Do you use Microsoft Outlook to download your Gmails? I do. Did you lose access to that ability today? I did.
For the past decade or so, if you wanted to use Outlook for your Gmails, you had to allow your Google account access to "less secure apps" which, apparently, Microsoft Outlook is one. That's risky, I guess, because if you allow that for one app, you allow it for all, and hackers could etc etc.
Starting today, Google is no longer allowing that. Google actually sent an email last month saying that we might lose this access as of May 30. (They apparently gave us a couple of extra days grace on it.) Rather, Google would prefer you use 2-step verification, that kind you see when you attempt to log into something on whatever device and then you get a text to your phone with an additional verification code to complete the login. Secure, perhaps, but also a pain in the butt.
However, neither Google nor Microsoft even sent a workaround on using Outlook. It would be completely impractical for you to use a second verifying code every time you wanted to download mail. I tried calling Microsoft because I am a 365 subscriber, but they've shit-canned all their support phone reps and pushed everything to online support which, as everyone knows, is practically always insufficient when you need someone to tell you what the hell just happened.
BUT: I just happened to stumble across a forum thread describing how to get around this new barrier, and so far, it works great. It's a bit of a pain to set up, but if you want to keep using Outlook for your Gmail—and I sure do, since I have over ten years of email history for ten separate Gmail accounts attached to it—then you have no choice.
So, long story short (or tl;dr, as the kids of 2009 say), here's the process to reconnect your Outlook to your Gmail:
Google Help Center 2-Step Verification > Signing in with 2-Step Verification > Sign in with App Passwords
Login to Gmail Account: "myaccount.google.com"
On left, choose "Security"
Enable 2 step verification. You will need a cell phone or access to some other device for verification codes.
Afterward, click on the back arrow to get back to Security home page
Having done that now app passwords will appear under 2-step verification
click app passwords
click select app and select mail
click select device and select windows computer
click generate and a 16 digit code will appear like so: #### #### #### ####
highlight and copy to clipboard
go to Microsoft Outlook and paste that code into your password line, which you will be prompted for
click on remember and save