Cannot configure Office 365 account using OAuth authentication method.
At a new company I started, they use Office 365 as their mail server (using their domain), together with two factor authentication. However, I can't seem to configure my mail account in Thunderbird. According to some posts, they have been successful, but I always get an "authentication failed when connecting to outlook.office365.com" error.
I have attached a screen capture of my configuration. I use the imap server outlook.office365.com at port 993 with SSL/TLS and OAuth2 authentication, and smtp server smtp.office365.com at port 587 with STARTLS and OAuth2 authentication. I use my email address as the username in both cases.
When I click on "Test" it says that it has found the right parameters have been found, but when I click on "Done", it just fails.
At some point, a windows with microsoft's two factor authentication appeared, where I could enter my email and password and log in, but Thunderbird still complained that it cannot authenticate to the server.
I am using Ubuntu 20.04 with Thunderbird 78.5.1 (64 bits) (I also tried with a nightly build, with the same result).
Any ideas? Is it currently possible to use O365/Exchange mail accounts in Thunderbird?
Thanks!
All Replies (12)
I tried to disable cookies and adding exceptions for the URLs mentioned in that post, but now when I microsoft's authentication window pops up, it doesn't even validate my password.
So I assume that O365 are not officially supported in Thunderbird yet, right?
If your mail-server is using MS Exchange-ActiveSync protocol/server , then TB = Thunderbird (an email client software) cannot connect with that MS Exchange mail-server , unless the (TbSync) Addon/Extension mentioned inside the earlier link is used , even after that obviously all activesync features/functions are not supported.
there are also various server-tools, that can be used with opensource & non-Microsoft software based mail-server software+tools , to provide support for (some of the) activesync compatible services to email-client/users.
So if your mail-server is MS-Exchange based OR if your mail-servers do not have specific activesync-compatible tools with open-source mail server , then TB email client software will not work.
"office365.com" based mail-servers can work in TB , if ActiveSync option is not used & not enabled for the Microsoft email account.
you said you've disabled cookie, but,
Cookies option in TB, needs to be enabled for OAuth2 "auth-method".
enable All Cookies for now (for Microsoft) , as we still dont have specific Cookie-Exception URL list for Microsoft mail-services.
TB main-menu > Options/Preferences/settings > Privacy > Web-Content > select/enable (ALL) "Accept Cookies From Sites".
when Cookie-Exception URL list will be available for MS, then disable "Accept Cookies From Sites" , and add+allow that list of URLs inside the (Cookie)-"Exceptions" list in TB . When this list will be available then it will be added first in the bottom-side-last link i mentioned at bottom side of this.
sometime in TB a mail-account can keep on asking for password , when incorrect protocol are selected or when earlier/older password is not removed first, before adding a new password or secure-mail-key or when a setting was changed, etc, etc.
so please remove earlier password for that mail-account in TB: TB main-menu > Options/Preferences/settings > Security > Passwords > Saved Passwords > click on "Username" column's header to change sorting type to find accounts quickly > find your specific mail-account > select it > Remove.
And please also wait for other SUPPORTERS to also assist you on these,
( one person cannot know ALL or have solution for everything )
Modified by atErik
when OAuth verifying browser-tab comes for MS mail-account in TB , then try to take screenshot(s) by pressing specific combination of keys in your OS , whenever URL/site changes in that tab , keep on doing these until the auth completes, after above, if you create a list of URL of those sites from screentshot pictures, without the ..... letters/codes after the .com/...... part , then that is the list of MS Exceptions needed in "Exceptions" list in TB.
Thank you atEric.
To be honest, I don't know if the Activesync option is enabled or not. It's just my work email and I have no idea about its configuration. Just that it uses two-factor authentication to log in, and it goes through Office 365.
I'll see if anyone else has had some experience in these cases.
remove earlier account , & remove SAVED-PASSWORDS , restart TB. please load Addon(s) mentioned in the top-side link, in your TB. ( ok, i'm including one addon here: TbSync, etc addon. ) after adding those addons/extensions, you should restart TB again. then add a new MS Exchange ActiveSync based mail-account in TB, & try to connect with your office mail-server, see if that works or not.
Modified by atErik
TbSync has nothing to do with mail. It's for calendars and contacts only.
oops, forgot to say : with TbSync, also use ExQuilla. i assumed the link which i have been mentioning in top/first post, you've already read/seen it , it has ExQuilla addon, etc, etc.
Modified by atErik
Oh, I heard about ExQuilla before, but it's a paid addon... : (
or use DavMail thats free , its in the top link. DavMail creates a local gateway inside your own computer, TB can use it.
Modified by atErik