GMail > Microsoft Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021

[Koldov]

I am having trouble adding my GMail account to Outlook and have read various how-to/troubleshooting guides about enabling IMAP and such but still no luck.

 

Then I read that Google is actually stopping access somehow to Outlook version 2016 and below... also I thought I read something about 2FA, but I don't think it said explicitly that you HAD to use it, just that it was a troubleshooting step...?

 

There was also something about creating app passwords, thing is it isn't even getting to the point of asking for a password so I'm not sure that would help...

[Jaan]

I've had this on my personal accounts also.

 

I use Gmail with outlook going and being able to be sent via Gmail.

 

I noticed it stopped working. I think MS have forced the use of 2fa so a lot of users seem to be having issues if the access outlook emails via 3rd parties.

 

To fix mine i have to set up a "app password" on outlook.com and use that instead of my actual password. This negated the need for 2fa on the 3rdparty (Gmail) and started to work again.

 

Hope this helps

[Koldov]

Not sure, but I think you are doing the exact opposite to what I want...?

 

I am using Microsoft Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021 (as in the program installed on a computer as part of Microsoft Office) and I want to access GMail through that.

 

So, it's Outlook that needs to access GMail, not the other way round.

[Jaan]

Not sure, but I think you are doing the exact opposite to what I want...?

 

I am using Microsoft Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021 (as in the program installed on a computer as part of Microsoft Office) and I want to access GMail through that.

 

So, it's Outlook that needs to access GMail, not the other way round.

 

Sorry, yes i misunderstood.

 

Google also has App passwords: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833?hl=en

 

Google are also enforcing 2fa on accounts its staggered and deleting stale accounts. So it's probably the same thing i guess

Edited September 15, 2023 by Jaan

[k-strider]

There is also google workspace sync for Outlook

https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gssmo/

[Koldov]

Unfortunately I'm nowhere nearer finding a solution for this, but I have noticed a trend that may help you clever people point me in the right direction.

 

The GSSMO, won't work for everybody as it isn't just desktop users who have the issue.

 

I have some users that have multiple email accounts (including me) and we would all prefer to use Outlook to manage those accounts.

 

Now we have moved to GMail for one of those accounts I am being harassed daily to sort this out and to be fair I want it fixed too.

 

I am running Outlook LTSC 2021, other users are running Outlook 2016 (so I am ruling out a version issue).

 

There are also quite a few users that have Outlook on their phone and want to use that for their emails (I'm not sure why they don't want to use a Google Gmail app, but who am I to judge)... Anyway, they also cannot connect their GMail account (so I am ruling out, GPOs, Domain computer weirdness, Office/Outlook settings).

 

What does that leave me?

 

The Outlook message says:

 

"We couldn't connect to the incoming (IMAP) server. Please check the incoming (IMAP) server settings and try again."

 

As far as I can see IMAP is enabled in GMail settings in the individual account and globally in Google Workspace admin.

 

One thing to note is that when I run:

 

Test-NetConnection imap.gmail.com -port 993

 

Test-NetConnection smtp.gmail.com -port 587

 

Both 'ping' OK, but fail on 'TcpTest' ... the fact that it can ping OK means it isn't firewall either, right?! Also the fact that users on their phones can't add the GMail account to Outlook rules out pretty much anything else 'on-site' too?

 

So it's got to be something in Google Workspage/Gmail stopping anything connecting to it...?

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by Koldov

[LeMarchand]

You can definitely connect "normal" GMail accounts to Outlook 2019, as I have that set up at home. I also use Outlook on my phone (possibly because the GMail app only supports IMAP?) with my personal GMail accounts. Don't look at work emails on my phone or via Outlook at home, though.

[jthompson]

I've recently (as in a few weeks ago) set up a Gmail user on Outlook 2016. This is what I would have done, if this helps you.

 

On the Google account front, with IMAP access enabled in the user's Gmail settings page and 2-step verification enabled, you'd create an app password(https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords). It used to be that when created an app password it would ask you for the scopes that you'd be using it with (i.e. mail, or drive, etc.) but looking at that just now it's doesn't ask for that, just for you to provide it with a descriptive name.

 

In Outlook 2016, setting up a generic IMAP account, the server details would be:

Incoming: imap.gmail.com

Using SSL

Port 993

 

Outgoing: smtp.gmail.com

Using SSL

Port 465

 

Provide authentication (gmail user address and the app password) for both incoming and outgoing. One of them needs a "use the same credentials" tickbox to be ticked, iirc.

 

Outlook 2019 behaves differently, in that it'll automatically steer towards an oauth Google sign-in dialogue.

 

If your stumbling block is an error in a Google sign-in dialogue, then it might be that the oauth client (i.e. Outlook 20whatever) needs to be allowlisted in Google Admin (https://admin.google.com/ac/owl/list)

Edited October 3, 2023 by jthompson

[Koldov]

O...

 

M...

 

G...

 

 

After a couple of weeks spending any spare time I have (not much) working on this, I couldn't get past the fact that it seemed to be a problem with communication between Outlook and the GMail IMAP servers... I ran a few tests in the filtering platform which seems to suggest it wasn't blocked, so I'd almost ruled it out, but...

 

...just on the off chance I raised a support ticket with LGfL/Atomwide just to casually ask if they know of any reason that I can't get it to connect... I was expecting their usual 'not our problem/we don't support 3rd party software/*sigh* don't you know what you're doing' response....

 

However, it turns out...

 

"The problem here is that we've not opened up the Gmail ports - These are done on a per request basis."

 

Which blows my mind as everyone can access GMail on the web just fine, only it seems to be different accessing it through an application I guess... Anyway, now this has been fixed I'm a bit further along! Well at least to the next error anyway...

 

Now the IMAP server communication error isn't an issue and I'm guessing Outlook isn't the problem, we are firmly on Google's doorstep!

 

 

This is what you're talking about when you say Outlook needs to be in some sort of 'allowlist' in the Google Admin console? I'm going round in circles trying to find out where/how I allow it...

[Jaan]

Security ---- API controls ---- App access control

 

add app

 

"oauth App Name or Client ID

 

you should see the client ID in the error you get.

 

[Koldov]

Thanks, but I don't see anything in the error message apart from the screenshot in my previous post.

 

There is a 'Request Details' drop down box but... it doesn't drop down!

Edited October 4, 2023 by Koldov

[Jaan]

try searching for the name of the app instead of Client Id.

 

Also think you have to click the text not the arrow for it to drop down........ or is it the other way round

[Koldov]

Believe me, I tried both ways more than a few times...

 

Searching for Outlook just gives me a few weird and wonderful "we can cnnect an synk yore Outlook, bruv" looking type appz...

 

 

Good grief... how can it be this difficult to get an email program to get your emails....?!

[Jaan]

It will most likely be microsoft.

 

That drop down defo not working? cookies, browsing history clearing.... incognito mode? that would give you the client ID to enter.

 

[jthompson]

I think the various Outlook clients will be oauth clients under the name of "Microsoft apps & services". Enter that name to list a bunch of client ids. Which exact one your version of Outlook will be requiring is another matter, but you might feel happy to allowlist the whole lot (that's a decision for you).

 

 

 

Signing in to Outlook 2019 here and "Microsoft apps & services" is the app name shown in my Google account's list of connected third-party apps.

Edited October 4, 2023 by jthompson

[Jaan]

Does this help?

 

not sure if the client ID is the same for the web version

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/error-400-when-trying-to-add-a-gmail-account-to-my/6c937be6-f6b0-4d21-965c-c4aaecf9b4d7

[Koldov]

I think the various Outlook clients will be oauth clients under the name of "Microsoft apps & services". Enter that name to list a bunch of client ids. Which exact one your version of Outlook will be requiring is another matter, but you might feel happy to allowlist the whole lot (that's a decision for you).

 

Signing in to Outlook 2019 here and "Microsoft apps & services" is the app name shown in my Google account's list of connected third-party apps.

 

Thanks!

 

That seems to have nailed it...

 

Just interested, did you get the error message @Jaan mentioned or did you 'trust' all the client IDs?

 

Is 'Trusted' necessary or would 'Limited' be ok?

 

I've trusted them all for now as working out which ones related to different versions of Outlook/Office would have been too much and I just want everyone off my back...

[Koldov]

Does this help?

 

not sure if the client ID is the same for the web version

 

Thanks but it's not the web version, I'm using Outlook from the Microsoft Office LTSC Professional Plus suite, installed on the local machine.

[jthompson]

Thanks!

 

That seems to have nailed it...

 

Just interested, did you get the error message @Jaan mentioned or did you 'trust' all the client IDs?

 

Is 'Trusted' necessary or would 'Limited' be ok?

 

I've trusted them all for now as working out which ones related to different versions of Outlook/Office would have been too much and I just want everyone off my back...

 

I've only got 4 of those client IDs trusted. Of those, only two are of type 'web' (which is what it would be, since the other types are Android or iOS).

 

 

If you click on an entry there, you can see a user count, which might help you narrow things down.

 

 

They would need to be 'Trusted', since my understanding of 'Limited' is that that is just the publicly readable account data (email address, display name, avatar). You'd need Outlook to be getting deep into Gmail data, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, etc.