Microsoft has announced a change in the way private email accounts on Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, Live.com are logged in. They are moving away from the old Basic Auth system that only uses usernames and passwords to a new Modern Authentication system that enhances identity verification. This includes 2FA confirmation, access permission systems, and added brute force protection.
Users accessing these email accounts directly through the web or through Microsoft’s email app (Outlook on various platforms) will not be affected. However, those using these emails with other clients such as Thunderbird, Apple Mail, and older versions of Outlook prior to 2021 will not be able to log in using the old method after September 16, 2024. They will need to update their email clients to the latest version that supports Modern Authentication.
Thunderbird and Apple Mail already support Modern Authentication, but users will need to switch to OAuth2 for identity verification instead of using the old password method. Refer to Microsoft’s documentation for the instructions.
Source: Microsoft
TLDR: Microsoft is switching email accounts on Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, and Live.com to a more secure Modern Authentication system, requiring users to update their email clients to support the new method by September 16, 2024. Thunderbird and Apple Mail users will need to switch to OAuth2 for authentication instead of using passwords.
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