* Setup and export/import instructions for McGill Outlook Email


OVERVIEW

Target audience: All McGill (students, faculty, staff, alumni, retired)

McGill provides you with an email account and mailbox on Microsoft's Office 365 Exchange Online cloud service (see Email for Students, Faculty & Staff and Affiliates | Email for Alumni).

This article contains links to step-by-step instructions for configuring recommended email applications and devices to access your McGill email. Instructions are organized by operating system and device.

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Warning about unsupported email applications

If you are using an email application other than Outlook, please note the following:
  • McGill's Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) requires email applications that support Modern Authentication.
  • Many third-party email applications are not yet compatible with 2FA as they use Basic Authentication (username and password only), for example, service providers such as Gmail and Yahoo.
  • Due to growing security risk, Microsoft, and other large emails services, have discontinued Basic Authentication support. McGill does not support Basic Authentication.

The only fully supported apps are Outlook 2016 or higher on Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android and on the web (Office 365)

The following apps, which support Modern authentication, are supported by IT Services on a best-efforts basis: Mail app for Mac (macOS Mojave 10.14 and above), Mail app on iOS v11+, GNOME Evolution

Important: McGill Outlook email storage capacity reduction starting May 31st 2024

 

On May 31st, 2024, McGill’s Outlook email storage for all students will be reduced to 20GB to comply with Microsoft’s new Storage quota for its educational sector clients. The Outlook email storage provided to staff or faculty members will not be affected.

If you are a McGill student, please verify your current storage using the instructions in this article: How to check file storage usage in outlook.

If your current storage exceeds 20GB, start by emptying your mailbox’s deleted items. As a secondary step, go through your inbox and all its online storage folders and download any "big" attachments such as videos, PowerPoint presentations or images by saving them to another location using the Save as... option in the attachment drop-down menu and then by Removing them.

Please note: these options are only available on Outlook for PC, not on the online or Mac versions. If you only use these platforms, download the attachments then save/delete the email. (Don't forget to empty the deleted items folder after.)

If you plan on storing those files on OneDrive, be aware that OneDrive's storage will also be adjusted to 20GB starting May 31st. For more information: consult the IT Services announcement on the subject.

Get the Outlook app

The Microsoft Outlook app is the only fully-supported application for McGill email.

All registered students, faculty and staff members can download Outlook and the entire suite of Office 365 apps for FREE. Go to About: Microsoft 365 apps for enterprise.

Windows

Set up special accounts/mailboxes:

macOS

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Note: You cannot add a shared mailbox in Apple Mail.

You cannot access shared mailboxes with Apple Mail. To connect to a shared mailbox, you must use Outlook on the web, Outlook for Mac, or Outlook mobile instead.

Outlook on the web app 

This is easiest way to send and receive email from your McGill Exchange mailbox using any web browser with a secure Internet connection. Simply point your browser to https://outlook.com/mcgill.ca

Mobile devices

We recommend configuring your email using the Microsoft Outlook app or Exchange/ActiveSync whenever possible, since it supports the full features of Exchange email including access to the Global Address List (for staff), the ability to share your mail and calendar items with others, and more.

Linux - Evolution email app

Although only supported on a best-efforts basis, we recommend using the Evolution email app on Linux because it supports Two-Factor Authentication. See Configure Evolution email app (Linux) for Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

General settings for other apps (supported on best efforts basis)

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WARNING:

If you are using an email app other that those listed above, the IT Service Desk will be able to support you on a best-efforts basis only. We strongly encourage you to upgrade now to one of the recommended email apps and versions listed above to continue to access your Exchange email account and full features of Exchange.

General settings for apps supported on "best efforts" basis

Outlook Web App URL for Office 365:https://outlook.com/mcgill.ca
Security warning: After signing out, you must close all browser windows to completely log out.
Incoming mail server:  outlook.office365.com
Outgoing smtp:  smtp.office365.com
IMAP port:993 (using SSL)
SMTP port:587 (using TLS)
POP Port:995 (using SSL)
Authentication Method:OAuth2

Export your messages, calendar and contact

The instructions below explain how to export your mailbox contents from Microsoft Outlook to an Outlook Data File (.pst) and then import that file into the mailbox you want to use for future email.

Note: To use the instructions below, you will need to have configured your McGill email accounts using MS Outlook (see above for links to proceed).

Export messages/calendar/contacts into a Outlook Data File (.pst) (Windows Only)

Export Outlook items to an Outlook Data File (.pst).

Note: In order to have all future email sent to the other account, contact the IT Service Desk, and mention that you have backed up your old emails and that you wish to change the delivery destination from mailbox X to mailbox Y. Please provide an alternate email address (either the address you want to keep, or something like Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) so that we may inform you when the delivery destination has been changed.

Import messages/calendar/contacts from the Outlook Data File (.pst)

Import contents of the .pst file into a mailbox.

Set up special accounts/mailboxes:

references

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: