This browser or app may not be secure, while trying to automate Gmail access through Selenium WebDriver

Are you facing the dreaded “This browser or app may not be secure” error while trying to automate Gmail access through Selenium WebDriver? This common hurdle can frustrate testers and developers alike. Today, I’ll explore different techniques to bypass this security measure, helping you to successfully automate your Gmail interactions.

Understanding the Issue

Google enhances security protocols regularly, making it challenging to automate login processes through browsers controlled by Selenium. The error message “Couldn’t sign you in. This browser or app may not be secure” is Google’s way of blocking login attempts it deems risky, usually from automated software like Selenium.

Strategies to Solve the Problem

Let’s delve into two distinct approaches to navigate past this Google security measure.

Method 1: Using SeleniumBase with “uc” Mode

SeleniumBase offers an enhanced wrapper for Selenium, providing additional functionality and simplifications for browser automation. One of its features is the “uc” mode which utilizes an undetected version of Chrome, potentially allowing you to bypass Google’s bot detection mechanisms.

Here’s how you can set it up:

from seleniumbase import SB

with SB(uc=True) as sb:
    sb.open("https://www.google.com/gmail/about/")
    sb.click('a[data-action="sign in"]')
    sb.type('input[type="email"]', "your_email@gmail.com")
    sb.click('button:contains("Next")')
    sb.sleep(5)
    # Continue with password entry and further steps

This code initializes a SeleniumBase session in undetected Chrome mode, attempting to open Gmail’s login page and entering the email.

Method 2: Enhancing WebDriver Stealth with Selenium-Stealth

Another technique involves configuring the Selenium WebDriver to mimic a regular user’s browser as closely as possible. This can be achieved using the selenium-stealth library to prevent Selenium from being detected.

Here’s how to configure your WebDriver:

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium_stealth import stealth
import random

def get_stealth_options():
    options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
    options.add_argument('--disable-blink-features=AutomationControlled')
    options.add_experimental_option("excludeSwitches", ["enable-automation"])
    options.add_experimental_option('useAutomationExtension', False)
    # Further options to mimic regular browser settings
    return options

driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=get_stealth_options())
stealth(driver,
        languages=["en-US", "en"],
        vendor="Google Inc.",
        platform="Win32",
        webgl_vendor="NVIDIA Corporation",
        renderer="GeForce GTX 1070")

This script sets up ChromeOptions to disable features that typically reveal automation. It then applies these settings through selenium-stealth to further disguise Selenium’s footprint.

Both methods offer potential solutions to bypass Google’s security measures when logging into Gmail with Selenium. While neither approach guarantees success due to Google’s evolving security policies, they significantly enhance your chances of automating Gmail access without triggering security blocks.

Always ensure that your automation activities comply with Google’s terms of service to avoid potential legal issues or account suspensions. Happy testing, and may your automation paths be smooth and unblocked!