Microsoft is rolling out big changes for millions of email users later this month — and those who rely on Gmail could send or receive messages.
As of June 30, Microsoft will no longer allow users to access their Gmail account from Outlook.com. Until now, you could combine multiple mailboxes in a single window in a web browser.
Introduced in 2019, Microsoft allowed Outlook.com users to add third-party mailboxes like Gmail to the client, which will be phased out by the end of this month.
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Without having to know which email address was used, Outlook.com lets you search multiple mailboxes and send messages from multiple accounts.
Microsoft introduced support for Gmail, along with other popular Google services like Google Drive and Calendar, to the browser version of Outlook.com back in 2019. Starting next month, you’ll need to go to the Gmail website to access them.
Microsoft is not removing support for Google services from the latest version of its Outlook app for Windows 10, Windows 11, or Mac. So those who rely on the desktop app won’t notice the difference – only those using Outlook.com will notice the shake-up.
The decision to end support for Gmail is one of several changes announced by Microsoft.
A Redmond-based company that a whole new category of Windows computers debuted this week, strengthened security for email users by adopting a stricter login standard known as modern authentication. It replaces the older system – Basic Auth – which only required a username and password to log into an account.
Using this previous system, anyone with access to your username and password could break into your email. If you rely on the same username and password combination for multiple accounts, hackers can use a data breach from another website to break into your inbox.
For now, it looks like Microsoft isn’t forcing you to use two-factor authentication to access Outlook — where you’ll need a one-time passcode sent via text message or to approve a sign-in attempt from another app. However, this remains a useful additional layer of security for those concerned about hackers.
David Los, group product manager for Outlook, explained the changes in a blog post: “At Microsoft, our goal is to provide our users with modern and secure email, using the latest technologies to improve functionality and ease of use.
“When it comes to Outlook, we want to ensure that our customers’ email, documents, calendar and contacts are protected from unauthorized access, manipulation or loss.”
If you’re using a version of Outlook that doesn’t support the new sign-in standard, Microsoft says you’ll be contacted by the end of this month.
To continue using Outlook in a web browser, you must be using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge version 79 or later, Firefox version 78 or later, Safari version 16 or later, and Opera version 76 or later.
Microsoft says it’s an example of the newer Modern Authentication login window, which is designed to give users extra protection and keep them safe.
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If you’re using an iPhone and you’ve recently noticed that Microsoft accounts are asking for your password, it’s probably because those profiles were originally set up with Basic Authentication.
After finalizing the changes, Microsoft confirmed that its “lite” version of Outlook Web App will no longer be supported after August 19. This version of Outlook was created to continue to allow users with an old browser that is not compatible with the new Outlook. com to check their emails.
Microsoft announced the decision to cancel this iteration: “As we accelerate our security efforts to help better protect our customers, we are retiring the lightweight version of Outlook on the web. This means that after 2024, customers will need to use the latest versions.” supported browser to run Outlook.com.”