Outlook email created off of my Gmail?

Question

When I go to login to Outlook in my Microsoft Edge, I went to login with my Gmail account, but then it had me add @outlook.com to the end of the first part that comes before @gamil.com. It seems to have created an outlook email account that doesn't show any of my Gmail emails, and I can't add my Gmail. The email seems to be a bunch of random numbers and letters starting with outlook...bunch of random ******@outlook.com.

It still has my Gmail listed as my Microsoft account.

Then when I click on the Outlook app on my computer desktop, it pulls up my Gmail emails, and I was able to add my college email. I'm also able to login to my college email in the browser with no problems.

My questions are:

Why did Outlook create an outlook email for me using my Gmail?

How do I get rid of my weird outlook email?

Can I login to my Gmail within Outlook or do I have to just use the official Google Gmail website?

Answer 1

@Jeffrey Smith said

When I go to login to Outlook in my Microsoft Edge, I went to login with my Gmail account

Outlook Web (in a browser) and New Outlook for Windows App (runs as a program) are two totally different beasts. Even though Microsoft calls them both "Outlook".

Outlook Web can only be used with a single Microsoft (outlook.com) email account. New Outlook can have multiple email accounts of any type.

Why did Outlook create an outlook email for me using my Gmail?

Outlook Web can't access your GMail account, so it offered to make you an outlook.com account that you could use instead.

How do I get rid of my weird outlook email?

Without knowing it, you have created a Microsoft Account (with an outlook.com email address) but an "Account Identifier" (what you enter when it ask you for your Microsoft Account email) that is a GMail address. Doesn't make any sense does it? I don't know why Microsoft allows this, it just confuses everybody.

To get rid of it you first have to logon to it:

Open https://account.live.com/names/manage

Use your GMail email and whatever password/verification you setup when it created the outlook.com account for you.

It should show something like this, with your GMail email as the "Primary"

Now that you have confirmed this is the Microsoft Account with a GMail Name, you can delete it by following these instructions.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/how-to-close-your-microsoft-account

Can I login to my Gmail within Outlook or do I have to just use the official Google Gmail website?

You can add your GMail account to the New Outlook for Windows App using these instructions. (You can not access your GMail account from Outlook in a browser)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/getstarted/add-a-gmail-account-to-outlook-for-windows

Answer 2

What happened is consistent with a Microsoft account that was originally created with a third-party address such as Gmail.

• The Gmail address can be used as a sign-in alias for the Microsoft account.
• That does not mean Gmail mail is automatically brought into Outlook.com.
• Outlook.com is Microsoft’s web mailbox, so when the account started with a non-Microsoft address, Outlook can show a generated outlook_[random characters]@outlook.com mailbox label.
• That generated Outlook mailbox name can remain even after an Outlook.com alias is added later.

For the specific questions:

1. Why did Outlook create an Outlook email from the Gmail sign-in?
   Because the Gmail address is acting as a sign-in alias for the Microsoft account, not as the actual Outlook.com mailbox. Outlook.com can assign a generated Outlook mailbox label for that Microsoft account.
2. How to get rid of the weird Outlook email?
   The supported information indicates that this mailbox name may stay and may not be changeable. If an Outlook.com or Hotmail.com alias exists, it can be set as the primary alias. That can help with how the account is identified for sign-in, but the generated mailbox label may still remain.
3. Can Gmail be used in Outlook?
   Yes. Gmail can be added to Outlook for Windows. Outlook for Windows supports adding Gmail accounts. In new Outlook for Windows, go to:
   • View > View settings or File > Account info
   • Accounts > Your accounts
   • Add Account
   • Enter the Gmail address and continue
   Some non-Microsoft providers such as Gmail may require changes on the provider’s website before the account can be added.
4. Does Gmail have to be used only on the Gmail website?
   No. Gmail does not have to be used only on the Google website. It can be added to Outlook for Windows. However, Outlook.com no longer supports connecting new third-party accounts such as Gmail for syncing inside Outlook.com.

If the goal is to use Gmail mail inside Microsoft Outlook, use Outlook for Windows or the Outlook mobile app, not Outlook.com connected accounts.

If Gmail cannot be added in classic Outlook, the documented workaround is:

• Close Outlook.
• In the Google account, remove access for Microsoft apps & services.
• In Credential Manager > Windows Credentials, remove the MicrosoftOffice16_Data:OAUTH2 entries that include the Google IMAP OAuth credential.
• Then open Outlook and use Sign in via browser when adding or re-adding the Gmail account.

Note: the workaround includes deleting credentials and checking registry identity mappings, so it should be followed carefully.

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References:

• Link your Google account and Microsoft account
• Connected email accounts like Gmail and Yahoo not working in Outlook.com
• Add an email account to Outlook for Windows
• Unable to add a Gmail account to classic Outlook
• In the OUTLOOK online the mailbox name is not matching with mail address. - Microsoft Q&A
• Understanding Gmail and Microsoft Account Connection - Microsoft Q&A