Can't get gmail on smartphone

faringdon

Hi,
I have a smartphone, but i only use it for photos. However, recently, companies are wanting "2 factor authentification" with a smartphone, so i have to do that....somehow i manage to do it by tapping around like an idiot but i dont know how.

Anyway, a company has sent me a QR code and asked me to use it  for authentification.....i scanned it, and it just takes me to a page that tells me that i cannot use this page.

So anyway, i am stuck, and have emailed the  identification  company but they havent got back yet.

Also, whilst they hopefully answer , i am trying to get onto my gmail account on my smartphone...i will need this as i will have to use it to import my passport photo onto the phone. However, i have the gmail APP.....but when i open it , it doesnt take me to my emails....it just takes me to the gmail account and offers me  all the configuration options. It also offers me to "sync"...and i tap "sync" but nothing happens.

Do you know how i can get into my emails on gmail on my smartphone?

The smartphone is on PAYG with O2, but i only have  2 days left. However, i log into my laptop mobile router from my smartphone, and in fact, thats how i mostly use it, if at all.

flaneurs_lobster

What model is your phone?

Is the phone logged into your Google (aka your Gmail) account already? You would normally do this when you first set up the phone (if it's an Android phone, hence the first question)?

EDIT : I find it a little surprising that a person who has recently been working as a Contract Electronics Engineer can't manage to get email working on their phone.

Marcon

One minute you have a dumb phone, the next you have a smart phone. Which is it?

elsien

There is usually more than one option for two factor authentication and you don’t automatically need a smartphone. 
 I just ask them to send a text. I can’t be doing with faffing around with QR codes etc. 

Neil49

Why not use the Web version of Gmail through Chrome? 

faringdon

Ill see if i can do it via chrome..presumably i first need to download the chrome app?.....in the past, i have managed to get onto my gmails from this smartphone, but it was some years ago.

I have a dumbphone and a smartphone......smartphone is on PAYG and is locked with O2 (dumbphone and laptop mobile router is on a monthly with EE) . I can  just get onto the web with my smartphone using my laptop mobile router from the smartphone...but obviously i can only do that when at home.

The phone is a Samsung SM-J330FN and i bought it in 2019.

mac.d

You can use whatever web browser is installed on your phone to access the web version of Gmail, it doesn't need to be chrome.

Open your browser then head to https://mail.google.com and login.

Vitor

Try downloading Google Authenticator from the Play Store. Open it, tap the plus sign, and scan the QR code with that. Then it’ll show a six-digit code that changes every 30 seconds. That’s what you type in when the company asks for two-factor authentication

NB The Samsung SM-J330FN is the Galaxy J3 (2017), which is now running a prehistoric version of Android (likely 8.0 or even older). It's really an antique and Google has since raised the minimum supported Android version for some login methods.