Office 365 IMAP Settings

What is IMAP? 

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IMAP makes emails truly accessible. It allows you to access your email account from anywhere and from any device. 

When you use IMAP to read an email, it neither downloads the email, nor it gets stored on your computer. Instead, you are only reading your email directly using your ESP or email service provider. That’s why you can check your email from anywhere in the world: your computer, a tablet, your mobile, or a friend’s computer. 

However, you can download an email using IMAP as well. You need to click on the message to download it, however, it doesn't automatically download the attachments. This is why IMAP operates way faster than POP. 

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Office 365 IMAP Settings: Set Up an Office 365 Account Using IMAP

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Office 365 accounts offer email clients for accessing your Office 365 email account using IMAP. Here are the email settings you need to set up an Office 365 account using IMAP: 

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1. Microsoft 365/Hotmail/Outlook/Live.com

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Email Server: outlook.office365.com

Port: 993

Encryption Method: SSL/TLS

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2. MSN

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Server: imap-mail.outlook.com

Port: 993

Encryption: SSL/TLS

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What to Do If Outlook IMAP Connection Errors?

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Your Outlook.com account connection might show email error codes (basic authentication error) if you configure your account as IMAP in various email clients. Although Microsoft is working on to fix the inconvenience, you may try this method to solve the issue: 

• In your ISP, search for ‘account.live.com/activity’ and sign in through your Outlook Web App with the affected email address and its password. 
• Under the ‘Recent activity’ section, choose the ‘Session Type’ from when you recently received the connection error and expand it. 
• Click on ‘This was me’ to acknowledge the system to authorize IMAP connection. 
• Once done, try to connect your account via IMAP client again. 

This article on ‘What is the Recent Activity Page?’ will give you a detailed understanding on how you can fix the issue. 

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