November 17 2017 Starting with Outlook version 1711 (build 16.0.8730), modern authentication is no longer a requirement and all Office 365 and Outlook.com users will have focused inbox capability in Outlook 2016 for Windows.
Several users (myself included), have noticed that Outlook desktop doesn't show the Focused and Other tabs for some Office 365 accounts. The installed version of Outlook supports Focused Inbox but it's not working. It's not that the Focused Inbox is turned off, the Focused Inbox button is missing from the View tab.
This happens when the tenant is not enabled for Modern Authentication. (Two-factor auth is not required on the accounts, but Modern Auth needs to be enabled on the tenant.)
The administrator will need to enable modern auth using PowerShell.
To check the setting or verify that the change was successful use this cmdlet:
Get-OrganizationConfig | ft name, *OAuth*
If OAuth2ClientProfileEnabled is False, the administrator can turn it on using this cmdlet:
Set-OrganizationConfig -OAuth2ClientProfileEnabled:$true
After enabling modern auth, it may take several minutes for the focused inbox to be enabled, or you can restart Outlook and focused inbox should be available almost immediately.
More Information
Modern authentication behavior across Office 2013 and Office 2016 (TechNet)
Exchange Online: How to enable your tenant for modern authentication (TechNet)
Hi Diane,
I am on a subscription of Office 365, Version 1807 (Build 10325.20082). My problem is I do have Focused and Other showing at the top of my mail items, and it keeps switching to Focused, which I hate. No matter how many times I switch it back to Other, it seems to decide when it should be using Focused. So I read up on how to turn the darn thing off, and that doesn't work either. I did not have a "Show Focused Inbox" on my view menu, so I added a custom group under View, found the command and added it. But it is greyed out. I can't do anything with it. I'm afraid your explanation above is beyond my pay grade - this is a very well used home computer and all I want is for the Focused Inbox to be shut off permanently. I don't even want to see it. How can I accomplish that?
I've noticed it sometimes switches back to focused when new mail arrives in the mailbox.
is this on an outlook.com or office 365 account?
I have an Office 365 home subscription, but I do have an outlook.com email address that I have set up in desktop Outlook 2016. If I log in to Outlook.com web app, I have Focused Inbox turned off and have had since it first came out. But I cannot get rid of it in my desktop Outlook. Have I mentioned how much I hate it? :)
What version of Outlook do you have installed on the desktop?
Version 1807 (Build 10325.20082 Click-to-Run)
When I click 'About Outlook' it says: Microsoft Outlook 2016 MSO (16.0.10325.20082) 32-bit. I don't know if it makes a difference but my system is 64-bit. It seemed the wisdom at the time I started with Office 365 (quite a few years ago) was to NOT install the 64-bit version of Office 365.
That is the latest build and you have a subscription... so you should have focused (Focused inbox is only available in the subscription.)
It only works with Microsoft Exchange accounts - which is outlook.com, office 365 exchange, or exchange 2016 on-prem. As long as you set it up using auto account setup, its exchange.
32/64 bit doesn't make a difference on this. They recommended 32-bit for addin support but most, if not all addins are not 64bit so Microsoft will soon begin installed 64bit by default.
But there appears no way for me to shut it off. As mentioned before, I did not have the icon in the View menu and when I added it, it is disabled.
Do you still have the focused inbox with the latest update?
Yes, I still have the focused inbox and can see no way to shut it off.
Test. Hi Diane, I have replied to your above question twice but the posts keep disappearing. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong . . ??
You aren't doing anything wrong. I keep comments in the moderation queue until I answer them - its easier to find them that way.
Hi Diane: My reading of the Outlook blog indicated that the purchased version of Outlook 2016 (rather than the subscription) would not include Focused Inbox features. I use Outlook 2016, which I purchased, along with Office 365 email. Will your recommended solution work as a result of my subscription to O365? Any thoughts would be helpful!
That is my understanding too - that only subscriptions will get the new features. The purchased version will only get security fixes (which may occasionally include some of the new features, but don't count on it). I don't think enabling oAuth on the server will change things - the version of Outlook matters too (you need 1703 and higher), but it doesn't hurt to try.
Thank you for your response.
I have Outlook 2016 Build 1710 on the monthly channel. I have O365 on the back end. I have modern auth activated on the back end. Focussed is working in OWA and on IOS using the Outlook app. But not on Outlook 2016 Build 1710 on Win10 Pro. But here's the thing - if I start Outlook in safe mode (start run outlook.exe /safe) then I do get the focussed inbox ICON and it all works. Very strange.
Definitely strange that it works in safe mode, almost like there is a policy or setting that turned it off in outlook. Are group policies in force on the computer? What addins are installed?
Hi Diane,
I've followed Powershell for AzureAD install steps and connect to MsolService using administrator credentials but Get-OrganizationConfig isn't listed as an available cmdlet. I see tons of stuff for managing Azure Vm's though since following the install instructions.
Do you have a link that would give me the exact steps to import whichever module has the Get-OrganizationConfig (and Set-OrganizationConfig) commands.
Thanks,
Doug
did you log in and import the exchange libraries? You need to use the three commands at the top of this page:
then the commands will work.
Hi,
I have outlook.com connected to outlook 2016. In the web-version of outlook.com "focused inbox" is enabled, but no tab in Outlook 2016. What to do?
At this time, it does not work with outlook.com - focused inbox in outlook desktop needs "modern auth" enabled but this is not supported on the consumer side. They are working to remove that requirement and once they do, you will have focused on the desktop. (An updated version of Outlook is also required, but by the time they fix the modern auth issue, everyone using outlook 2016 subscriptions should have a build that support focused.)
Thank you! This worked a treat.
I have focused inbox showing in outlook 365 subscription, but my view focused inbox is greyed out. I would rather keep using my clutter box until my mobile api is updated. However, I cannot turn off the focused inbox in my desktop. Can you help?