Empathy, Google account, 2 step verification needs authorization every time I login

Question

The title says it all.

I have enabled 2 step verification at my Google account. Unfortunately this causes Empathy to lose authorization after every reboot. Even though I authorize Empathy following the steps:

1) going to Google Account Management

2) clicking "Authorizing applications & sites"

3) using the "Generate new application-specific password" feature

4) adding that new password to Empathy

This all works fine the first time I do it. But after a reboot, Empathy doesn't feel authorized anymore, and I need to do it again. It's getting too much of a frustration. Is there a way to make Google remember Empathy's authorization?

Looking at Google's "Revoke" option, I am thinking the authorization should stay there.

Solution 1

This has been reported on Launchpad as a problem report.

The only suggestion in the report is to switch to Pidgin since that supports 2-step verification.

Solution 2

A workaround is suggested in this Ubuntu forum post: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1692708

Basically, you have to remove the current authentication data using Seahorse, go through the steps of authorizing Empathy again with Google's Application Passwords, and this time Empathy saves the authorization token correctly. Detailed steps are in the forum post

Solution 3

You should go to Google App paswords and generate a password specific to empathy, and use that for logging in.

Comments

[bioShark]

@fossfreedom thx for the info. Just before enabling 2 step verification, I have switched from pidgin to empathy, because pidgin has some issues with Unity. But not that hardcore, so I guess I can switch back. If you add your comment as an answer, I will accept it. Thx.

[Anwar]

This is the preferred way to do! Good find :)