New protocols for using Apple Mail with Hotmail accounts

Microsoft has announced the following:


"The safety and security of your information is top priority for Microsoft. To help keep your account secure, Microsoft will no longer support the use of third-party email and calendar apps which ask you to sign in with only your Microsoft Account username and password. To keep you safe you will need to use a mail or calendar app which supports Microsoft’s modern authentication methods. If you do not act, your third-party email apps will no longer be able to access your Outlook.com, Hotmail or Live.com email address on September 16th."


I use Apple Mail for all my email accounts which include two hotmail accounts that need to be redefined as 'outlook' accounts with new security parameters for them to work with Apple Mail, otherwise I am going to lose access to these accounts via Apple Mail. I have Apple Mail installed on all my devices, the principle device being a Mac Mini (Sonoma 14.5). Obviously these email accounts will be available via other email apps like Outlook for Mac and via a web browser.


According to general advice that I have looked for, the best way continue to use Apple Mail is to delete the accounts from Apple Mail (via the Mac Mini) and then add them again with the new Outlook parameters which are not simply the current account name and password. Doing this does not alter any emails that you have stored on the Outlook server - the account name is not changing.


I have all of my mail stored in mail folders on my Mac. I don't keep the messages on the remote server. The only messages that are held on the remote Outlook server are the most recent in my Inbox i.e. those that I have not yet moved to other folders on my Mac and those that have not yet been deleted from the remote server.


So, if I delete the accounts in Apple Mail (on the Mac Mini), I am going to lose all of the history of my emails stored in the various mail sub-folders for the corresponding email account on my Mac Mini. As there is no copy of these on the remote server, they will be lost forever. Adding the new Outlook version of the accounts will not connect these accounts to their history in Apple Mail.


I must admit that I am a bit lost as to how I can continue using Apple Mail for my two Hotmail accounts. The only thing that I can see that I can do is the following:


Copy all subfolders for these email accounts on the Mac into new subfolders for another NON-Hotmail account that I currently use.

Delete the Hotmail Accounts on my Mac, thus deleting all of their sub folders.

Add the new Outlook versions of these accounts with the necessary parameters.

Re-create the subfolders for those accounts and then move all of the previously moved emails back to these accounts.

I understand that deleting and re-adding the accounts on my Mac will be reflected on my other synced Apple devices (iPhone, iPad etc) which don't contain the history, as this is only on the Mac Mini.


I hope I have understood the situation correctly and explained it well.


I don't want to use different apps for my different email accounts. I want to maintain them all in one application if possible.


Any help would be greatly appreciated. There is a distinct lack of information about this one the internet. Sorry if this message is a bit long or is incorrect in any way.

Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro, OS X 10.11

Posted on Jun 28, 2024 6:49 AM

Reply
1 reply

Jun 29, 2024 10:07 AM in response to Munsterlanders

Not sure when Apple is going to update their Mail app to reflect the changes that show the Outlook.com on this screenshot. My guess will be once Sequoia is out of beta testing. I use their app that can be downloaded from the app store for my old Hotmail and Outlook accounts. The only place I use my Hotmail and Outlook accounts are on my iPhone and iPad in Mail.


[Edited by Moderator]

New protocols for using Apple Mail with Hotmail accounts

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