New minimum Outlook for Windows version requirements for Microsoft 365/Exchange Online

[Zooropafan]

Thanks to another great article on slipstick I found years ago, I use outlook 2010 to connect to outlook.com to sync my calendar and contacts with my smartphone and home computers. Life has been good, the sky has been blue, and the sun shining. However, I recently found an email referencing this article indicating that security authentication protocols/methods will be changing and that most legacy versions of outlook with now be "blocked" from working with Outlook.com and Exchange online. (See link to the article below) I love the older versions of Outlook and I have built my home tech around it. If it's true that MS is "blocking" older versions in the name of cybersecurity, I'm tempted to call it a thinly veiled attempt at coercion sales tactics.

Is this true? Is there a workaround?

Here is the article:

New minimum Outlook for Windows version requirements for Microsoft 365

*Update added on 11/4/2021 **Update added on 1/12/2022 ***Update added on 3/1/2022 ****Update added on 3/23/2022 We are quickly approaching the November 1st deadline when the minimum version requirements for connecting Outlook for Windows to Office 365/Microsoft 365 services will change. So...

techcommunity.microsoft.com

Best,

Eric M

 

[Diane Poremsky]

They are blocking the older versions because they don't support "modern authentication" aka oAuth2. Outlook.com users will be able to use POP and IMAP in outlook for an unknown period of time (its email only, no calendar or contacts sync) - As of October 2022, business accounts can use Outlook 2013 and newer with Exchange services only - POP and IMAP in 3rd party clients that support modern authentication (t-bird and em client are 2).

 

[Zooropafan]

Hi Diane, So if I am completely dependent on Outlook, and prefer the older interface, then can you confirm the earliest version I can upgrade to that will work (I think I read 2016), and is there an upgrade that won't overwrite all settings and customization?

Best,
Eric

 

[Zooropafan]

Sorry I should have specified that I want to continue to sync calendar and contacts as I have been...

 

[Diane Poremsky]

You can use 2013 if you have all updates installed.

Upcoming changes to Outlook.com may impact some legacy versions of Outlook for Windows

In order to maintain the security and reliability of your email, we’re rolling out changes to our services that will affect the version of Outlook you’re using. Starting July 25th, 2022, some older versions of Outlook for Windows will be blocked from connecting to Outlook.com and Microsoft 365...

prod.support.services.microsoft.com

 

[Zooropafan]

So to pick up this topic again ...

Presently I'm looking at purchasing a "used" copy of Outlook 2013 or 2016 to upgrade to and I have found places that sell office product keys from prior versions (I'm assuming they are no longer being used and have been abandoned/sold when someone moved up to later version.) Never done it this way so not sure if it will work, but from what I can tell if I get a key from one of these resellers then I, in theory, should be able to download the Office product using MS online download using this key? (asking, not sure). If this is possible, then the second question is which version is better? 2016 is twice the price of 2013 (65 vs 30) and I'm trying to save money but want the GUI interface that is closest to 2013.

Thanks in advance,

Eric

 

[Vince]

For a while, I subscribed to MAPS, and then the wife got us some legit Home-Use-Program (HUP) copies from work. Even though she's retired now (and I'm semi-retired) we still like real Microsoft Office and especially Outlook. We also use iCloud for Windows which requires a fairly recent version (even as the years tick by).

If those other copies you found are actually legit (big "if"), how long will they be supported? Are you sure you don't want to go-ahead and sign-up for Office-365 and pay by the year?

Well, if not ... they are still running this special. At least you can start-off with the current version so should take-care of you for a few years at least. This is very legit and real. We bought a couple and I know many others have also.

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Presently I'm looking at purchasing a "used" copy of Outlook 2013 or 2016

Good luck getting a valid copy - with the keys linked to microsoft accounts, it won't be a retail copy - and volume licenses can't be sold on the open market.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

For a while, I subscribed to MAPS, and then the wife got us some legit Home-Use-Program (HUP) copies from work. Even though she's retired now (and I'm semi-retired) we still like real Microsoft Office and especially Outlook. We also use iCloud for Windows which requires a fairly recent version (even as the years tick by).

If those other copies you found are actually legit (big "if"), how long will they be supported? Are you sure you don't want to go-ahead and sign-up for Office-365 and pay by the year?

Well, if not ... they are still running this special. At least you can start-off with the current version so should take-care of you for a few years at least. This is very legit and real. We bought a couple and I know many others have also.

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License

Yeah, go with stacksocial - its the only way you'll get a legit copy cheap.

I bought it when I because aware of the offer - wanted to see if it was retail or illegally sold volume license. The key gets added to the Microsoft account, so its a consumer copy.

 

[Zooropafan]

So just to clarify: MAPS and Stacksocial are services that sell old legit license keys?

 

[Zooropafan]

I looked at stacksocial and i only found training bundles... am i missing something?

 

[Diane Poremsky]

No... MAPS is expensive subscription from Microsoft that has keys for a lot of software. I haven't had a subscription in a few years, but they did not include office licenses the last time I had it (around the time they started the office subscriptions).

The link Vince posted for the lifetime license should take you to the right page for office 2021 at stack social.

 

[Zooropafan]

I pursued this as an experiment and it turned into quite a saga, so I thought I'd share for the benefit of all:

After MUCH research and HOURS of watching YouTube videos and reading LOTS of articles, I found that there are totally legitimate sites that do sell totally authentic and legitimate product keys for older versions of Office. I purchased Office 2016 key for about $22 and it was easy and simple... Until Microsoft got involved. So I entered the key on office.com/setup and it validated and confirmed that it was legitimate. It allowed me to download the installer (office.exe), however, this file would not work no matter what. I tried everything (hours of troubleshooting), and after no success, I went through a gauntlet of ridiculousness with MS support. This got handed up to second-level support.

Bottom Line: It came out that the problem wasn't on my end, or my computer, or with the key or anything, but that the file stored on the MS server was corrupted and wouldn't work when downloaded. This support person had to go to some random third-party vendor who had a complete image file of Office 2016, download it, and help me extract it to get it installed. The level 2 support was actually good, but it was a character-building experience getting to that point.

The strong implication is that there are legitimate new and used copies of retail office software available for purchase, but MS doesn't want you using them because they would prefer you pay for a monthly subscription, so they leave installer files for these older versions that don't work laying around on their servers.

Anyway, it's working now, and so is my syncing with outlook.com... so all is now almost as it was in this part of the universe... whew!!

Except, now Outlook 2016 will not store/save my desired view (ie no folder pane in a dedicated calendar window, while I have a folder pane in my primary email folders/inbox window). I can't figure out how to get it to retain the view settings I give it. So gotta do more digging... unless someone here has seen this one?

Anyway, thank you for all the ideas/assistance as always Diane and company. This group is awesome!

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Except, now Outlook 2016 will not store/save my desired view (ie no folder pane in a dedicated calendar window, while I have a folder pane in my primary email folders/inbox window). I can't figure out how to get it to retain the view settings I give it. So gotta do more digging... unless someone here has seen this one?

Screenshot? Definitely should have the same folder pane in all modules. But the calendar one will have the thumbnail calendars taking up space.

 

[Vince]

So just to clarify: MAPS and Stacksocial are services that sell old legit license keys?

No, Microsoft Action Pack Subscription was provided by Microsoft to Microsoft Partners and Windows Developers. Obviously, the keys were valid and legit. On my Subscription, we always got Microsoft Office and were allowed to use it around the office.

StackSocial is a real online store. They sell new software and training materials (among other things). I've shopped there for years now and never had a problem.

 

[Vince]

I looked at stacksocial and i only found training bundles... am i missing something?

Yes

 

[Vince]

I pursued this as an experiment and it turned into quite a saga, so I thought I'd share for the benefit of all:

After MUCH research and HOURS of watching YouTube videos and reading LOTS of articles, I found that there are totally legitimate sites that do sell totally authentic and legitimate product keys for older versions of Office. I purchased Office 2016 key for about $22 and it was easy and simple... Until Microsoft got involved. So I entered the key on office.com/setup and it validated and confirmed that it was legitimate. It allowed me to download the installer (office.exe),

So, NOT StackSocial.

however, this file would not work no matter what. I tried everything (hours of troubleshooting), and after no success, I went through a gauntlet of ridiculousness with MS support. This got handed up to second-level support.

Bottom Line: It came out that the problem wasn't on my end, or my computer, or with the key or anything, but that the file stored on the MS server was corrupted and wouldn't work when downloaded. This support person had to go to some random third-party vendor who had a complete image file of Office 2016, download it, and help me extract it to get it installed. The level 2 support was actually good, but it was a character-building experience getting to that point.

Possibly, but I think much more likely that due to the file size, you were having some problem downloading it perfectly.

The strong implication is that there are legitimate new and used copies of retail office software available for purchase, but MS doesn't want you using them because they would prefer you pay for a monthly subscription, so they leave installer files for these older versions that don't work laying around on their servers.

No, I think your assumption is incorrect.

Microsoft even provided free installation support to you, even though you bought it used for $22. Personally, I think that is pretty nice of them.

Anyway, it's working now, and so is my syncing with outlook.com... so all is now almost as it was in this part of the universe... whew!!

Good

Anyway, thank you for all the ideas/assistance as always Diane and company. This group is awesome!

 

[DDNorCal]

They are blocking the older versions because they don't support "modern authentication" aka oAuth2. Outlook.com users will be able to use POP and IMAP in outlook for an unknown period of time (its email only, no calendar or contacts sync) - As of October 2022, business accounts can use Outlook 2013 and newer with Exchange services only - POP and IMAP in 3rd party clients that support modern authentication (t-bird and em client are 2).

Hi Diane - newbie here. I just went thru total hell with MS on this or something similar. I was using Outlook.com to sync via Exchange, just Contacts and Calendars to iCloud. Using Outlook app 2016. I went to OL.com 2 years ago, via a MS suggestion. I was having issues between the two companies and how they handled repeating calendars events. They were all messed up.

So, it was working fine for 2 years and suddenly around Mid Sept 2022, I wasn't getting any data to iCloud. The odd part was I was migrating to a new computer and thought I broke something. Many, many hours with multiple MS Tech people online, messing around with the PST files and all of that. And dozens of chats-from-hell...

Finally, I was able to escalate to a supervisor who told me that feature was shutoff if you were syncing to a different email than the OL.com email. Great job MS, no notice, no emails, no window of time given to go to plan B...Just really bad IT mgmt.

Plus all of my data was still flowing to OL.com from my local OL app but not to iCloud. So, no more calendar on iPhone.

End result was they had a Level 2 tech export from OL.com and then piece together a new PST. Took her about 3 hours.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Finally, I was able to escalate to a supervisor who told me that feature was shutoff if you were syncing to a different email than the OL.com email.

I'm not sure what they meant by this. How were you syncing to icloud?

If you have calendar and contacts in outlook, add the account to both outlook desktop and the phone.

 

[DDNorCal]

I don't have Outlook on the phone. I use standard Apple mail. 3 years ago I was syncing just Contacts and Calendars direct from my 2016 Outlook app to iCloud via their "iCloud for Windows" app. Then, discovered the two companies were handling repeating calendar events differently and they were always messed up. That's when MS suggested I use Exchange to do the syncing to iCloud.