Update:
You might want to check the updated version of this post HERE.
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For many reasons, you might want to manually configure Outlook to work with Office 365.
Here are some obstacles you may encounter:
- You don’t have the Office 365 Sign-in assistant available.
- No Autodiscover record published.
- You’re working on Wndows Server 2003 and can’t install Office 2010 hotfix kb2544027. (If you want you can install only the .msp file, it skips all the prerequisites)
I tried following Microsoft’s Article about how to do it, no luck.
Finally, after doing some digging, here’s how to do it:
Log on to Office 365 OWA at https://outlook.com/<your.domain>:
Once logged on, go to “Help, About”:
In the new window, look for “Host Name”:
Copy the the host name and close this window.
Now we can create a new profile in Outlook with the following configuration;
Choose to manually configure server settings:
then choose “Microsoft Exchange or compatible service”:
in the Server Settings window in the Server field, paste the name of the Host Name you copied earlier.
Now, for this to work correctly, you need to add the word “mailbox” betwin the Host name and the rest of the FQDN. So if my Host Name is “sinprd0602.outlook.com”, my Server name here should be “sinprd0602.mailbox.outlook.com”. Do the same for the name you copied:
Don’t forget to enter your Office 365 email address at the “User Name” field, then click “More Settings” and go to the “Connection” tab. Check the “Connect to Microsft Exchange using HTTP” box and click “Exchange Proxy Settings…”:
In the next window, fill the following details:
Type the Host Name you copied earlier in the “Use this URL to connect to my proxy server for Exchange” field.
Check the “Only connect to proxy server that have this principal name in their certificate” box and type: msstd:outlook.com.
Make sure both checkboxes are marked for connecting using HTTP first, and make sure you set the authentication method to “Basic”:
Click “OK” twice, then click “Check name” and enter your password at the prompt. the server and user names should be underlined:
Click “Next” and “Finish” and open Outlook, enter your password if prompted. That’s it, You’re connected!
Just to let you know – for some people the host name isn’t right. it’s the first ten characters of Exchange Client access server.
You are a star! I’ve wasted hours trying out different permutations suggested. If only MS could have been better (much better) in communicating (a) enough (b) accurately.
great ! this helped me out !
fantastico, muchisimas gracias
Reblogged this on it support sussex.
Really wonderful.I was really in soup..You Saved my time and effort.
THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH for this great tuto 🙂
The only thing I had to add, beside the instructions above, was “mailbox” into the server name (host name). Instead of “db3prd0402.outlook.com” I had to use “dp3prd0402.mailbox.outlook.com”.
Sorry but it ask me the user name and password for sinprd0402.mailbox.outlook.com
how can i get it
Hi Kalpesh,
The user name and password for the server are your Office 365 email address and your password.
Thanks….its working
Much appreciated!
Wow. Just Wow! Thank you for this helpful info. If only MS would publish this as well.
ata totach!!
Fantastic, thanks for your great article.
Hello. Your Article seems very detailed..Thanks for that… Can you help me here? Right before finishing everything i get this error when checking the name:”Conection to Microsoft Exchange is not available. Outlook must be online or connected to perform this action” therefore I won’t see the username underline and then I’m not sure if the connection will be completed.
Same issue, I could not resolve the server. Tried various versions of server host name. No luck
The message I get is:
The action cannot be completed. The connection to Microsoft Exchange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action.
Works great! Fixed the issue and set up 7 other accounts without error. I was adding the mailbox.outlook.com in the proxy as well – whoops.
Good Material
Hi y0av,
I know this is a bit old post But if anyone can help me in setting this up, is highy appreciated… I’ve done exactly as per your steps but I receive an error : The name cannot be resoved. The connection to Microsoft Exchange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
This tool will allow you to resolve most DNS issues (like not having an autodiscover) without the manual setup process.
http://www.agileit.com/news/office-365-autodiscover-xml-tool-released/
Microsoft removed the “Help, About”. Great Job, now you need to use PoewrShell. (I gave up. )
Microsoft, thank you for making simple things complicated.
Many thanks! I was using IMAP but it was getting really slow on a growing inbox. The exchange proxy settings did the trick.
Thanks it works, i tried so many times but this method only working. Great Article
Could you please help me ? “Help, About” has been removed by microsoft in the last version. How can I find the host name now ?
Hi Calou,
The host name is always Outlook.Office365.com in this version.
Thanks for your answer but it doesn’t work, it asks me my paswword again and again. Probably because I try to use Outlook 203
True, Outlook 2003 is not supported with this version of Office 365.
Hi y0av. I’m having a similar problem to Calou, above. your answer says the host name is always outlook.office365.com but I was expecting something hat looked more like your sinprd0602.outlook.com part. Do you mean that I can just add outlook.office365.com ? I’m puzzled and can’t get beyond the first step. I’m using Office 2013 on my desktop, if thats any help. Thanks very much.
Hi FuzzyBoots,
Please see the updates post on this issue: http://wp.me/p1gkih-fd.