Tired of juggling email in your browser? Looking for a more powerful, local solution to manage your email? You need not open a browser to read your email. If you set up Outlook.com as an IMAP email account, you can access emails and folders seamlessly. Find here the Outlook.com IMAP settings to use for email clients ⤓.
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Use These Outlook.com IMAP Settings in Any Email Program
To configure Outlook.com as an email account using IMAP in a desktop or mobile email client (or an email service connecting through IMAP):
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Outlook.com IMAP server | |
| IMAP port (SSL/TLS) | |
| TLS/SSL security | yes |
| STARTTLS security | no |
| Username | Your full Outlook.com email address (including the domain, e.g. "@hotmail.com") |
| Password | OAuth2 or an Outlook.com application password |
Outlook.com SMTP Settings for Sending Mail
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Outlook.com SMTP server | |
| SMTP port (SSL/TLS) | |
| TLS/SSL security | no |
| STARTTLS security | yes |
| Username | Your full Outlook.com email address |
| Password | OAuth2 or the Outlook.com application password you set up for the email program |
Important: Enable IMAP access in Outlook.com settings so you can connect email programs to your account.
Their word: Microsoft include information on IMAP and SMTP settings in Outlook.com help.
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Use These Outlook.com IMAP Settings in Email Programs: FAQ
Do I need to use an “IMAP Path Prefix” for Outlook.com?
No.
It is best to leave the IMAP path prefix empty when accessing Outlook.com through IMAP.
Can I hide Outlook.com folders from appearing in IMAP?
No.
While you cannot stop Outlook.com from serving all folders through IMAP, you can unsubscribe from unwanted folders in your email program locally, if it offers that option.
(First published October 2024, last updated February 2026)