How to Fix Hotmail Not Working on Mac Mail? Best Solution

My First Step: Checking the Obvious

Before diving into complex fixes to resolve Hotmail unable to load in Mac Mail. I will start with the basics. I opened Safari and checked if my internet connection was working properly. Then I logged into Hotmail directly through outlook.com in my browser. Everything worked fine there, which told me the problem wasn’t with my account or the internet. Thus, it was specifically with Mac Mail.

Verifying My Server Settings

This is where I found my first real clue. I realized that incorrect server settings are often the cause of a Hotmail Account not working with Apple Mail. 

Steps to Verify Server Settings

• Firstly, I opened Mail and went to Mail → Settings → Accounts.
• Thereafter, I selected my Hotmail account from the sidebar.
• Then, I carefully checked my incoming mail server settings against what they should be:
• Server: outlook.office365.com
• Port: 993
• Authentication: Password
• Use SSL: Enabled
• Next, I verified my outgoing mail server (SMTP) settings:
• Server: smtp.office365.com
• Port: 587
• Authentication: Password
• Use TLS/SSL: Enabled

I made a few corrections where things didn’t match, saved the changes, and restarted Mac Mail. Unfortunately, this didn’t completely fix Hotmail not working on Mac Mail. Thereafter, I tried on to the next step.

Re-authenticating My Account

Sometimes, authentication tokens can expire. Thus, it might have caused connection issues. So I decided to refresh my login credentials. It might fix Hotmail Not Working on Apple Mail. 

Process to Re-authenticate Mac Mail with Hotmail

• I went back to Mac Mail → Settings → Accounts and selected my Hotmail account.
• Then, I looked for a Sign In or Re-authenticate button and clicked it.
• When prompted, I entered my current Hotmail password.
• Since I have two-factor authentication enabled, I had to generate an app-specific password from my Microsoft account security settings (more on this later).

After re-authenticating, I tested the connection again. However, it didn’t work for me. Then, I tried another way to resolve Hotmail not working on Mac Mail 

Removing and Re-adding My Account

Sometimes a fresh start is exactly what you need. I decided to completely remove my Hotmail account and set it up again from scratch. Moreover, you don’t need to worry. This won’t delete your emails from the server. 

Steps to Removing & Re-Adding Hotmail on Mac Mail 

• In Mac Mail Settings, I selected my Hotmail account and clicked the minus (-) button to remove it.
• After confirming the removal, I clicked the plus (+) button to add it back.
• Then, I selected Microsoft Exchange as the account type.
• Thereafter, I entered my full Hotmail email address and password.
• Lastly, Mail automatically configured most of the server settings for me.

After completing the setup, I was relieved to see my emails finally starting to sync again. Finally, it has fixed the Hotmail not working on Mac Mail Problem. However, just to be thorough, I wanted to ensure I covered all my bases. Next, I updated my macOS & transferred emails from Hotmail to Gmail for safekeeping. 

How to Update macOS? 

I realized I’d been putting off a macOS update for a while. Outdated software can definitely cause compatibility issues with Microsoft’s servers. Additionally, it may be a reason for Hotmail not working on Mac Mail. Therefore, I decided to update it.

Simple Steps to Update macOS

• I clicked the Apple menu and went to System Settings → General → Software Update.
• There was indeed an update available, so I installed it.
• After restarting my Mac, I opened Mac Mail to check if everything was still working smoothly.

Thankfully, the update didn’t break anything. In fact, everything seemed to run even better. Next, I took all the backup. 

How to Take Hotmail Emails Backup? 

I have used the MailConverterTools Hotmail Backup Software & transferred all the files. This tool saves your Hotmail email data, including messages and attachments, into various formats such as PST, MBOX, and others. Moreover, it is compatible with both Windows and Mac. Plus, the tool performs full-mailbox backups of the Inbox, Sent Items, Drafts, Calendars, Contacts, and all folders while preserving folder hierarchy and attachment integrity. If you want, you can directly move your Hotmail email data to any email client with this powerful tool. 

Troubleshooting

If you’re still having issues after trying everything I mentioned, you might want to:

• Contact Apple Support for Mac Mail-specific problems.
• Reach out to Microsoft Support for account-related issues.
• Consider using the official Microsoft Outlook app for Mac as an alternative.
• Access your email through a web browser while you continue troubleshooting.

Final Thoughts

After trying all these solutions to fix Hotmail Not Working on Mac Mail. Now, my Hotmail account is now working perfectly in Mac Mail. The key fixes for me were re-adding the account fresh, creating an app-specific password for two-factor authentication, and making sure my server settings were correct. This guide will help you fix your Hotmail issues faster than it took me. Moreover, using the MailConverterTools Hotmail Backup Software not only secures your mailbox but also ensures you never lose critical emails during troubleshooting or migration.

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