I cannot log into my outlook email when going thru apple mail on my iMac

John B 20 Reputation points
2026-02-05T17:11:39.3+00:00

My credentials all work fine when logging in thru Safari or Edge; but when trying to add my outlook mail to iMac's email feature, outlook responds that it cannot verify my credentials?

Outlook | MacOS | New Outlook for Mac | For home
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Vikki-T 9,585 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-02-06T09:34:15.7833333+00:00

Dear John B, 

Thank you for your question and for sharing the details into Microsoft Q&A Forum. 

I understand you can sign in successfully to your Outlook mailbox in Safari/Edge, but Apple Mail on your iMac shows a message that it “can’t verify” your credentials. I can understand how frustrating it is.  

In the meantime, for a personal Outlook.com account, please try the steps below: 

  1. Remove the account from Apple Mail and add it back using the correct account type 
  • Open Apple Mail > Settings (or Preferences) > Accounts 
  • Select your Outlook account > click “–” (Remove) 
  • Restart Apple Mail 
  • Add it again via Mail > Add Account 
  • Choose “Outlook.com” (if available) or “Microsoft Exchange” 
  • Sign in through the Microsoft sign-in window when prompted (avoid adding as “Other Mail Account/IMAP” unless necessary) 
  1. Clear saved credentials in macOS Keychain (to remove old or cached tokens/passwords) 
  • Open “Keychain Access” 
  • Search for your email address and also keywords such as: Outlook, Microsoft, Exchange 
  • Delete entries that reference the same mailbox/account 
  • Restart Apple Mail and try adding the account again 
  1. Update macOS (if an update is available) 
  • Apple Mail’s sign-in components can depend on the macOS version, so installing the latest updates may help with account authentication. 
  1. Contact Support 
  • If the issue still persists after trying all steps above, for real-time assistance you can contact Microsoft Support. Please kindly follow these steps below:   
  • Visit to this link: Contact - Microsoft Support > Select Outlook  
  • Select Get home support  
  • Type your issue (use correct keyword to reach live chat support) > select Get help  
  • Scroll down and find Contact Support  
  • At the box Select your product or service   
  • At the box Select your product category   
  • After that you select Chat with a support agent in your web browser  

Optional workaround (if you need email access right away): Please consider continue using Outlook on the web in Safari/Edge or use the Outlook app for Mac while testing the steps above. 

I hope the steps above help you sign in successfully to your Outlook account in Apple Mail on your iMac. Wishing you a smooth experience in restoring access to your mailbox and staying on top of your emails. 

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

Was this answer helpful?

1 additional answer

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest

  1. AI answer

    2026-02-05T17:11:49.6033333+00:00

    If you are unable to log into your Outlook email through Apple Mail on your iMac, it could be due to a few reasons. One common issue is related to the configuration of your account settings in Apple Mail. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

    1. Check Account Settings: Ensure that you have entered the correct email address and password in Apple Mail. Also, verify that the incoming and outgoing mail server settings are correct for Outlook.
    2. Use Your UPN: If your email address differs from your user principal name (UPN), you may need to enter your UPN in the username field. This is particularly relevant if you are using modern authentication.
    3. Update Outlook: Make sure that your Outlook application is updated to the latest version. Sometimes, issues can arise from outdated software.
    4. Keychain Access: If you have previously saved credentials in Keychain Access, they might be causing conflicts. You can try deleting any cached passwords related to your Outlook account in Keychain Access.
    5. Network Security Settings: If you are prompted for credentials repeatedly, check the logon network security settings in your Outlook configuration to ensure they are set correctly.

    If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to consider contacting Microsoft support for further assistance.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.