Configure AquaMail for two factor on Microsoft email ?

[NWTSCL]

How to I configure the app to support two-factor that has been enabled on Microsoft email?

Microsoft gave me a new IMAP app password that I must add to any email app that I use to access that email account. How do I add that into AquaMail? In Manual configuration, I do not see anywhere to enter a password.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

An app specific password?

Please long press on the account on the app's main screen -> account setup -> you'll see a password input field

If you don't, and it's a @hotmail / @outlook account, then you must already be using "password-less" authentication called OAUTH2

[NWTSCL]

If you don't, and it's a @hotmail / @outlook account, then you must already be using "password-less" authentication called OAUTH2

Does this mean the account can't be added with "Hotmail or Outlook.com", so I'll have to remove and re-add it? How do I add the account to AquaMail with two factor enabled?

By the way, I tried to add it as "Internet mail".  But then AquaMail always errors with

Account check error

Outgoing mail server (SMTP): Error connecting. failed to connect to smtp-mail.outlook.com/....after 30000ms.

Yes I am sure the password is correct.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

Sorry I'm still not clear about what you mean by "Microsoft account", it's just too vague.

If you meant a Hotmail / Outlook.com account - please use Hotmail as your account type.

The app will open a Microsoft web page to log you in (you'll be logging "into Microsoft" not "into Aqua Mail") and it should work with 2 factor.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

Re: Outgoing mail server (SMTP): Error connecting. failed to connect to smtp-mail.outlook.com/....after 30000ms.

So the IMAP (incoming mail) server worked (checked OK) and connected and accepted the app specific password.

This is the SMTP (outgoing mail) server - and error is that the app can't connect to it, it doesn't even get to try to log in.

A network problem, not a password problem.

The right SMTP server for Hotmail is: smtp-mail.outlook.com + security type STARTTLS (strict) + port # 587.

Please check by using the Manual button when adding the account.

If it already is, it means there is something wrong with your networking, preventing the app from connecting (e.g. you're using an office / hotel WiFi network, those often deliberately block sending mail).

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To summarize:

- You can use "Hotmail" account type and that supports two factor

- Or you can use "Internet Mail" account type and use an app specific password (instead of the "main" password)

- But either way the app will try to connect to the Hotmail SMTP server - and it's this part that's failing for you, not the logging in.

[NWTSCL]

Sorry I'm still not clear about what you mean by "Microsoft account", it's just too vague.

If you meant a Hotmail / Outlook.com account - please use Hotmail as your account type.

The app will open a Microsoft web page to log you in (you'll be logging "into Microsoft" not "into Aqua Mail") and it should work with 2 factor.

Yes, it is Hotmail / Outlook. This doesn't work. Microsoft gives a unique passcode that must be entered for the incoming server.

Reply to your next message: Everything works fine if I do not enable two-factor on my email account. But if I do, it CANNOT be added to AquaMail as "Hotmail / Outlook" because AquaMail does not allow the input of this new unique passcode for the incoming mail server.  If I addd the account to AquaMail as "Internet mail", AquaMail errors saying that it cannot connect to the outgoing server.  How is that a network problem? And yes I am using the correct server domain name, security, and port.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

Re: cannot connect to the outgoing server.  How is that a network problem

That -- "cannot connect" -- is exactly a "network problem".

Given that your server settings are correct - as you just wrote yourself - it has to be something "outside" Aqua Mail.

But just in case:

The outgoing (SMTP) server for Hotmail is smtp-mail.outlook.com + STARTTLS + port 587

Re: But if I do, it CANNOT be added to AquaMail as "Hotmail / Outlook" because AquaMail does not allow the input of this new unique passcode for the incoming mail server. 

I have a Hotmail account.

Just tried enabling two-step and then was able to add the account into Aqua Mail as "Hotmail" account type.

Please see the screenshots below.

The prompt to enter a confirmation code (from SMS) is displayed by Microsoft, not us.

We just start Microsoft's login process in a window and don't even know what's in there, or even two factor is enabled or not.

Please note that I did not have to use anything like this - "Microsoft gave me a new IMAP app password".

When using two-factor + "Hotmail" account type - you use the "master" ("main", "regular") password.

An "application specific password" is only necessary for "Internet Mail" (which directly uses whatever password you type in, and does not turn to "Microsoft in a window" for logging in).

[NWTSCL]

Your steps in AquaMail are different than mine. And rather than this being a network problem, could this not be a "incorrect data being sent to the server" problem?

[Kostya Vasilyev]

Re: Your steps in AquaMail are different than mine.

Yes I see now.

All *we* do is fire off a web page on Microsoft's web site to log you in in a window - and wait for that to complete.

The actual steps (my having been prompted to confirm with an SMS code, and your not getting prompted) are managed by Microsoft. I have no way to know why you're not getting the SMS step even though you're using "2 factor".

I hope MS support can work that out (but most likely they'll just recommend you use Outlook...)

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Other than that - the login error is well a login error, but with the "steps being different" (above), it's not surprising.

The outgoing server is a "cannot connect" / network error, I know you don't want to hear that, but that's what it is, it doesn't even get to the step of logging in.

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As I wrote above, another option is to use "Internet Mail" account type + enter the "application specific password" (which I hope is what MS provided for you, what you wrote originally) or to generate one yourself here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12409