you no longer use the app or device or no longer trust it to keep the password secure, revoke the password. Revoking one app-specific password does not affect other passwords you generated for different applications or devices.

Revoke an App Password for Gmail Using 2FA

To delete an application-specific password generated to access your Gmail account through IMAP or POP:

  1. Go to your avatar or name and select Google Account.

    Google Account button in Gmail

  2. Go to the Security tab and select App passwords.

    Security tab and App passwords link on Google Account Security page

  3. When prompted, enter your Gmail password.

  4. In the App password screen, choose an App password and select Revoke.

  5. If you don't see any App passwords, you aren't currently using any. You can add new App passwords in this same screen.

    App password screen

Manage Third-Party Apps With Account Access

To manage third-party apps that have access to your Gmail (and other Google services) even if you don't use 2FA or app-specific passwords:

  1. Go to your avatar or name and select Google Account.

  2. Go to the Security tab and, in the Third-party apps with account access section, select Manage third-party access.

    Manage third-party access link in Google Account

  3. Select one of the apps in the list of apps that have access to your account to expand it and show the access it has.

    Remove Access button in Gmail

  4. To revoke the access, select Remove Access.

  5. Repeat the process with each app you want to prevent from accessing your account.

Other Security Features

The Security tab contains several other ways to keep your account secure such as the Security Checkup that provides personalized recommendations to secure your account along with alerts of any ongoing issues.

A Security Checkup that reports no issues found

Also located on the Security screen are:

  • A list of devices that are currently signed in or have been active in your account in the previous 28 days.
  • A process to manage a lost or stolen phone.
  • A list of the sites and apps you sign in to with your Google account.
  • Recent security events related to your account.
  • Your recovery phone and recovery email.
  • Your password.
  • Any linked accounts.
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