How to add Outlook.com or Microsoft 365 to a Mac email app
Outlook.com, Hotmail and Microsoft 365 no longer accept passwords in mail apps. How Microsoft sign-in works, what admins must allow, and the fixes.
Short answer: Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live and Microsoft 365 accounts sign in to Mac mail apps with Microsoft sign-in: the app opens Microsoft’s page, you sign in there and approve access, and no password is stored in the app. If your app only asks for a password, it can’t add a Microsoft account any more.
Personal accounts: Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live, MSN
- In your mail app, add an account and type your address.
- The app opens Microsoft’s sign-in page. Sign in, complete two-step verification if asked, and choose Accept.
- Back in the app, the account starts syncing.
Since September 2024 Microsoft has required this for personal accounts in third-party apps. App passwords no longer work for Outlook.com mail.
Work and school accounts: Microsoft 365
The steps are the same, but three things must be allowed by your organisation:
- IMAP turned on for your mailbox.
- Authenticated SMTP turned on, so the app can send.
- The app approved. Many organisations require an administrator to consent to a new app once. If you see “Need admin approval”, send your IT team the app’s name.
If your organisation blocks IMAP entirely, you’ll need Outlook for Mac or Apple Mail with Exchange.
Server settings, if asked
| Server | Port | Security | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | outlook.office365.com | 993 | SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP), personal | smtp-mail.outlook.com | 587 | STARTTLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP), Microsoft 365 | smtp.office365.com | 587 | STARTTLS |
Common problems
- “This Microsoft account doesn’t have a mailbox”: a Microsoft account made with another address, like a Gmail one, has no Outlook mailbox. Add that Gmail address directly instead.
- Reading works, sending fails: Authenticated SMTP is off for your mailbox. Ask your administrator.
- Signed out after a while: your organisation may limit how long sign-ins last. Sign in again from the app.
In Glassmail
In Glassmail, choose Add Account and type your Microsoft address. Glassmail opens Microsoft’s sign-in, and once you approve, your Outlook mail sits in the same inbox as Gmail, iCloud and the rest. The sign-in token is kept in your Mac’s Keychain, and mail goes straight between your Mac and Microsoft.
Related: all your email accounts in one inbox and iCloud app-specific passwords.
Quick answers
Why won't my Outlook.com password work in a Mac mail app?
Microsoft stopped accepting passwords from third-party mail apps for Outlook.com and Hotmail accounts in September 2024. Apps must use Microsoft sign-in (OAuth) instead, where you approve access on Microsoft's own page. Use an app that supports it.
Can I add a work Microsoft 365 account to a Mac email app?
Usually, if your organisation allows it. The app must support Microsoft sign-in, your organisation must allow IMAP and Authenticated SMTP for your mailbox, and an administrator may need to approve the app the first time someone uses it.
What are the Outlook IMAP settings?
Incoming (IMAP) server outlook.office365.com, port 993, SSL. Outgoing (SMTP) smtp-mail.outlook.com for Outlook.com accounts or smtp.office365.com for Microsoft 365, port 587, STARTTLS. Sign-in uses Microsoft's OAuth page, not a password.