Post-migration instructions for Microsoft 365 email

Important reminders for generic accounts, retirees and alumni

You must enrol in the University’s two-factor authentication (2FA) service to gain access to your Microsoft 365 (M365) email account.
You must upgrade to a recent version of your email client (e.g., if using Outlook, update to at least Outlook 2016) or start using the Web client, accessible via microsoft365.com .
Ensure your web browser is up to date. See a list of browsers that work with Office for the Web.
Outlook 2019/Microsoft 365 users should close and restart the Outlook mail client.

On this page

1 Step 1A: Check to see if your migration is complete
2 Step 1B: Restart Outlook and re-login (if prompted)
- 2.1 I've been migrated to Microsoft 365. What do I need to do before I log in?
3 Step 2A: Confirm you can access and send/receive email
4 Step 2B: Reconfigure your email (if needed)
- 4.1 What if I'm using a mail app that isn't Outlook?
5 Step 3: Update interface settings if needed
- 5.1 What do I need to do after I log in?
6 Step 4: Edit new features if necessary
- 6.1 New features available in Microsoft 365
7 Additional resources

Reminders regarding email security and privacy

Highly-restricted information cannot be stored or sent in email (on-premises or in the cloud).
Anyone who handles restricted information should enroll in two-factor authentication (2FA), powered by Duo.
Microsoft 365 apps (e.g OneDrive) are approved for highly restricted information if 2FA is used.

Step 1A: Check to see if your migration is complete

On your migration day, if you want to check to see if you have been migrated to Microsoft 365:

Try to log in, via a web browser:
1. Personal accounts: Log in to https://connect.uwaterloo.ca with your own 8-character UWaterloo username@uwaterloo.ca and password
2. Generic accounts: Log in to https://connect.uwaterloo.ca/owa/username@uwaterloo.ca, where username is the 8-character username of your generic account and log in as follows:
  1. Some generic accounts are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca and password
  2. Some generic accounts require you to log in with the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca)
  3. If you are unsure of which method to use, contact either your IT support rep or the IST Service Desk for assistance.
If you see your mail, then you have not yet been migrated. If you see a forwarding link, then your migration to Microsoft 365 email is complete.
1. Note for generic accounts: If your migration is complete, and you click the forwarding link, you may see your personal email, instead of the email for the generic account. If this happens:
  1. Log out (or open a different web browser)
    1. Click on the profile icon at the top right and click Sign out.
  2. Log into https://outlook.office.com/mail/username@uwaterloo.ca, where username is the 8-character username of the generic account
    1. Generic account login information:
      1. Some generic accounts are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca.
      2. Some generic accounts require you to log in with the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca).
      3. If you are unsure of which method to use, contact either your IT support rep or the IST Service Desk for assistance.

Step 1B: Restart Outlook and re-login (if prompted)

If you are not using Outlook, see What if I'm using a mail app that isn't Outlook? section below.

I've been migrated to Microsoft 365. What do I need to do before I log in?

Ensure you are using a recent version of Outlook (e.g., Outlook 2016, 2019, or M365) and it is up to date. If you cannot update to a recent version, you can access your Microsoft 365 mailbox via microsoft365.com .

Once your account has been migrated, you will likely see an Outlook prompt, to indicate something has changed. Follow the prompts and restart Outlook:
1. Outlook - Windows:
  1. If prompted with the following, click OK and restart Outlook (File/Exit, then re-open Outlook):
2. Outlook - Mac OS
  1. If prompted with the following, check the box for “Always use my response for this server”, click the Allow button and restart Outlook (Outlook/Quit, then re-open Outlook).
After you restart Outlook, you may need to reconfigure Outlook settings (see screenshots below), and you may be prompted for two-factor authentication (2FA)/Duo:

Step 2A: Confirm you can access and send/receive email

Once you have completed steps 1A and 1B above:

Confirm you can access and send/receive an email by sending yourself or your colleague a test email. Note: After the migration, it can take some time for all the mailbox folders to synchronize and appear in the folder navigation list.
1. If you can access and send/receive an email, your migration is complete, and you can skip to Steps 3 and 4 below.
2. If you cannot access and send/receive email, follow Step 2B below

Step 2B: Reconfigure your email (if needed)

If you cannot access or cannot send/receive email, you may need to re-configure your email client. Choose your email client below for information on how to re-configure your email client. (reminder that you also may be prompted for two-factor authentication (2FA)/Duo):

Personal accounts:
1. Log in to microsoft365.com .
2. Select the Outlook app.
Generic accounts:
1. Log in to https://outlook.office.com/mail/username@uwaterloo.ca/ (where username is the 8-character username of the generic account)
  1. Some generic accounts are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca
  2. Some generic accounts require you to log in with the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca).
  3. If you are unsure of which method to use, contact either your IT support rep or the IST Service Desk for assistance.

Personal accounts and Generic accounts that use the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca):
1. Shut down Outlook and restart it again. Send a test message to ensure that you can send and receive email.
2. You should be prompted to log in once Outlook restarts.
3. If Outlook does not prompt you for a password, you receive an error, or if you can't send email, you may need to re-create your profile and/or remove credentials from the Credential Manager; please go to: Managing Outlook Profiles on Windows 10 for more information on these topics.
Generic accounts that are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca
1. See Adding M365 Shared Mailboxes and Generic Accounts (that you log into with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca) - Outlook for Windows

Personal accounts and Generic accounts that use the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca):
1. Launch your Microsoft 365 for Mac Outlook client.
2. After Outlook is launched, click on Tools > Accounts.
3. Delete the current account (highlight your account, then press the minus button (-) in the bottom left corner, and confirm your deletion by clicking on Delete).
4. Once removed, you’ll be brought back to the Accounts window, click on the button for Exchange or Microsoft 365.
5. Enter your primary email address in the E-mail address field.
6. Enter your 8-character username @uwaterloo.ca (username@uwaterloo.ca) and your password.
7. Make sure Configure automatically is checked, then click Add Account.
8. Check the Always use my response for this server option and click the Allow button.
9. If necessary, see Teams Meeting button is missing in Outlook for Mac support article.
Generic accounts that are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca
1. See Adding a shared mailbox to Outlook for the Mac - Instructions for M365 Shared Mailboxes.

Personal accounts and Generic accounts that use the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca):
1. Microsoft recommends removing and re-adding the account associated with Outlook on your phone.
  1. To delete the account
    1. Start the Outlook app.
    2. At the top left, select the menu icon, tap the Settings (gear) icon.
    3. Tap the account you would like to remove/delete.
    4. A new window will appear. Tap Delete Account.
    5. A small menu will appear, tap Delete.
    6. Fully quit the application.
  2. To re-add the account
    1. On the Welcome Screen, click Get Started.
    2. On the Get Notified screen, you have the option to turn on or off app notifications. This is up to your preference.
    3. On the Add Account screen, enter the email address of the account you are configuring.
    4. Enter your account name in the following format: Enter your 8-character username @uwaterloo.ca (username@uwaterloo.ca).
    5. Click Add Account.
    6. Enter your UWaterloo password on the Microsoft 365 sign-in page and select Sign In.
    7. If you use 2FA, click through the prompts to authenticate.
    8. Your account will be added to the Outlook app.
    9. You will be prompted to add another account if you wish to do so.
Generic accounts that are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca
1. See step 1. (above) add your personal account first (if it is not already added)
2. Start the Outlook app.
3. At the top left, select the menu icon, tap the Settings (gear) icon.
4. Click Add Mail Account.
5. Click Add Shared Mailbox.
6. Enter the account email address in the form of the 8-character username@uwaterloo.ca (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca)
7. Click the Add Shared Mailbox button.
8. Close Outlook and re-open it.

What if I'm using a mail app that isn't Outlook?

We are not able to provide instructions for all apps that are on the market. If asked for manual information, use the following:

Username: Enter your 8-character username @uwaterloo.ca (username@uwaterloo.ca)
Server: outlook.office365.com
Domain: uwaterloo.ca

Personal accounts and Generic accounts that use the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca):
1. Go to your iPhone or iPad's Settings> scroll down and tap Accounts & Passwords > tap Add Account.
  Note: For iOS 14.X- Go to your iPhone or iPad’s Settings > scroll down and tap Mail > tap Accounts > tap Add Account
2. Select Microsoft Exchange.
3. Enter your 8-character username @uwaterloo.ca (i.e. username@uwaterloo) and a description of your account. Tap Next.
4. A popup should appear with the options to Sign in or Configure manually. Select Sign in.
5. A popup should appear asking you to sign in using your uwaterloo.ca ”Exchange account using Microsoft". Click Sign In to take you to the page where you will enter your UWaterloo credentials again.
6. Enter the password associated with your email account. Tap Sign in or Next.
7. The Mail app may request certain permissions. Tap Accept.
8. Choose the services you want to sync with your iOS device and tap Save.
Generic accounts that are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca
1. Apple Mail for iOS does not support this configuration. It is recommended to use Outlook for iOS: Add a shared mailbox to Outlook mobile (microsoft.com)