Google: application-specific passwords - what does it do?

Application-specific passwords should make logging in via your Google account more secure. We explain below what you need them for and how the application-specific passwords are used.

What do you need application-specific passwords in GMail for?

• You need application-specific passwords if you want to use your Google account to log in to programs that do not (yet) support two-step verification.
• These include, for example, older Android smartphones (version 2.3 or smaller), email clients like Outlook or Thunderbird and chat clients like Google Talk.

How to set up an application-specific password at Google

1. First, go to Google Account Settings.
2. There you select the Security tab above.
3. In the following window you will find on the left side under "Passwords" the sub-item "App passwords". Right click on the "Settings" link.
4. After entering your Gmail / Google password, you will come to the settings page for the application-specific passwords.
5. There you can now generate a new password, which you only have to enter once in the relevant program and do not need to remember.

Note: Application-specific passwords are only activated if you have activated the two-step confirmation for your password. This practical tip shows you how to deactivate the confirmation in two steps.