How to add an email account to Outlook, and what to do when it fails

Add an account in the new Outlook for Windows

1. On the View tab, select View settings (or File → Account info).
2. Select Accounts → Your accounts.
3. Under Email accounts, select Add account, enter the email address and select Continue.
4. Enter the password if asked, then select Done.

Add an account in classic Outlook for Windows

1. Select File → Add Account. (No File tab? You are in the new Outlook — use the steps above.)
2. Enter your email address and select Connect.
3. Enter your password if asked, then OK → Finish.

If automatic set-up fails: set it up manually

In classic Outlook:

1. Select File → Add Account and enter your email address.
2. Select Advanced options, tick Let me set up my account manually, and select Connect.
3. Choose the account type: Microsoft 365, Exchange, IMAP or POP.
4. For IMAP or POP, enter the incoming and outgoing server names, ports and encryption your provider gives you. For Exchange, Outlook still relies on Autodiscover, so a manual set-up will not fix a missing Autodiscover record.

Why adding an account fails

• No Autodiscover record. Exchange and Microsoft 365 accounts are found through a DNS record on your domain. If it is missing or points at an old provider — common after moving email — Outlook cannot find the mailbox. Our answer what is Autodiscover explains the fix.
• The new Outlook and hosted Exchange. The new Outlook for Windows does not support Exchange Server accounts, including hosted Exchange from any provider. Switch back to classic Outlook with the toggle at the top of the window. Our guide to the new Outlook and Exchange Server has the details.
• The password is right but keeps being rejected. Multi-factor authentication or an app password may be required, or the account may be locked. See Outlook keeps asking for a password.
• Gmail, Yahoo or iCloud. These may need you to allow access or create an app-specific password on their website first.

Adding a shared mailbox

A shared mailbox such as info@ is not added as a separate account in most cases: with Exchange and Microsoft 365, it appears automatically once you have been given access. If it does not, see shared mailbox not showing in Outlook.

Sources

• Microsoft Support: Add an email account to Outlook for Windows