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)
- 3 Step 2A: Confirm you can access and send/receive email
- 4 Step 2B: Reconfigure your email (if needed)
- 5 Step 3: Update interface settings if needed
- 6 Step 4: Edit new features if necessary
- 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:
Personal accounts: Log in to https://connect.uwaterloo.ca with your own 8-character UWaterloo username@uwaterloo.ca and password
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:
Some generic accounts are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca and password
Some generic accounts require you to log in with the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca)
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.
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:
Log out (or open a different web browser)
Click on the profile icon at the top right and click Sign out.
Log into https://outlook.office.com/mail/username@uwaterloo.ca, where username is the 8-character username of the generic account
Generic account login information:
Some generic accounts are configured to allow you to log in with your personal username@uwaterloo.ca.
Some generic accounts require you to log in with the generic account username and password (e.g. generic1@uwaterloo.ca).
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:
Outlook - Windows:
If prompted with the following, click OK and restart Outlook (File/Exit, then re-open Outlook):
Outlook - Mac OS
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.
If you can access and send/receive an email, your migration is complete, and you can skip to Steps 3 and 4 below.
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):
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
Step 3: Update interface settings if needed
What do I need to do after I log in?
Shared accounts and generic accounts (where access is via personal credentials) may need to be re-configured
Shared and generic accounts, that are still on-premises, can be accessed through a web browser: https://connect.uwaterloo.ca/owa/username@uwaterloo.ca, where username is the username of the shared account.
Signatures may need to be re-created or re-configured
See Microsoft's documentation on How to Create and Add a Signature
Mailbox favourites may need to be re-added
See Microsoft's documentation on How to Add or Remove Folders in Favourites
Drafts folder may not appear until a new draft message is created
You may need to re-add others’ calendars in Outlook. If you need to re-add, you will receive prompts to configure other email server settings:
Remove the existing calendar by right-clicking on the calendar > Delete Calendar.
Quit and re-open Outlook.
Re-add the calendar by right-clicking on 'My Calendars' > Add Calendar > from Address Book.
Step 4: Edit new features if necessary
New features available in Microsoft 365
Focused inbox: separates your inbox into two tabs: ‘Focused’ and ‘Other’
To turn off Focused inbox, please see Microsoft's documentation: Focused Inbox for Outlook
MyAnalytics: a tool to help you improve focus, wellbeing, network, and collaboration
Please submit a request via RT to enable MyAnalytics
Additional resources
Voicemail and editing voice greetings
Voicemail is now hosted in the cloud for Skype for Business phone users
Voicemails will be sent to your email inbox; you can also access voicemail in Microsoft Teams by going to Calls > Voicemail
Learn more about how you can configure your voicemail settings and greetings
Changes to Exchange distribution groups
Owners of 'on-premises’ distribution groups/lists can still use them, however, group owners who have their email in Microsoft 365 will need to log into http://connect.uwaterloo.ca/ecp to edit them, at this time. Another option is to ask your IST Account Rep to edit your groups for you.
Confirm your preferred email address with Alumni
Wondering how you can update UWaterloo with your preferred email address? Complete the Alumni Address Update form to let us know! Updating your address makes sure you receive information about alumni reunions and other special events, and can help classmates and friends find you if you choose.