How to Add a Gmail Account to JustMail for Android

Published 2026-08-17 · Updated 2026-08-17 · 7 min read

● HACKITZLABS · GUIDE

How to Add a Gmail Account to JustMail for Android

Android  Beginner · ~6 min read · Updated August 2026

Gmail will not let JustMail — or any other email app — sign in with your normal Google password. You need a free App Password instead. This guide walks you through creating one and getting your Gmail into JustMail for Android in about five minutes.

Get JustMail on Google PlayJustMail for Android — app page

What we’ll cover

  1. Why Gmail needs an app password
  2. Before you start
  3. Turn on 2-Step Verification
  4. Create your app password
  5. Add the account in JustMail
  6. Check that it worked
  7. Troubleshooting
  8. Glossary

Why Gmail needs an app password

If you have already tried adding your Gmail with your everyday Google password and it failed, nothing is wrong with your phone or with JustMail. Google switched this off.

Google used to allow “less secure apps” to sign in to Gmail with your account password. That option was removed completely in 2024. Today, any mail app that connects to Gmail over IMAP — JustMail, Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail, all of them — must use a 16-character App Password that you generate on Google’s own website. It is free, it takes a minute, and you can revoke it at any time without changing your real password.

The short version: turn on 2-Step Verification → create an App Password → paste that into JustMail instead of your normal password. That is the whole trick.

Before you start

You’ll need Notes
JustMail installed Get it on Google Play. Details and screenshots on the JustMail for Android page.
Your Gmail address A personal @gmail.com address, or a Google Workspace address on your own domain. Both work the same way.
A way to reach Google’s site You can do the whole thing on the phone’s browser, but a computer is easier for copying the password across.
~5 minutes One-time setup per Gmail account.
Google Workspace users: your administrator can block app passwords for the whole organisation. If the App Passwords page tells you the option is not available, that is an admin policy and only your admin can change it.

Step 1 — Turn on 2-Step Verification

Already using 2-Step Verification? Skip to Step 2.

Google will not create an app password for an account that is not protected by 2-Step Verification, so this comes first.

  1. Go to myaccount.google.com/security and sign in.
  2. Find How you sign in to Google and tap 2-Step Verification.
  3. Follow the prompts — usually confirming your phone number and a code by text, or a tap on a Google prompt.
[Screenshot] Google Account → Security → 2-Step Verification switched on.

Step 2 — Create your app password

  1. Go to myaccount.google.com/apppasswords. Google may ask you to sign in again — that is normal for a security page.
  2. Type a name so you can recognise it later. JustMail works nicely.
  3. Tap Create.
  4. Google shows you a 16-character password in four groups, like abcd efgh ijkl mnop. Copy it now.
You only see it once. Google will never show that password again after you close the box. If you lose it, no harm done — just delete that entry and create a new one.
[Screenshot] The App passwords page with a generated 16-character password shown in four groups.
About those spaces: the real password is the 16 characters — the spaces are only there to make it readable. JustMail strips them for you automatically (version 2.1.13 and newer), so you can paste it exactly as Google shows it. On an older build, delete the spaces yourself before saving.

Step 3 — Add the account in JustMail

Open JustMail on your phone.

  • First time using the app? The welcome screens take you straight to Add your email account. Choose the IMAP / SMTP card and tap Continue.
  • Adding a second account? Tap the menu (☰, top-left) → scroll to MANAGE → Manage accounts → Add account, then pick IMAP / SMTP.

Now fill in the form:

  1. Email address — type your full Gmail address. JustMail looks the settings up for you; you will see Looking up settings… and then a note reminding you that Gmail needs an app password. The server boxes fill themselves in.
  2. Account name — whatever you want to see in the app, e.g. Personal.
  3. Username — your full Gmail address again (JustMail copies it across for you).
  4. IMAP host / Port — should already read imap.gmail.com and 993.
  5. SMTP host / Port — should already read smtp.gmail.com and 465.
  6. Password or app password — paste the 16-character app password from Step 2. Not your Google password. Tick Show password if you want to check it went in correctly.
  7. TLS/SSL — leave this on.
  8. Tap Save account.
Do not turn TLS/SSL off. Switching it off changes the ports to the unencrypted ones, and Gmail does not offer those at all. You would get a “couldn’t connect to host” error that looks like a password problem but isn’t.
[Screenshot] JustMail Add account screen with the Gmail server settings auto-filled and the app password entered.

Step 4 — Check that it worked

If the password was accepted, JustMail drops you into your inbox and your Gmail folders appear in the menu (☰) within a few seconds.

If something was wrong, you will see a message along the lines of “Couldn’t connect to your@gmail.com…”. That is JustMail telling you Google refused the login — almost always the password. Go to Manage accounts, tap the account, and re-enter the app password.

Already added Gmail before and it never worked? The saved password is still the bad one. Open Manage accounts → tap the account → Edit, paste a fresh app password, and save. Deleting the account and adding it again works too.

Troubleshooting

Symptom Likely cause Fix
Login rejected with your normal Google password Google no longer accepts account passwords for mail apps Create an App Password (Step 2) and use that instead
The App Passwords page won’t open 2-Step Verification is off, or a Workspace admin has disabled app passwords Turn on 2-Step Verification (Step 1); for a work account, ask your admin
“Couldn’t connect to host” TLS/SSL was switched off, so the ports dropped to unencrypted ones Edit the account, turn TLS/SSL back on, confirm ports 993 and 465
Password looks right but still fails A stray character, or the app password was revoked Generate a fresh app password and paste it again with Show password ticked
Account added but no mail appears The connection failed quietly on an old version, or the phone is offline Update JustMail, check your connection, then pull down on the message list to refresh
Two-factor code prompts on every send You are using your Google password somewhere, not the app password Re-enter the app password so both incoming and outgoing use it

Glossary

Term What it means
App Password A 16-character password Google generates for one app. It only works for mail, and you can revoke it without touching your real password.
2-Step Verification Google’s two-factor sign-in. Required before app passwords become available.
IMAP The protocol that reads your mail from the server and keeps folders in sync across devices.
SMTP The protocol that sends your mail out.
TLS/SSL Encryption for the connection between your phone and Google. Always leave it on.

Links

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