Resolved Unable to verify Microsoft accounts in the Mac Mail app

[Mity]

I just got a new Mac and for some reason I am not able to install my Outlook mail accounts (any of them) but Google accounts are working fine. I am able to access my Outlook accounts via the web as normal. I am on macOS Sequoia 15.7.1.

Anyone having the same issue?

Edit: Other people have reported the same issue on Reddit.

 

[Beowulf404]

Yes, I have experienced what sounds like the same issue, although without knowing more about your specific Outlook accounts I cannot be certain. In my case, the email accounts in question were hosted on Microsoft Exchange Server with 2 factor authentication. I believe that the issue may also affect Microsoft365 accounts. In this case you may be actively prevented from accessing with the Apple Mail client depending on the organisation's own security arrangements e.g. using 2FA. This security did not affect email access to the same accounts using Apple Mail on my iOS devices (iPhone) as 2FA authentication pop-ups with password and Face ID are well integrated into iOS.
Depending on your organisation, it may be that the most rapid (but perhaps not the most elegant) solution for you is to use MS Outlook for those specific Outlook accounts, for which you will need to generate an App Specific Password. At least then you will obtain immediate access to your emails on your new Mac, albeit using two different email clients.

Sign in to apps with your Apple Account using app-specific passwords - Apple Support

App-specific passwords allow you to securely use your Apple Account to sign in to apps made by developers other than Apple.

support.apple.com

If another member has a less clumsy solution, or if I have misunderstood the problem, then I too would be interested to learn.

 

[Mity]

Yes, I have experienced what sounds like the same issue, although without knowing more about your specific Outlook accounts I cannot be certain. In my case, the email accounts in question were hosted on Microsoft Exchange Server with 2 factor authentication. I believe that the issue may also affect Microsoft365 accounts. In this case you may be actively prevented from accessing with the Apple Mail client depending on the organisation's own security arrangements e.g. using 2FA. This security did not affect email access to the same accounts using Apple Mail on my iOS devices (iPhone) as 2FA authentication pop-ups with password and Face ID are well integrated into iOS.
Depending on your organisation, it may be that the most rapid (but perhaps not the most elegant) solution for you is to use MS Outlook for those specific Outlook accounts, for which you will need to generate an App Specific Password. At least then you will obtain immediate access to your emails on your new Mac, albeit using two different email clients.

Sign in to apps with your Apple Account using app-specific passwords - Apple Support

App-specific passwords allow you to securely use your Apple Account to sign in to apps made by developers other than Apple.

support.apple.com

If another member has a less clumsy solution, or if I have misunderstood the problem, then I too would be interested to learn.

These are actually my personal Outlook accounts, not professionally managed Exchange accounts, but I believe Outlook accounts are supported in the "MS Exchange" option in the Mail app on Sequoia. I don't have 2FA enabled on these accounts they also don't have passkeys or anything else preventing setup. The accounts are working fine on my other M4 Mac. But I bought an M4 Air yesterday, immediately upgraded to the latest Sequoia version, and noticed that only my Google accounts are being linked. I did a fresh install - I did not copy anything over from my M1 MBA.

I remember a few years ago this was a problem around Catalina and the way I solved the problem was changing the default browser to Safari from Chrome. I did this again but it didn't work.

Edit: I just checked these same Outlook accounts on my M4 MBP and the accounts that I had linked previously are syncing fine but when I try to add other existing accounts, even they are not working on my older Mac. So, this seems to be an issue with either Outlook or Apple's mail app, not something about my particular accounts.

 

[circatee]

I have the SAME issue. I just purchased a Mac Mini M4 today, and experience this.
To add, I have MFA on my Outlook Dot Com email account, and an app password. That did not work either.

I have resorted to simply using my Gmail/Google account (which also has MFA) going forward. You know, come to think of it, it is probably a good time to move from Outlook Dot Com, I am getting so much spam and the spam filter is awful...

 

[BrianBaughn]

I tested…and my Outlook.com email also will not work in macOS Mail (Sequoia currently).

My Office 365 hosted Exchange account works fine. I don't remember jumping through any special hoops. However, I am in control of the "organization" and make the security rules via the web interface.

It would seem MS has abandoned Outlook.com email-bearing macOS users of Mail. It definitely used to work.

Although I have an email domain hosted by Office 365 I still prefer using Google's calendars and contacts. I'm hoping Google doesn't abandon macOS users at some point.

 

[circatee]

I tested…and my Outlook.com email also will not work in macOS Mail (Sequoia currently).

My Office 365 hosted Exchange account works fine. I don't remember jumping through any special hoops. However, I am in control of the "organization" and make the security rules via the web interface.

It would seem MS has abandoned Outlook.com email-bearing macOS users of Mail. It definitely used to work.

Although I have an email domain hosted by Office 365 I still prefer using Google's calendars and contacts. I'm hoping Google doesn't abandon macOS users at some point.

I've spent the evening moving my email, contacts and calendar items to Gmail/Google.

A tad bit frustrating. Even more so, like you mentioned, what if Google/Apple stop 'supporting' Gmail accounts on macOS 😳

 

[circatee]

I tested…and my Outlook.com email also will not work in macOS Mail (Sequoia currently).

My Office 365 hosted Exchange account works fine. I don't remember jumping through any special hoops. However, I am in control of the "organization" and make the security rules via the web interface.

It would seem MS has abandoned Outlook.com email-bearing macOS users of Mail. It definitely used to work.

Although I have an email domain hosted by Office 365 I still prefer using Google's calendars and contacts. I'm hoping Google doesn't abandon macOS users at some point.

My personal domain email account, via M365 works as expected. Just weird...

 

[aihpcfl]

Just to add information: I'm using Exchange with Apple email on my MacBook Air and iPhone (each on latest OS) and have been using Exchange going back to the Blackberry days before I switched to iPhone. It is a free account, not paid Outlook, not M365. I've gone through device changes and OS updates, and it has been so long that I don't remember details.

 

[circatee]

Just to add information: I'm using Exchange with Apple email on my MacBook Air and iPhone (each on latest OS) and have been using Exchange going back to the Blackberry days before I switched to iPhone. It is a free account, not paid Outlook, not M365. I've gone through device changes and OS updates, and it has been so long that I don't remember details.

...same here:
I use anemailaddress @ outlook dot com, and adding that account to any Sequoia OS, fails.
I also own a domain, anynameilike @ mydomain dot com (on M365), and adding that works on any version of Sequoia.

I haven't tried on Tahoe, yet. I am trying to hold off install it.
Plus, I am working on migrating from Outlook Dot Com to Gmail. Not happy or sold on this approach. But, I've also had a serious influx of spam via Outlook Dot Com. So, there's that.

 

[circatee]

Update: I just tested adding an Outlook Dot Com account on a MacBook Pro at work, OS 15.7.1.
Same exact error...!

So, this is not a device, network, or Outlook Dot Com account issue, it is something on macOS...

 

[M4th]

I have four Outlook accounts. Only issue I recall when setting them up with the Mail app was something to do with the calendar being a day later, if I'm recalling correctly. Otherwise everything has been fine.

I have had an AOL account since, well, quite awhile. Only just now tried adding it to the Mail app and it seems to be fine but it's taking a good few minutes to download everything...

 

[circatee]

I have four Outlook accounts. Only issue I recall when setting them up with the Mail app was something to do with the calendar being a day later, if I'm recalling correctly. Otherwise everything has been fine.

I have had an AOL account since, well, quite awhile. Only just now tried adding it to the Mail app and it seems to be fine but it's taking a good few minutes to download everything...

View attachment 2564355

Not saying to do this. But, I am willing to bet, if you tried to re-add an Outlook Dot Com account, it would fail...

 

[M4th]

Thread from the Sequoia forum of MR that may be help? Post #4 in particular.

(Yeah, won't try adding a new outlook email account to the Mail app.)

 

[BigBlur]

It's definitely something on the macOS side ever since Microsoft started requiring Modern Authentication over a year ago. Apple needs to add an "Outook.com" option that supports Modern Authentication, like they did for iOS/iPadOS.

Modern Authentication Methods now needed to continue syncing Outlook Email in non-Microsoft email apps

While not exactly a fix, these days I just use Outlook for Mac. It used to require a O365 account/license, but no longer does and it's free for everyone. Microsoft has simplified the app and some people prefer it over Apple Mail, but YMMV.

 

[aihpcfl]

Thread from the Sequoia forum of MR that may be help? Post #4 in particular.

(Yeah, won't try adding a new outlook email account to the Mail app.)

I saw this at the time and had forgotten all about it. I hope those experiencing the subject problem now will try it and report.

@M4th Good find, I hope.

 

[PodGoDon]

I just tried it on a new Mac (Deleting the contents of the V10 folder) and it still does not allow you to add an outlook.com account. From my observation, for some reason it can't open the web window to allow MS authentication. This is similar to the google authentication, except google works.

 

[aihpcfl]

I just tried it on a new Mac (Deleting the contents of the V10 folder) and it still does not allow you to add an outlook.com account. From my observation, for some reason it can't open the web window to allow MS authentication. This is similar to the google authentication, except google works.

Thanks for trying @PodGoDon.

Stabs in the dark: Running a VPN? Tried on wireless only vs. wifi, and vice versa?

Another possible stab in the dark: I gather the MS authentication window is in a browser? What about changing your default browser so that the window opens in a different browser other than your present default?

 

[PodGoDon]

Tried wired, wireless = no go. No VPN. Also tried it on Tahoe, Sequoia and Sonoma = no go.
Just switched to Chrome as default on Sequoia, still no go.
Setting Chrome to default opened Chrome when selecting google mail account.
Setting Opera to default still opened Safari when selecting google mail account.
Setting FireFox to default still opened Safari when selecting google mail account.
Also I tried to turn off all security in Safari as well as popup blockers, that didn't help either.

 

[BigBlur]

I gather the MS authentication window is in a browser? What about changing your default browser so that the window opens in a different browser other than your present default?

Yes, that's basically the root of the problem here. For iOS/iPadOS, Apple added an "Outlook.com" option that supports Modern Authentication. It opens a browser window for you to log into (just like Google, Yahoo, and AOL).

For whatever reason, Apple hasn't added that option to macOS Mail.

If you've added your Outlook.com account through Microsoft Exchange before Microsoft enforced Modern Authentication, then that will still work since you've already authenticated and have a token. It's only a problem when attempting to add a new account.

 

[circatee]

Tahoe 26.0 - no, it doesn't work there either, same error...

 

[circatee]

It's definitely something on the macOS side ever since Microsoft started requiring Modern Authentication over a year ago. Apple needs to add an "Outook.com" option that supports Modern Authentication, like they did for iOS/iPadOS.

Modern Authentication Methods now needed to continue syncing Outlook Email in non-Microsoft email apps

While not exactly a fix, these days I just use Outlook for Mac. It used to require a O365 account/license, but no longer does and it's free for everyone. Microsoft has simplified the app and some people prefer it over Apple Mail, but YMMV.

I am willing to bet, if one turns off MFA (merely for testing), and then try to add the account it would work. Then turn MFA back on...

 

[aihpcfl]

Yes, that's basically the root of the problem here. For iOS/iPadOS, Apple added an "Outlook.com" option that supports Modern Authentication. It opens a browser window for you to log into (just like Google, Yahoo, and AOL).

View attachment 2564488


For whatever reason, Apple hasn't added that option to macOS Mail.

View attachment 2564486

If you've added your Outlook.com account through Microsoft Exchange before Microsoft enforced Modern Authentication, then that will still work since you've already authenticated and have a token. It's only a problem when attempting to add a new account. The Microsoft Exchange option does not open a browser window for authentication, nor should it.

I see I'm out of my depth. When I setup my Microsoft email there was no Outlook.com option. I used Exchange, anyway. I think at the time I used an app password from Microsoft, whatever Microsoft called those at the time. I'll send aside and watch the thread for now.

 

[PodGoDon]

I am willing to bet, if one turns off MFA (merely for testing), and then try to add the account it would work. Then turn MFA back on...

I'm using a password only outlook.com account and it doesn't work.

 

[circatee]

I'm using a password only outlook.com account and it doesn't work.

Hmm, very interesting! I think this just further justifies my move from Outlook Dot Com.
Alas, I have had the account for over 20 years. Ugh...

 

[BigBlur]

Looking at this some more, I'm now thinking it's an issue on Microsoft's end.

After putting in only my email address, I can see it opening up a browser window (the one behind the error), but it fails to load and throws an error. I haven't even entered in my password yet at this point.

When I put in my work email, this window shows my company's login screen.
When I put in my school email, this window shows my school's login screen.

I'm guessing this window should be showing Outlook's login screen, but it fails to load correctly.