Outlook 2016 doesn't accept password or app password

I successful enabled a decades-old Hotmail account and several free Outlook.com accounts to Thundebird (102.15.1) using Oath2. I added the account using the regular Thunderbird dialog (FILE > NEW > EXISTING MAIL ACCOUNT) and used my regular password:

An MS Outh2 dialog opened where I again entered the same credentials. Once connected, these are the settings for the accounts:

SERVER SETTINGS:

Server name: outlook.office365.com

Port: Port 993

Connection security: SSL/TSL

Authentication mode: OAuth2

OUTGOING SERVER:

smtp.office365.com

Port: 587

Authentication method: OAuth2

Connection Security: STARTTLS

CONTACTS & CALENDAR

When Microsoft broke things in late January without alerting its users and started this whole mess, I've struggled to keep a stable contacts & calendar connection using TBSync. Only just this week did I finally get a stable connection using the following add-ons:

• Tbsync-4.3-tb.xpi
• Provider for Exchange ActiveSync 4.8.

After installing the add-ins, click on "TBSync: Idle" on the status bar of the main Thunderbird window (in the lower right corner). This opens the "TbSync account manager" window.

1. click Account actions
2. click Add new account
3. click Exchange ActiveSync

The ACCOUNT INFORMATION window will open.

4. choose the Microsoft Office 365 option,
5. give the account a name (see NOTE below)
6. enter your email address.

NOTE: I used an account name without spaces ("HOTMAIL_OAUTH"). For the past six weeks, I tried and failed repeatedly to add this Hotmail account via the Office365 connection. Using an account name without spaces resulted in a successful connection. I don't know if that truly had any impact or if MS finally got its **** together, but I finally got a working connection just this week.

Click "ADD ACCOUNT" and a Microsoft authentication dialog should open. Enter your regular password. You should then be returned to the TbSync account manager where you can enable the resources you wish to sync. NOTE: Be sure to add a value in the "Periodic sync (in minutes)" field.

Hope it works for you. Good luck!

(You'll need it because MS will surely be of no help whatsoever).

Has anyone here been successful at configuring Thunderbird with a "free" consumer e-mail address (outlook.com, hotmail.com, live.com, etc.) using OAuth/OAuth 2.0, and if so can you kindly share the version(s) that work(s), if possible?

Which is recommended to use: the main password or an app password for OAuth?

Are app passwords in the works to be deprecated?

We are getting errors in Thunderbird during authentication for both IMAP and SMTP after configuring OAuth from previously using normal/basic authentication stating the servers (i.e. MS) don't support it when setting up hotmail/live e-mail addresses, even when using the listed servers and configurations listed at

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/pop-imap-and-smtp-settings-for-outlook-com-d088b986-291d-42b8-9564-9c414e2aa040

This page also does not include any authentication method information at all other then

"Outlook.com does not require Secure Password Authentication (SPA)."

I also wonder why Outlook.com doesn't use SPA instead of apparently planning to force OAuth. It seems to me app passwords with SPA has a very low overall risk of scope. I have used normal password for decades with no problems.

Has it yet been confirmed that MS even supports OAuth for consumer e-mail addresses? Because, there is conflicting and confusing information surrounding this as some information only states it is supported for business and commercial e-mail accounts. I know others have been asking for some clarification from MS on this as well, which would be helpful.

It would be helpful if various popular clients and devices were actually tested, validated, and listed by MS using recommended configurations so we have a reference point to work with.

Finally I would mention, that switching from normal/basic authentication for my Google e-mail accounts with Thunderbird works just fine. There is a web page popup that is generated for the first time requiring sign in.

Saturday 3/1/24 9:29 AM CST: another authentication error. Outlook.com account using eas. Took 4 sign in attempts before I was successful. I've been using 9Folders email client for nearly 10 years, and of course, as with all, started seeing these issues in late January 2024. What I'm wondering, is if there is a step by step guide that would show how to properly set up an account that syncs email, calendar, contacts, tasks and notes, as 9Folders does, whether it is 9Folders or a different client. While I don't think I'm doing anything wrong, perhaps some guided tutorial might help me figure if I have a setting wrong somewhere. Just a thought.

Nothing to do, I also created a new profile, but it doesn't want to work, I don't know what to do anymore. I use Outlook 2016, Exchange, I activated two-step verification, I created the password for the APP, but nothing to do, Outlook 2016 doesn't want to know, it keeps asking me for the password. For the moment I will be using Outlook via the web.

Gabriel:

If I'm hearing and understanding everyone correctly, whatever the solution is, we need a method to sync emails, calendars, contacts, tasks, etc on Android and iOS devices, that supports Microsoft's authentication protocol, for consumer accounts and business accounts, for numerous generations of MS email protocols (outlook.com, hotmail.com, etc.) Correct me if I'm wrong, but OAUTH is not supported for consumer accounts on numerous email clients for Android and iOS. Perhaps on some(?), but not all. An MS solution and/or a list of supported email clients using the required MS protocols would be optimal.