I've had a lot of complaints this week from users who said Outlook.com stopped syncing in Outlook. One told me he received an email from Microsoft telling him to reconnect. So he did… using manual setup to add it back as an ActiveSync account. Another user tried to add the account using Outlook Connector.
In both cases, the users received error messages because those account types no longer work with Outlook. The Outlook Connector ceased working when the account was migrated to the new servers. Exchange ActiveSync no longer works in Outlook 2013 and 2016 as Outlook desktop was blocked as an ActiveSync client for Outlook.com. Outlook connecting using ActiveSync was always blocked on the business side and in on-prem Exchange servers but allowed in Outlook.com, to make the migration seamless for end users. With the migration all but finished, EAS support for Outlook desktop was disabled.
The only way to connect Outlook to Outlook.com accounts going forward is by using auto account setup to add the account as an Exchange account. (POP and IMAP are also supported, but do not sync calendar & contacts). If you are using an address that is not owned by Microsoft to log into Outlook.com, you will need to create an Outlook.com alias then use that to log into Outlook desktop.
Hi Diane,
I've just had to re-setup my Outlook.com account with Outlook 2016 desktop and don't seem to be able to log in using 2FA, (ie an Authenticator generated 6 digit code). I *have* successfully set up the account with Outlook 2016 desktop by using a one-time app password.
Is it currently correct that the only way to log on is with a one-time p/w? Crazy if so as Apple iPhones correctly support 2FA logons to Outlook.com accounts but MS's only OL2016 desktop program doesn't !
You need to use the app passwords with outlook desktop - i copy and paste it into an outlook note so i don't have to keep regenerating a new one... which actually defeats the purpose of app passwords. lol
Hi Diane, Thanks for this - I too have experienced a lack of calendar sync this week between Outlook 2016 desktop and Outlook.com; and, as your blog suggests, this is probably due to me using EAS. As I've mentioned in response to a previous article however I cannot readily use the auto-connect feature as I end up a victim of the bug whereby my emails default to being responded to from my email address of outlook_12345ABCDE@outlook.com rather than the email address of the receiving account. You have previously pointed out that MS are aware of this bug, but the problem now seems to be that they have, as of this week, effectively closed off the only work-around that functioned! [Thanks for nothing MS] Do you have any update Diane if MS are actively working on this fix, as there must be a fairly sizable number of customers such as myself who are affected??
It really does come to something when one product with Outlook in its title can't play nicely with another from the self-same vendor!
Thanks, Mike
Is this a grandfathered custom domain? They are looking into issues with them. The only way to get rid of the outlook_ugly address is to set an outlook.com alias as the primary.
I'm not sure what you mean by a 'grandfathered custom domain'; I first registered with my own email address, (ie non MS; lets call it m@m.com for this discussion), but have since added a foobar@outlook.com alias. If I make the foobar@outlook.com my primary address then there are knock-on effects elsewhere eg. when sharing files from OneDrive they will be shared by foobar@outlook.com instead of from m@m.com. Similarly that address will be exposed via Skype etc. Basically, I wouldn't mind using the foobar@outlook.com address if all it had to do was log on to outlook, but by making that my primary addy then it will end up being exposed to my public!
It comes to something that I'm actually better off using eMclient with Outlook.com instead of Outlook with Outlook.com :-(
>> I'm not sure what you mean by a 'grandfathered custom domain';
Years ago, back when outlook.com was called Hotmail live (and they introduced the live.com domain), they had a custom domain service where you could create a mail service in hotmail for up to like 100 addresses in an domain you owned (free!). They ended the program for new enrollees but existing accounts continued to work. (They've brought back the custom domain program - for up to 5 mailboxes for $50/yr.)
At this time, you can't add the account to outlook desktop unless you have an outlook.com alias. If the alias is not set as the default account in outlook.com, mail sent via the account will be from an address that is not routable (i call it outlook_ugly@).