Question about email I received "Final notice - you may lose access to some of your third-party mail and calendar apps"

Question

Dear Microsoft Help,

On September 10, 2024, I received an email with the title "Final notice - you may lose access to some of your third-party mail and calendar apps." This email came from ******@communication.microsoft.com. The email notes that I might lose email access on September 16, 2024.

Currently, I use Microsoft Office 2021 which includes Microsoft Outlook for email on my computer. I have an Apple iPhone and an iPad and use the Apple e-mail feature which came with these products.

Questions:

1. Is the email that I am referencing genuine?
2. Assuming the email is genuine, on my home computer (which uses Microsoft Outlook for email), will I lose email access on September 16? Or, is this not an issue since the email program is Microsoft Outlook?
3. Assuming the email is genuine and WILL affect my home computer, what do I need to do to address this issue?
4. Is the point of this email regarding Apple e-mail or other emails (Gmail, etc.)? What do I need to do regarding email on my iPhone and iPad to make sure that email access is not lost?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Chris, as a former Microsoft employee who worked as an editor on the Exchange team, I can see why your explanation is frustrating and confusing. Here are some issues:

• Someone who works on the team that's handling this change should reply to users' concerns in clear English, putting themselves in the users' shoes.
• In the email, which was forwarded to me by my sister, it's not at all clear what "third-party email and calendar apps" are being referred to. The customers are using some version of Outlook, so it makes sense that they would be confused at first, assuming things will be updated automatically.
• Is the issue that they can currently sign in to their Microsoft account using only their user name and password from the third-party product ? If so, the email needs to give some examples of third-party apps for context, then explain about Microsoft requiring more authentication to access Outlook, Hotmail, or Live.com and that updates need to be made.
• There need to be links to clear instructions for how to update without getting into the weeds. There should also be clear instructions about how to update Office 2021 (which they paid for, btw).
• And finally, the email says "Final Notice." Were earlier versions actually sent?

Answer 2

I’ve read your answer as I have the same message and question but it doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t understand all the terminology you are using. Can you explain to someone who uses Apple but has a Hotmail address exactly what I need to do in very easy steps. Or whether ******@communication.microsoft.com is a valid address as I can’t find anything to say either way. Thanks

Answer 3

It's fine there is a community with the same questions and I should just read all the comments and responses. But it's not practical is helping me use your product.

I see there are currently 87 people with the same question:

Question about email I received "Final notice - you may lose access to some of your third-party mail and calendar apps"

I never even received a notice before this one.

But there is no clear answer. It's ridiculous to think I can possibly lose my email account because I have no clue as to what this email means, if it is legitimate or not and cannot even get a clear answer on what to do.

Sometimes what saves a company and their products is a personal touch. Not "articles", or submit a question and "here's an answer, did it help?". While this is under a time constraint and now I have to waste hours waiting and looking for a response that still may not answer my question.

Very frustrating.

Answer 4

pretend that I don't know anything about computers. Please walk me through the steps I need to take to update the email.

Answer 5

I use Office 365. I use the Outlook program for email. I do not use third party apps. I have an outlook.com email address.

Since I don't use third party apps I find the message title totally misleading.

You say "it does not support the use of Outlook through the POP/IMAP way". So I guess I have to change my outlook account settings from IMAP to something called Exchange.

You then say "you need to change the way to Exchange to rejoin the Outlook, finish!"

Huh? What on earth does this mean. There is nowhere that I can see in outlook to change the settings from IMAP to Exchange.

Please would you explain in simple language how to change the Outlook email program account settings for an existing outlook.com email address .

Thank you.