Outlook alias problem

Question

Outlook wasn’t working so I connected with Microsoft support. They logged into my computer and used IMAP to get me access. Unfortunately, it only works on my laptop if I don’t log out. When I log into Outlook from a browser or try to use the iPhone app, I get the weird outlook account with a string of letters and numbers. I tried both options for working around that problem. When I try to create a new profile, I can’t get the “Change Profile” box to appear. Changing the alias account didn’t work either. I don’t know how to solve it and when I try to access Microsoft support, they tell me they can’t resolve it. [moved from Outlook | Outlook for mobile | Outlook for iOS | For business]

Answer 1

Hi Brenda Barnes,

I can see why this is confusing, especially when the mailbox works on the laptop but signing in through a browser or the iPhone app opens an unfamiliar outlook address.

The IMAP setup on the laptop and the Microsoft account shown on the web may be two separate things. IMAP connects Outlook directly to your email provider’s mailbox, while signing in at Outlook.com opens the mailbox associated with the Microsoft account. If your usual email address belongs to another provider, signing in with that address does not necessarily mean that its mailbox will appear in Outlook.com.

Could you please clarify the following?

• What is the domain after the @ in the email address you normally use? You can provide only the domain, such as Gmail, Yahoo, or your internet provider, without posting the full address.
• On the laptop, are you using classic Outlook or new Outlook?
• On the iPhone, did you choose Add Account and enter the mailbox’s IMAP settings, or did you select Sign in with Microsoft?
• When you sign in through a browser, are you using Outlook.com, your email provider’s webmail page, or both?
• After changing the alias, did the unfamiliar address remain under Your info > Account info, or did it appear only inside Outlook?
• Whether this is a personal Microsoft account or a work or school account provided by an organization?

In the meantime, please avoid removing the working laptop profile or deleting any existing alias, since removing a Microsoft-owned Outlook or Hotmail alias can be permanent.

For the iPhone, try adding the original mailbox as a separate account in Outlook:

• Open Outlook and go to Settings > Accounts > Add Account > Email Account.
• Enter the email address of the mailbox that currently works through IMAP on the laptop.
• If Outlook identifies it as a Microsoft account but the mailbox belongs to another provider, look for the option to configure the account manually and select IMAP.
• Enter the incoming and outgoing server information supplied by the email provider.

You can review Microsoft’s information about the unusual outlook address here: Outlook.com account appears as a long series of letters and numbers.

For alias information, please see: Change the email address for your Microsoft account.

While my initial response may not fully resolve the issue, I truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding.   

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Answer 2

This behavior matches a known Outlook issue where a third-party email address or the wrong primary alias causes Outlook to show an address like outlook_[long series of letters and numbers]@outlook.com. In that state, Outlook on the web and mobile can keep using the Microsoft account alias instead of the mailbox identity expected in Outlook for Windows.

Based on what was already tried, the supported options are:

1. Set the Outlook.com or Hotmail.com alias as the primary alias.
   • Go to https://account.live.com/names/Manage
   • Sign in to the Outlook.com account
   • Set the Outlook.com email as the primary alias
   • Then remove and re-add the account in Outlook for Windows
2. If there is no usable Outlook.com alias, add another alias and make it primary.
   • Sign in to the Microsoft account website
   • Go to Your info > Manage how you sign in to Microsoft
   • Select Add email or Add phone number
   • Create a new Outlook.com email address or add another personal email address
   • Verify it, then set it as primary
3. If Outlook for Windows still needs to be used with the third-party mailbox, set it up manually as IMAP or POP in a new Outlook profile.
   • Close Outlook
   • Press Windows key + R
   • Type outlook /profiles and select OK
   • In Choose Profile, select Options > New
   • Enter a unique profile name
   • Select Advanced options > Let me set up my account manually
   • Enter the password and select Connect
   • If setup fails, select Change Account Settings and enter the IMAP or POP settings from the mail provider
   • In Choose Profile, select Set as default profile

Important limitation: the IMAP workaround only addresses Outlook for Windows. It does not fix the Microsoft account alias behavior in Outlook on the web or Outlook for iPhone. For browser and mobile sign-in, the supported fix in the available guidance is to use a correct primary alias on the Microsoft account.

If changing the primary alias did not work, the remaining supported path in the available guidance is to add a different alias, make that alias primary, and then remove and re-add the Outlook account.

If the account has only one alias, or the other aliases do not work, adding another alias and making it primary is specifically recommended.

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