Django email sending issues: App password and OAuth token problems

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1

Hey everyone,

I’m stuck trying to send emails from my Django app. I’ve tried two ways but no luck so far.

First, I used an app password. The weird thing is, I didn’t get any errors, but the email never showed up. Even the sender’s outbox was empty!

Then I tried OAuth. Man, that was a headache to set up! I finally got it working (thanks ChatGPT), but now I’m getting a “Username and Password not accepted” error when I try to send an email.

Here’s what my token file looks like:

{
  "token": "[hidden]",
  "refresh_token": "[hidden]",
  "token_uri": "https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token",
  "client_id": "[hidden]",
  "client_secret": "[hidden]",
  "scopes": ["https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send"],
  "universe_domain": "googleapis.com",
  "account": "",
  "expiry": "2025-01-05T07:39:06.980351Z"
}

I’ve set up a custom backend too. The debugger says creds.valid = True after refreshing.

Any ideas what I’m doing wrong? I’m totally stumped!

2

I’ve been through similar struggles with Django email sending, and I can relate to your frustration. From my experience, the app password method can be tricky because sometimes emails get caught in spam filters or there are delays in delivery. It’s worth double-checking your spam folder and waiting a bit longer to see if they show up.

As for the OAuth issue, I’ve found that the “Username and Password not accepted” error often crops up when there’s a mismatch between the credentials used for authentication and those used for sending. Make sure the email address associated with your OAuth token matches the sender email in your Django settings.

One thing that helped me was to use the Gmail API directly instead of SMTP. It’s a bit more work to set up, but I found it more reliable and it bypasses some of the authentication headaches. You might want to give that a shot if you’re still hitting walls with the current methods.

Lastly, don’t forget to check your Django settings.py file. Sometimes the issue is as simple as a typo in the email configuration there. Good luck, and keep at it!

3

man, i feel ur pain. email sendin can be a real headache! have u tried usin a diff email provider? sometimes gmail can be fussy w/ django. maybe try outlook or yahoo? also, doublecheck ur settings.py file. i once spent hours debuggin only to realize i had a typo in my email settings. keep at it bro, ull crack it eventually!

4

I’ve encountered similar issues with Django email sending. For the app password method, check if your email provider requires additional security settings or if there are any firewall restrictions. It’s also worth verifying the SMTP settings in your Django configuration.

Regarding OAuth, ensure you’ve enabled the Gmail API in your Google Cloud Console project. Sometimes, the ‘Username and Password not accepted’ error occurs when the API isn’t properly activated. Also, double-check that you’re using the correct scopes for email sending.

If you’re still facing issues, consider using a third-party email service like SendGrid or Mailgun. They often provide more straightforward integration with Django and can help bypass some of the authentication complexities you’re experiencing with Gmail.

Remember to thoroughly test your email functionality in different environments (development, staging, production) as sometimes issues only surface in specific setups.