Microsoft warns of losing access to Outlook
Microsoft has sent a final notification to a group of users that some third-party email applications have lost access to Outlook emails.
According to the software giant, the affected third-party email apps are not secure enough.
If you're one of the many people who use a third-party email application to access Outlook, you may want to start looking for an alternative email program.
Prior to this final notice, Microsoft sent emails regarding the changes under an email stating that sign-in technology must be updated before September 16, 2024 to maintain email access.
Microsoft wants users to move from basic authentication, which uses just a username and password to sign in, to modern authentication, which uses the OAuth 2.0 protocol for a secure sign-in process that keeps accounts secure.
Third-party email applications that do not support OAuth 2.0 lose access to Outlook, and legacy Outlook applications that do not have OAuth 2.0 lose access as well.
“The following desktop versions of Outlook do not support modern authentication: Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016 MSI, and Outlook 2019 LTSC. Any desktop version of Outlook below version 11601.10000 does not support modern authentication,” Microsoft said.
The software giant first announced the change in June, warning users that insecure third-party apps would lose access on September 16.
“Starting September 16, users of personal Microsoft email accounts, such as Outlook, Hotmail, and Live, will need to move to modern authentication methods in the Mail app,” Microsoft said at the time. “The transition is necessary for all Outlook users to help keep their personal email accounts in Outlook secure.”
The company has published a guide on its support page explaining how to enable OAuth 2.0 in Mozilla's Thunderbird and Apple's Apple Mail email apps.