Title: Problem while retrieving Auth for gmail Last modified: June 13, 2020 --- # Problem while retrieving Auth for gmail * Resolved [Fer_SD](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pamparrillo/) * (@pamparrillo) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/) * Hi there, * I have been using this plugin for a long time (Gmail with SMTP). A week ago, I noticed that emails from another forms plugin were not sent. Then, I tried the build-in Gmail API service. I accurately followed all the steps of the guide in order to setup the API. Unfortunately, the following message is now pinned on the top of my wp admin area: * **There was a problem while retrieving Auth for gmail: Could not json decode the token** * I repeated the whole process several times, even creating different projects, but I was not able to fix the problem. Besides, the plugin “General” tab is getting super slow unless I switch off my Gmail connection on the plugin settings. I cannot send a test email too, a critical error appears when I try it (“There was a critical error on your website. Please check your site administrator email inbox for instructions”). * Plugin version: 2.1.1 WP version: 5.4.2 PHP version: 7.2.26 * Any ideas? * Thanks in advance. * The page I need help with: _[[log in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.org%2Fsupport%2Ftopic%2Fproblem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail%2F%3Foutput_format%3Dmd&locale=en_US) to see the link]_ Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 20 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/page/2/?output_format=md) * [dplj1230](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dplj1230/) * (@dplj1230) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-12981388) * Hi, * I wanted to jump on and say that I have the exact problem as described above with my Gmail mailer. When sending a test email I get this message. * “There was a critical error on your website. Please check your site administrator email inbox for instructions” * **And this message appears at the top of my dashboard:** “There was a problem while retrieving Auth for gmail: Could not json decode the token” * The plugin worked great for years up until a couple of weeks ago. I also tried recreating the Google API credentials a few times. * Plugin Version: v2.1.1 WP Version: 5.4.2 PHP Version: 5.6 * [elenasaygo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elenasaygo/) * (@elenasaygo) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-12982116) * Same Delivery Error Message. However the test email arrives fine. * Plugin Version: v2.1.1 WP Version: 5.4.2 PHP Version: 7.3.18 * Thread Starter [Fer_SD](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pamparrillo/) * (@pamparrillo) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-12982637) * Figured it out. Searching on this forum I found [ this recent post ](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-sending-out-test-email-google_auth_exception-thrown-could-not-json/). As said in the hread, I disabled plugin “Simple Calendar” and the message disappeared. It doesn’t seem to be the best workaround, though. * In any case, I’m experiencing a huge delay on sending the test email. This email indeed arrives, but it takes more than 45 seconds. I believe there should be a problem related to the API, somehow. * Regards, * [Sanjeev Aryal](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sanzeeb3/) * (@sanzeeb3) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-12986309) * Hi [@pamparrillo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pamparrillo/) – I’m glad you sorted it out. Unfortunately, there’s a conflict with the Google API between Simple Calendar and WP Mail SMTP causing the error. We are looking to avoid such conflict in the future. * [@elenasaygo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elenasaygo/), [@dplj1230](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dplj1230/) When you get a chance, could you please confirm that you’ve Simple Calendar or other similar plugin installed? * Thanks! * [pinkgerbil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pinkgerbil/) * (@pinkgerbil) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-12992629) * I have the same problem, we are not running Simple Calendar but we are running the following plugins – all by Modern Tribe: * Events Calendar Events Calendar Pro Event Tickets Event Ticket Plus * Removing these is not possible. * Plugin Author [Gregor Capuder](https://wordpress.org/support/users/capuderg/) * (@capuderg) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-12993394) * Hi [@pinkgerbil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pinkgerbil/), * is this error popping up each time you send an email from your site? * Does it occur when you send the Email Test from our plugin settings? Or does it occur when a specific email is being sent? * I’ve looked at the free versions of the plugins you listed, but I don’t see any Google API integration code in them. Could you please list all other plugins your site is using? * Take care! * [jage2092](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jage2092/) * (@jage2092) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-12999360) * I have the same problem but I haven’t installed Simple Calendar. When I send a test email it works and the message disappears but then it appears again. * [smes](https://wordpress.org/support/users/smes/) * (@smes) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-13001389) * Hi – I’m having this same issue. * When logging into the WP admin area I see this pinned to the top * “EMAIL DELIVERY ERROR: the plugin WP Mail SMTP v2.1.1 logged this error during the last time it tried to send an email: There was a problem while retrieving Auth for gmail: Could not json decode the token Please review your WP Mail SMTP settings in plugin admin area. Consider running an email test after fixing it.” * When I go to WP Mail SMTP settings, I send a test email and this goes through just fine. The message goes away and then will reappear when I log back in a day later. * I’m not running Simple Calendar but have quite a few other plugins (things have been running smoothly for many months without issue). * Plugin Author [Gregor Capuder](https://wordpress.org/support/users/capuderg/) * (@capuderg) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-13002270) * Hi, * this issue is not caused only by Simple Calendar, there are other plugins that use an older Google API library that causes this issue. Please read [this post](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/email-delivery-error-18/#post-12999103) for further explanation. * Take care! * [smes](https://wordpress.org/support/users/smes/) * (@smes) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-13006546) * Hi [@capuderg](https://wordpress.org/support/users/capuderg/) * Thanks for the reply. * > other plugins that use an older Google API library that causes this issue * Do you mean that we should look at somehow updating/refreshing a Google API key in other plugins? Or is the issue with the plugins themselves? * Thanks 🙂 * [pinkgerbil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pinkgerbil/) * (@pinkgerbil) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-13008011) * In that case can we roll back the plugin so it uses the same API as al other plugins? * Plugin Author [Gregor Capuder](https://wordpress.org/support/users/capuderg/) * (@capuderg) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-13010157) * Hi, * [@smes](https://wordpress.org/support/users/smes/) – no, the problem is in the plugin code, the Google API integration code is outdated and so it does not play well with our plugin, which uses new code. * [@pinkgerbil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pinkgerbil/) – we haven’t used that old google API library (if ever), so that’s not possible. * Take care! * [pinkgerbil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pinkgerbil/) * (@pinkgerbil) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-13010205) * IF that’s the case, why is it suddenly an issue now if you’ve always used this API? * Plugin Author [Gregor Capuder](https://wordpress.org/support/users/capuderg/) * (@capuderg) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-13010264) * Hi, * most likely this issue was present for a long time, but we fixed the error reporting for some mailers (Gmail included) and now the error shows up. * Take care! * [X3Inspire](https://wordpress.org/support/users/russhimi/) * (@russhimi) * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/#post-13030340) * Can fix this problem asap please? Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 20 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘Problem while retrieving Auth for gmail’ is closed to new replies. * ![](https://ps.w.org/wp-mail-smtp/assets/icon-256x256.png?rev=1755440) * [WP Mail SMTP by WPForms - The Most Popular SMTP and Email Log Plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-mail-smtp/) * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-mail-smtp/#faq) * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wp-mail-smtp/) * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wp-mail-smtp/active/) * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wp-mail-smtp/unresolved/) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wp-mail-smtp/reviews/) * 20 replies * 11 participants * Last reply from: [Gregor Capuder](https://wordpress.org/support/users/capuderg/) * Last activity: [5 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-while-retrieving-auth-for-gmail/page/2/#post-13567079) * Status: resolved