The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.accounts error 3.)

Ralf 85

unable to add exchange account to the mail app on osx

Carl Murphy 10 Reputation points

2025-12-10T19:34:43.68+00:00

I have the same issue for the past two days and not able to add the account back.

The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.accounts error 3.)
Matt Turner 0 Reputation points

2025-12-11T15:21:18+00:00

I'm getting this error once the account authenticates but Mac OS Mail still cannot connect. Removed the account and attempted to add it back to no avail. Outlook for Mac still working. It started a couple days ago when Mac mail said "account offline."
Hin-V 16,830 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-12T07:50:04.28+00:00

Hello everyone,

Thanks for sharing your concerns. To help us provide support more efficiently, please:Create a new thread on the forum describing your issue in detail.

Include your Outlook for Mac version and specify which license you are using.

This information will make it easier for our team to provide the appropriate support for your case.

Warm thanks.
Kostya Afendikov 10 Reputation points

2026-02-23T22:21:30.71+00:00

what helped for me, even as EWS enabled for individual email, but not on organization level

Turn on EWS org-wide

Set-OrganizationConfig -EwsEnabled $true

Verify it flipped

Get-OrganizationConfig | fl EwsEnabled

You want:

EwsEnabled : True

wait 15-30 min, restart Mac and try to add account again
rvg01 10 Reputation points

2026-03-07T05:38:05.59+00:00

You don't need to restart the Mac. After enabling Exchange Web Service EWS in the Org Settings, it does take a few hours to replicate across Microsoft for your tenant before you can go back into your Mac computer's Apple Mail application to add the Exchange email account again. But this change fixes and resolves this error!
Matt Kaufmann 0 Reputation points

2026-03-19T15:49:59.8766667+00:00

I sent this conversation to my IT department asking them if they had EWS enabled org wide. Turns out it was not, they enabled it, I waited 24 hours and then was able to add the exchange account.

Thank you to Kostya Afendikov

25 answers

Craig Votava 5 Reputation points

2026-01-30T01:15:11.31+00:00

Running this command via Exchange Online PowerShell worked for me:

Set-OrganizationConfig -EwsAllowLegacyAuth $true
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
Pratham Gupta 5 Reputation points

2025-12-13T18:47:05.8266667+00:00

try clearing your outbox and then check. It worked for me after that.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
Kostya Afendikov 10 Reputation points

2026-02-23T22:20:34.1133333+00:00

what helped for me, even as EWS enabled for individual email, but not on organization level

Turn on EWS org-wide

Set-OrganizationConfig -EwsEnabled $true

Verify it flipped

Get-OrganizationConfig | fl EwsEnabled

You want:

EwsEnabled : True

wait 15-30 min, restart Mac and try to add account again
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
ShawnM 10 Reputation points

2025-11-25T23:17:58.9066667+00:00

Having the same problem here. Yesterday noticed an error icon next to my exchange account in apple mail. Deleted the account, rebooted and tried re-adding. Same error as everyone else is getting after confirming 2FA. Account is working as normal on iPad and iPhone.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
Melanie Gowen 0 Reputation points

2025-11-26T00:23:02.19+00:00

I am having this same issue also! Please share any solutions.

Jorge 0 Reputation points

2025-11-26T08:48:54.3933333+00:00

Same here, since yesterday!!!
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
Pryhoda, Maksym 10 Reputation points

2025-11-21T14:49:48.0133333+00:00

Started to having same issue, on Iphone it works just fine, it stopped syncrhonising my calendar, so I decided to re-add an account, and this started to happen
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
Pryhoda, Maksym 10 Reputation points

2025-11-26T09:35:47.27+00:00

UPD
Thanks to @Hin-V , he provided screenshot from Microsoft acknowleding the info, and the next update from them was on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at 4:30 AM GMT+7.
I just tried adding my account to Apple and it worked!
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
KenV 5 Reputation points

2025-11-20T13:42:15.4833333+00:00

I am experiencing the same issue, on two different macOS systems (one on Sequoia and the other one on Tahoe).

On both Macs I had no problems until a few days ago, then during troubleshooting, attempting to delete and re-add the Exchange account in System Settings - Internet Accounts results in the message "The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.accounts error 3.)"
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.

The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.accounts error 3.)

Turn on EWS org-wide

25 answers

Turn on EWS org-wide

Your answer