Unable to connect IMAP account to Outlook for iOS8

Freddy, when I started this thread ages ago, part of the problem was that Outlook for iOS didn't allow you to enter the port numbers (either appended to the domain with a colon or via separate entry fields) during the advanced setup process. As Gerald Devolder says in his post, the only option is to enter just the domain. 

If Outlook iOS manages to connect to the IMAP account, it'll pick up the correct ports along the way, which can be seen by reviewing the account settings from Outlook on the device.

I'm afraid I cannot add much more at this stage. Josh Pettit is on track saying there is a server-side component to the problem. I have control over the domain I need to connect to IMAP. A few months ago I went into the control panel on the lSP's site and upgraded the mailbox in question from POP/IMAP to Exchange. Worked perfectly with iOS, of course. But I decided it wasn't worth paying ££ for Exchange so I reverted to POP/IMAP.

Since then, I've been able to add the mailbox to my iPad and iPhone as an IMAP account ... with a couple of strings attached. Firstly, it won't connect via the 'simple' connect option. I have to complete all the fields in the advanced setup option (though the port numbers aren't required). Then it connects.

Secondly, unlike my main, Exchange, account, the IMAP one periodically requires me to re-enter my password. That is probably just the ISP being cautious with IMAP security. Whatever, it takes seconds on my Android device but longer on iOS because of having to plod through the advanced setup entry process.

SOLUTION: You need to add the port number, for example:

The incoming settings are :

imap.domain.com:143

The outgoing settings are :

smtp.domain.com:25

Hi guys,

not sure if it will help but here is what happened to me:

1- had outlook ios with an imap account working on both my ipad and iphone (running latest ios9.2.1)

2- replaced my iphone with a new one. outlook stopped being able to get emails from my imap account.

3- removed the account from the iphone outlook app. 

4- Tried to add it again and it failed saying "secure connection unavailable. would you like to login anyway"

5- I'm sure there is a secure connection available AND selectin"login anyway" just shows this same message in a loop.

To solve it i had to remove this imap account from my ipad and select "remove from ALL devices".

After that i could easly add the account again on my iphone.

Hope it helps someone.

Cheers

Yep, this did it!

I deleted the IMAP account "from all devices" on the iPhone but that alone didn't do it. I also had to "delete from all devices" on my iPad as well. Once I did this, all was well.

Microsoft: I spent hours and hours on this stupid problem. DANG! Thank you, Tiago A F Fernandes !

Ok, let me throw out a few things to try on the server side.

First, verify that your server is currently supported by Microsoft. It is my deeply held belief that the iOS Outlook client checks for server OS and version(yes, even on imap) and if you are using an unsupported server(Say Exchange 2003 for example) even though the imap protocol is universal, the server check is exclusive to Microsoft, and it is indeed a DRM check.

So basically, if your server is too old(no longer rec extended support) you cannot use the Outlook client. That's not what my problem was, but it's a thing that I believe I have discovered trying to resolve the issue.

Next, make sure your SSL is configured correctly. That means that you may have a SSL certificate that is free, or you may have it ONLY on your OWA, but it needs to also be connected to your imap virtual server within the exchange system manager.

Here is why I think that: In Office365 there is an imap migration tool to move emails over. However, that imap migration tool works very differently than any other imap email client. Microsoft requires SSL certificate and specific port numbers opened up on your firewall to be able to connect with imap.

So that's probably it guys. If you want to find out the imap requirements from microsoft, look up the exact requirements to use their imap migration tool(however, the tool will allow any server upgrade, while the ios client I SUSPECT will also check the server version for extended support date, and server licenses).

If anyone is still reading this thread, check out that imap migration tool. I think it(along with server version) might give us the answer that microsoft technicians and licensing techs have not properly communicated to customer support.

I have installed the Outlook app on an iPad and iPhone with the latest iOS8. I have an IMAP email account but the app is unable to connect to it. 

The native iOS email client on both devices will connect to this IMAP account OK.  But when I enter the same settings in the Outlook app's Advanced Settings entry screen (which are the server, etc. settings provided by my ISP), it comes back with a message that it cannot connect.

I note that the entry screens in the current Outlook app differ from those shown in the relevant Office365 knowledge base article here:

https://support.office.com/en-au/article/Set-up-email-on-iPhone-iPad-or-iPod-Touch-b2de2161-cc1d-49ef-9ef9-81acd1c8e234?ui=en-US&rs=en-AU&ad=AU&fromAR=1#BKMK\_IMAPorPOP

The article shows screenshots with options to select/deselect SSL and enter port numbers. These options don't appear when I use the IMAP setup option in Outlook for iOS. 

Note that when iOS makes the connection, it does not use SSL or ask for port numbers. These parameters can only be accessed via the advanced account settings for the account AFTER the device has added the account.

I should add that I also have an Exchange email account, which can be set up in both the iOS email client and the iOS Outlook app without difficulty. 

And also that the Outlook app exhibits the same behaviour on Android - i.e. the Android email client lets me set up the IMAP account but Outlook for Android is unable to connect. 

Why there is nothing to find for a solution?  Microsoft help please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!