Outlook PC app not able to add icloud email to accout

Question

Outlook PC app not able to add icloud email to accout

Darryl Burtch 5

I have been using Outlook on my PC for many years. I am currently running WIN 11. The other day, outlook would not open and said Access Denied in the WIN Outlook app. I have since tried many things.

Removed the iCloud account from outlook and tried to add it back on
I uninstalled Outlook and reinstalled
I have completed a restart after the removal and install
I have signed into iCloud and revoked the password and generated a new one

So what is happening:

I open Outlook app on my PC
It asks me to add/ choose my icloud account
I hit continue
Then my browser opens up to an apple page and gives me this error (see attached screen shot) "invalid_request Invalid OAuth Client Request"

Can you help me sync my icloud/ me.com email to Outlook?

Helen Atkinson 15 Reputation points

2026-02-21T22:06:39.5433333+00:00

I have experienced exactly the same today. I've never had an issue accessing my icloud apple email via outlook before. I've had to generate an app-specific password when setting it up, in order to get access which is fine, but as you say when you click the box to sign in, the link seems to fail with the error exactly as you describe above. I've rebooted my windows 11 laptop and it's still not working in exactly the same way. There is nothing wrong with my icloud email access as I can still read my icloud email on my phone.

I think this is a Microsoft issue. Nothing to do with Apple.

Microsoft can you look into this and let us have a solution please?

Thank you.
Helen Atkinson 15 Reputation points

2026-02-21T22:34:31.01+00:00

Hi Darryl - I hope you've now managed to resolve the issue. If not, try setting Microsoft Edge as your default internet browser. Then go into Outlook, attempt to access your icloud email again, and when the pop up comes up click 'continue' again and this time it should work. I had Duck Duck Go set as my default browser and when clicking continue, the link kept failing just like you were experiencing. So I hope this works for you too. I will of course be resetting my default browser back to Duck Duck Go! If this doesn't work for you, I reckon you'll need to phone Microsoft customer services. Let me know how you get on. All the best, Helen.
Darryl Burtch 5 Reputation points

2026-02-21T22:45:49.4733333+00:00

Hello Helen, funny, I too use Duck Duck Go. I will try as you l suggested. Did

it work for you?

I was able to sync email using manual imap set up, but calendar did not sync.

I also read that the new Outlook (which I have been using since it came out with no problems till yesterday) says that it does not support IOS calendar sync and in the article on MS, it suggested to use Outlook classic. Crazy…. But I will try Edge and see if that works.
Helen Atkinson 15 Reputation points

2026-02-24T11:42:04.5933333+00:00

Hi again.

Yes it worked for me (access to my icloud email that is). I don't actually use IOS Calendar so I can't comment on that sorry. I use a paper diary :)

But you're right - it does sound like M/S are encouraging us to use their software rather than Apple.

I hope switching your default browser works for you anyway.

Helen.

1 answer

Your answer

Helen Atkinson 15 Reputation points

2026-02-21T22:06:39.5433333+00:00

I have experienced exactly the same today. I've never had an issue accessing my icloud apple email via outlook before. I've had to generate an app-specific password when setting it up, in order to get access which is fine, but as you say when you click the box to sign in, the link seems to fail with the error exactly as you describe above. I've rebooted my windows 11 laptop and it's still not working in exactly the same way. There is nothing wrong with my icloud email access as I can still read my icloud email on my phone.

I think this is a Microsoft issue. Nothing to do with Apple.

Microsoft can you look into this and let us have a solution please?

Thank you.
Helen Atkinson 15 Reputation points

2026-02-21T22:34:31.01+00:00

Hi Darryl - I hope you've now managed to resolve the issue. If not, try setting Microsoft Edge as your default internet browser. Then go into Outlook, attempt to access your icloud email again, and when the pop up comes up click 'continue' again and this time it should work. I had Duck Duck Go set as my default browser and when clicking continue, the link kept failing just like you were experiencing. So I hope this works for you too. I will of course be resetting my default browser back to Duck Duck Go! If this doesn't work for you, I reckon you'll need to phone Microsoft customer services. Let me know how you get on. All the best, Helen.
Darryl Burtch 5 Reputation points

2026-02-21T22:45:49.4733333+00:00

Hello Helen, funny, I too use Duck Duck Go. I will try as you l suggested. Did

it work for you?

I was able to sync email using manual imap set up, but calendar did not sync.

I also read that the new Outlook (which I have been using since it came out with no problems till yesterday) says that it does not support IOS calendar sync and in the article on MS, it suggested to use Outlook classic. Crazy…. But I will try Edge and see if that works.
Helen Atkinson 15 Reputation points

2026-02-24T11:42:04.5933333+00:00

Hi again.

Yes it worked for me (access to my icloud email that is). I don't actually use IOS Calendar so I can't comment on that sorry. I use a paper diary :)

But you're right - it does sound like M/S are encouraging us to use their software rather than Apple.

I hope switching your default browser works for you anyway.

Helen.

Answer 1

It seems that you're experiencing issues with adding your iCloud email to Outlook on your PC, particularly with an "invalid_request" error during the OAuth process. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

Check iCloud Settings: Ensure that your iCloud account is set up correctly. Log into your iCloud account via a web browser to verify that everything is functioning as expected.
Generate an App-Specific Password: If you have two-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID, you may need to generate an app-specific password for Outlook. Go to your Apple ID account page, sign in, and generate a password specifically for Outlook.
Update Outlook: Make sure that you are using the latest version of Outlook. Check for updates and install any available updates.
Clear Browser Cache: Since the error occurs in the browser, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies. This can sometimes resolve authentication issues.
Use the Outlook App: If you are using the web version of Outlook, try using the desktop app instead, as it may handle the OAuth process differently.
Contact Apple Support: If the issue persists, consider reaching out to Apple Support for assistance with your iCloud account and OAuth issues.
Check for Windows Updates: Ensure that your Windows 11 is fully updated, as system updates can sometimes resolve compatibility issues with applications.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, you might want to consider looking for more specific guidance on forums or support pages related to Outlook and iCloud integration.

References: