Volume 30 Issue 19

Issue Date: June 5, 2025 « Previous Issue | Next Issue »

The following articles were included in our Exchange Messaging Outlook (EMO) newsletter published on June 5, 2025.

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Today's Highlights »

Sync stops in Outlook apps
Buttons in the new message notifications
If you need to ask if it’s spam, it probably is

Sync stops in Outlook apps

This issue affects all new Outlook apps: Outlook mobile, Outlook for Mac, and new Outlook for Windows. Only IMAP accounts should be affected as they are stored in the Microsoft cloud when added to these apps.

The complaint goes something like this, with only the affected OS changing:
“On both my laptop and my phone, Outlook occasionally stops receiving emails. It may start syncing hours later. “

The solution: remove the account from the app then add it back. If you are asked to remove the account from everywhere, say yes. This deletes the cached mail from the server and creates a fresh cloud mailbox. If you have the account added to more than one Outlook app (other than classic Outlook for Windows) you will need to remove the account from those devices and add it back.

Specific to MacOS: Open account settings (Outlook menu > Settings > Account), do you see the IMAP server names and if so, are they editable? If you cannot edit the server settings the account is a Microsoft cloud account. The mail syncs with the cloud server and down to outlook. If you want to use a direct connection to the IMAP server, you need to remove the account from Outlook and add it back, choosing the option to use IMAP (on the screen after autodiscover finds the account).

While I’m not a big fan of syncing IMAP accounts to the Microsoft cloud, it can be beneficial if you use Gmail, Yahoo or iCloud accounts. With these accounts, the Microsoft cloud accounts will sync calendar and contacts too, while a “normal” IMAP account only syncs email.

Buttons in the new message notifications

When the Outlook notification banner (also known as “toast”) pops up in Windows, there are up to 3 buttons at the bottom for you to interact with the message, two buttons to take action on the message plus Dismiss.

If you are using a Microsoft account (outlook.com or Microsoft 365 business), the buttons you see are determined by your Quick Actions settings. You won’t have full control over which buttons display or in what order though.

In new Outlook, open View tab > View settings > Mail. Select Customize actions page. You can select up to 4 Quick Actions but only two will display in the notification banner. If Delete is checked, it will be the left button the center button will be Archive, Flag, or Mark as read or unread. Pin and Move to a folder will not show up as buttons.

Below is the order of importance for the actions. If a higher action is unchecked, the button on the left will be the next in the list. If only one of these four is checked, the notification banner will only have two buttons (one is Dismiss), or only the Dismiss button if none of the four actions below are selected.
1. Delete
2. Archive
3. Flag
4. Mark as Read

If new Outlook is closed and you have notifications enabled when closed, the banners will not have buttons. Notifications when can be enabled in View tab > View settings > General, on the Notifications page. Expand Notifications in Outlook and check “Send notifications when Outlook is closed”. (This feature is a bit buggy and hasn't always worked but it has worked for me the last day or two.)

Classic Outlook only supports two user-defined Quick Actions. Your Quick Actions selections will be on the banner (along with Dismiss). If you set the Quick Actions to None, you will only have the Dismiss button. To enable or change your Quick Actions, right click on a message and choose Set Quick Actions...

IMAP and POP accounts, in both new and classic Outlook, will only display the Dismiss button.

Tip: When you receive a security code from Microsoft, the notification banner in classic Outlook will display the code and you can copy it with one click.

If you need to ask if it’s spam, it probably is

There are a number of phishing emails going out to outlook.com and Microsoft 365 business accounts. Some look real at first glance but when you look closer, the signs are easy to spot.

Always check the From field. Microsoft will only send from Microsoft.com addresses. They do not use Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, *.onmicrosoft.com, or other domains.

Microsoft will send notifications to your security addresses for alias changes from “Microsoft account team” using the address account-security-noreply@accountprotection.microsoft.com. If you have not logged into a Microsoft account in two years, this address will send a notification that the account will be closed in two months unless you log in.

Business accounts may receive email from @microsoft.com, especially if they contacted support.

Microsoft will not send you a warning that your account will be suspended if you don't log in or that you violated the terms of service (TOS) and need to log into your account. If you violated the TOS or they determine they need to block your account, they won’t warn you. You’ll find out it was blocked when you try to log in.

Microsoft Support will not send you a meeting invite.

Remember: Do not click links or open attachments in suspicious messages.