Problem installing legacy iCloud account on outlook.

Question

I have a legacy iCloud account with @mac.com, @me.com and @icloud.com aliases. The primary Apple Account address is @mac.com. iCloud Mail works normally in the browser. Outlook recognises the account as iCloud and redirects me to Apple's login. Apple authentication and 2FA succeed, but Outlook cannot complete account setup and returns "Check account information". The same issue occurs in Outlook for iPhone and Outlook for Mac. Anyone else encounter this and resolve it? Thanks! My workaround is just to use Mail but as Outlook is my primary app would rather have all accounts together… Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi David Horne,

I understand that Apple authentication completes successfully, but Outlook cannot finish adding the legacy iCloud account on either the Mac or iPhone.

Please note that this is a user-to-user forum, so contributors cannot examine the account or the authentication request directly.

First, update Outlook to the latest available version and restart it. Then remove any partially added iCloud entry and try adding the account again using the exact email address shown as the Apple Account sign-in address, rather than one of its aliases. Outlook’s current iCloud setup should open Apple’s authorization page and return to Outlook after Allow is selected. Add or manage an iCloud email account in Outlook

If the same “Check account information” message remains, use Advanced setup or manual IMAP setup with a newly generated Apple app-specific password:

• Incoming server: imap.mail.me.com, port 993, SSL
• Outgoing server: smtp.mail.me.com, port 587, SSL/TLS
• SMTP authentication: Required
• Password: A newly generated app-specific password, not the regular Apple Account password

Apple documents these settings in iCloud Mail server settings for other email client apps and explains how to create an app-specific password.

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If manual setup also cannot authenticate, the legacy @mac.com account mapping will need to be checked by Apple Support, since Apple controls the account identity and its iCloud aliases.

I hope the manual setup allows the account to be added while the browser-based authorization remains unsuccessful.

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