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Today's Highlights »
- Update your sign-in technology before September 16th, 2024 to maintain email access
- Filter out messages during search
- Search <0w> in classic Outlook search bar
Update your sign-in technology before September 16th, 2024 to maintain email access
Reminder: If you use classic Outlook to download Outlook.com email via POP or IMAP, it will cease to function on September 16. Only classic Outlook 2016 Click-to-run and newer versions will support downloading Outlook.com email, provided the account is configured as a Microsoft Exchange account in Outlook.
How can do you know if you will be affected? Frequent connection errors over the past few months likely indicate that your mail app is using basic authentication to connect to Outlook.com.
Note: you will not be able to add the account to Outlook using the Control Panel’s mail app as it does not support oAuth2 aka “modern authentication”. You need to use File > Add Account or File > Account Settings > Account Settings dialog.
The following versions of Outlook Desktop do not support Modern Authentication for Outlook.com: Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016 MSI, Outlook 2019 LTSC. Any release of Outlook Desktop with a version less than 11601.10000 does not support Modern Authentication for Outlook.com.
I'm seeing a lot of questions that begin "What do I need to so I don't lose my account?" No one will lose their account. At most, they will need to log into outlook.live.com using a browser to read their mail until they update their mail client.
Windows 10 and 11 users can use the new Outlook app.
Both eM Client and Thunderbird support modern authentication using POP or IMAP.
Any app that brings up the Microsoft login dialog you see when you sign in using a browser will work after September 16. That screen means it uses modern auth (also known as oAuth2.) If you have a normal password dialog when you sign in, the app does not support modern auth.
If you have 2-step verification enabled and need to use an app password in a mail app, you will need to use a different app. App passwords will no longer be available next week.
Mobile apps: If you have the current version of Outlook for mobile, build v4.2435.0, you will not have an issue as it supports modern authentication.
Other mobile apps, such as Apple’s Mail or Android’s Mail app, should work as long as the OS is the last 2 or 3 versions. (Slightly older versions might work too.)
Apple Mail users may need to remove the outlook.com account from the app and add it back as Apple doesn’t automatically switch to using oAuth2. If you receive connection errors next week, remove the account and add it back. Choose Outlook.com as the account type and use auto account setup to add the account.
If you aren’t sure if you need to do anything, wait and see. If you receive connection errors, you will need to log into outlook.live.com using a browser to read your mail until you get a supported mail app.
More information: Outlook.com and Modern Authentication Questions
Filter out messages during search
Classic Outlook is really good at finding messages I’m not looking for. To avoid this I need to expand the search criteria and exclude some words. While I can select fields from the filter dialog, typing the criteria in gives me more control.
When you need to find all messages from Bob Smith, typing bob smith in the search field will find all instances of bob and smith. Using Bob +smith can help, but still finds messages with the words in the message body. To only see messages sent from Bob Smith, use the From field in the search criteria:
From:(“Bob Smith”)
When you search the current mailbox (or all mailboxes) in Outlook classic and have RSS feeds, the search results will include any RSS message that includes the search terms.
To restrict it to results that were sent by email, include -messageclass:ipm.post.rss in the search criteria. (That’s a leading minus sign.)
-messageclass:ipm.post.rss
To filter out reports, meeting requests and other non-email items, you need to add additional messages classes to the list. For reports (bounces, read receipts) or meetings you can use just the first part of the form name, for example:
messageclass:IPM.Schedule.Meeting
messageclass:report
Use one of these formats to exclude reports and RSS feeds:
jeff -messageclass:ipm.post.rss -messageclass:report
jeff -(messageclass:ipm.post.rss OR messageclass:report)
jeff -(messageclass:(ipm.post.rss OR report))
Tip: Using just messageclass:report is a good way to find old bounces and receipts so you can clean your mailbox. Select all then Shift+Delete to get them out of your mailbox. I had nearly 600 I never deleted. Ouch.
Restricting the results isn't limited to message class. You can use it with any supported field names.
You can exclude two or more criteria using this format for the search criteria:
jeff -(messageclass:report OR From:Scott)
jeff -messageclass:report -From:scott
If you don’t know all of the message class names, add the Message class field to the list view (if in-cell ending is enabled, you can copy the message class from the view) or check the list here:
Item Types and Message Classes | Microsoft Learn
Search <0w> in classic Outlook search bar
Users reported that <0w> was in the search bar. It doesn't affect the search, but some users find it annoying.
Microsoft has resolved the issue, but current channel users will have to wait a couple of weeks for the update.
If you want the fix now, switch Office to the Beta Channel. You can do on the File > Office Account page (or file > Account page in Word or Excel app.) If you don't have the option to use a beta channel you need to edit the registry. I have instructions at Get Office Insider Builds
New & Updated Microsoft 365 & Exchange Server Support Articles
Exchange Server Roadmap Update - Microsoft Community Hub
New & Updated Outlook Support Articles
Classic Outlook reminders dialog not drawing properly and Dismiss button missing - Microsoft Support
Outlook, Word, or OneNote unexpectedly close when typing - Microsoft Support
Unable to sign in or add a Gmail account to classic Outlook - Microsoft Support
Upgrading your organization from current versions to Exchange Server SE - Microsoft Community Hub
Outlook.com and Modern Authentication Questions
Questions and answers on Microsoft Outlook.com disabling basic authentication and requiring modern authentication. What will work after September 16 2024?
Change the Mailing Address Using PowerShell
How to use PowerShell to bulk change the Mailing Address selector (or move the address to a different address field) in classic Outlook's contacts.
Classic Outlook missing from new computers
After purchasing a new computer, users discovered the Office installation is missing Outlook.
Ads in New Outlook
When you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you should not see ads in your message list in new Outlook if the account, if the account with the subscription is set as the primary account.