Unable to setup outlook.com email into gmail app on android

Vincent Scala 0 Reputation points
2026-05-11T03:34:19.53+00:00

I am having an issue with setting up my outlook.com email in my Gmail app on my Samsung galaxy s26 ultra.

I go to the Gmail app and click on my profile image in the top right and click on add account, I select on "outlook, Hotmail, and live" it brings me up to a Microsoft page asking to enter my email address which i do.

It then prompts me to enter another email address which i guess is my recovery email but i select on "use my password" i put the password in that belongs to my main outlook email and then i prompts me if i want to stay signed in and i say yes.

I then go back to the setup an email account screen with a pop up that says "unable to authenticate"

Outlook | Outlook for mobile | Outlook for Android | For home

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  1. EmilyS726 263.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-05-11T04:10:59.43+00:00

    There is an active known issue with the Gmail app on Android having problems authenticating Microsoft/Exchange accounts. Neither Google nor Microsoft has issued a public statement on it. But see this news article https://piunikaweb.com/2026/05/06/gmail-app-android-microsoft-365-exchange-online-authentication-issue/

    You might want to consider using the Outlook app instead.

    Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-05-11T03:34:35.9166667+00:00

    Use the supported sign-in path for Outlook.com accounts in the Gmail app and, if that fails, fall back to manual setup.

    1. In the Gmail app, update to the latest version via Google Play if not already.
    2. Open Gmail and go to Settings → Add account.
    3. Select Outlook, Hotmail, and Live.
    4. Enter the full Outlook.com email address and tap Next.
    5. When redirected to Microsoft sign-in, complete the sign-in flow (including any recovery email or verification steps) and accept the permissions prompt.
    6. When prompted how often to sync, choose a sync interval, confirm the account name and display name, then finish.

    If the built-in Outlook/Hotmail option continues to fail with “unable to authenticate”, configure the account using the Exchange/Microsoft 365 path instead:

    1. In Gmail, go to Settings → Add account → Exchange and Microsoft 365.
    2. Enter the Outlook.com email address and tap Next.
    3. Enter the password and tap Next.
    4. On the incoming server settings screen, if shown, set the server to outlook.office365.com.
    5. Follow the prompts for security/device permissions and sync settings.
    6. If an email appears saying Action Required to Sync Email, open it and tap Use another Mail app instead to complete setup.

    If still unable to authenticate using Exchange, set the account up as IMAP in Gmail (email only, no calendar/contacts):

    1. In Gmail, go to Settings → Add account → Other.
    2. Enter the Outlook.com address and tap Manual Setup.
    3. Choose Personal (IMAP).
    4. Enter the password and tap Next.
    5. For incoming and outgoing server settings, use the Outlook.com IMAP/SMTP values provided by the email provider (for SMTP, use smtp-mail.outlook.com, security type TLS, port 587).
    6. Complete the prompts and finish setup.

    If none of these paths work, use the Microsoft Outlook for Android app, which is the primary supported client for Outlook.com on Android.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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    4 people found this answer helpful.