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Unable to Add Outlook Server — Password Prompt Instead of OAuth2 Authentication

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  • Last reply by Wayne Mery

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When I try to add my Outlook account, the authentication process requires a password input rather than redirecting to Microsoft’s OAuth2 login flow. My Outlook account is configured as passwordless, meaning I typically sign in via Microsoft Authenticator, biometrics, or a security key. I have already tried deleting and recreating my Thunderbird profile, but the issue persists. Since this is my first time adding this Outlook account, there is no existing outgoing server (SMTP) entry for Outlook in Thunderbird’s list. I attempted to manually configure the SMTP server (smtp.office365.com, port 587, oauth2), but the same password prompt appears, and I cannot proceed.

When I try to add my Outlook account, the authentication process requires a password input rather than redirecting to Microsoft’s OAuth2 login flow. My Outlook account is configured as passwordless, meaning I typically sign in via Microsoft Authenticator, biometrics, or a security key. I have already tried deleting and recreating my Thunderbird profile, but the issue persists. Since this is my first time adding this Outlook account, there is no existing outgoing server (SMTP) entry for Outlook in Thunderbird’s list. I attempted to manually configure the SMTP server (smtp.office365.com, port 587, oauth2), but the same password prompt appears, and I cannot proceed.

Modified by cepvor

Chosen solution

You need to use oauth and implement your security authenticator stuff when prompted for a password in the oauth authentication web pages. As oauth is the default for office265 and outlook.com perhaps you are using some other domain for you email address. Oauth is only offered where the server names are detected to be those of office365 so if you are using a hosted domain I would guess that the setup will not correctly identify the hosting server type and the result will be a request for a password.

Is this with the account hub thingy or an existing account in Thunderbird? You might have to go the manual route is you are in the account hub and create a non working account. Correct the server names and then close and reopen the server settings so the authentication types are refreshed and finally get your oauth authentication setup.

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When I try to add my Outlook account, the authentication process requires a password input rather than redirecting to Microsoft’s OAuth2 login flow. My Outlook account is configured as passwordless, meaning I typically sign in via Microsoft Authenticator, biometrics, or a security key. I have already tried deleting and recreating my Thunderbird profile, but the issue persists. Since this is my first time adding this Outlook account, there is no existing outgoing server (SMTP) entry for Outlook in Thunderbird’s list. I attempted to manually configure the SMTP server (smtp.office365.com, port 587, oauth2), but the same password prompt appears, and I cannot proceed.

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Chosen Solution

You need to use oauth and implement your security authenticator stuff when prompted for a password in the oauth authentication web pages. As oauth is the default for office265 and outlook.com perhaps you are using some other domain for you email address. Oauth is only offered where the server names are detected to be those of office365 so if you are using a hosted domain I would guess that the setup will not correctly identify the hosting server type and the result will be a request for a password.

Is this with the account hub thingy or an existing account in Thunderbird? You might have to go the manual route is you are in the account hub and create a non working account. Correct the server names and then close and reopen the server settings so the authentication types are refreshed and finally get your oauth authentication setup.

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Matt said

Is this with the account hub thingy or an existing account in Thunderbird? You might have to go the manual route is you are in the account hub and create a non working account. Correct the server names and then close and reopen the server settings so the authentication types are refreshed and finally get your oauth authentication setup.

cepvor??

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