Apple Mail app not verifying Hotmail/ Outlook (Microsoft) account name or password

Hi, everyone. So, I have seen many threads with people struggling to set up Hotmail, Outlook or other Microsoft e-mail accounts on MacOS using the Mail app.

Well, I have THE solution (for those of you that have 2-factor authentication turned on on your Microsoft account)!

It has nothing to do with turning off 2-factor authentication, changing settings to POP or IMAP or SMTP or anything else technical.

So, after nearly 2 hours chatting online to Microsoft tech support - this is what we do.....

Seeing as the Mail app does not prompt you to enter a security code, you have to use an 'app password' as your account password in the Mail app.

1. Log into your Microsoft account on your Web browser
2. Go to 'Security'
3. Select 'Advanced Security Options'
4. Under 'App Passwords', create a 'new app password'
5. Now go back to the Mail app and enter this 'app password' where you would normally enter your Microsoft password.

Et, voila, your Mail app should now login and sync all your Microsoft mail data.

Here is the link from the support chap - perhaps it explains it better than I just have:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/using-app-passwords-with-apps-that-don-t-support-two-step-verification-5896ed9b-4263-e681-128a-a6f2979a7944

I hope this helps some of you, as I was pulling my hair out trying to fit this - the annoying this was that everything was working fine until I changed ny password and had to change the login details in the Mail app......

Merry Christmas, everyone 🙏