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Outlook 2016 skip "Welcome to Outlook 2016" setup wizard

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Question

Thursday, April 14, 2016 11:53 AM

Hi,

OK I have read many threads and posts about the solution "ZeroConfigExchange". But it does'nt work for my Windows 10 clients.

  • Windows 10 x64
  • Office 2016
  • Office 365 / Azure AD accounts
  • Client computer is join with Azure AD so the users login with Office 365 accounts
  • No On-promise AD, only Azure AD
  • AutoDiscover and modern authentication works with sharepoint and Outlook 2016
  • Dword "ZeroConfigExchange" = 1 is created in both regkeys for all users
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover

Problem

When I start Outlook 2016 for first time users it still prompts the "Welcome to Outlook 2016" setup wizard where I have to create a profile.

What am I doing wrong?

Best regards

All replies (7)

Friday, April 15, 2016 5:35 AM

Hi,

Generally, ZeroConfigExchange (ZCE) can be used to create new profiles for users with minimal user interaction. That is, the user does not have to enter any configuration data... only data that every user should already know (account name and/or password) or with which to create a profile (a simple name). 

If you are using Outlook 2016 for the first time, it is the expected behavior that a "Welcome to Outlook 2016" setup wizard window prompted. The Outlook profile has been created automatically, and you can just click Next to setup mailbox account automatically without entering any server configuration data. For more information about ZeroConfigExchange, please refer to:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/outlooking/archive/2015/10/30/the-prf-vs-zce-when-to-use-each.aspx

Regards,

Winnie Liang
TechNet Community Support

Please mark the reply as an answer if you find it is helpful.

If you have feedback for TechNet Support, contact [email protected].

Monday, April 18, 2016 3:18 AM

Hi Caren,

Sorry for my mistake. My test environment is on-premises AD and on-premises Exchange environment. I installed a new Office 2016 on a new test computer for further testing. I only created the DWORD "ZeroConfigExchange" = 1 in the path HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover on this computer, then open Outlook 2016 first time for this domain user, there is no "Welcome to Outlook 2016" setup wizard prompted. Yes, the account can be configured automatically after you click Outlook 2016.

In your scenario, please switch another domain account on this computer. Make sure no registry changing before. Then create a DWORD (ZeroConfigExchange) in the following path on Windows 10:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover

Click File > Exit Regedit.exe. Open Outlook 2016 first time and confirm if the "Welcome to Outlook 2016" setup wizard prompted.

Regards,

Winnie Liang
TechNet Community Support

Please mark the reply as an answer if you find it is helpful.

If you have feedback for TechNet Support, contact [email protected].

Monday, April 18, 2016 7:55 AM

Hi, thanks for your interest.

In my scenario I have Office 365 accounts with Exchange Online.
The account logs in to Computer with "join Azure AD" function. 

I have from the beginning done what you suggest. New fresh profile gets the ZeroConfigExchange value in HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

The Windows 10 mail-app works. Outlook 2016 also works but I have to go thru welcome setup wizard.

http://i.imgur.com/n9uJ9A9.jpg
The screenshot is in Swedish but for a experienced user you can see that the reg value is set, the Outlook 2016 welcome wizard appears and that I have no previous profiles.

Thursday, April 21, 2016 2:14 AM

Hi Caren,

I tried my best and still have no idea why the "Welcome to Outlook 2016" setup wizard window is prompted in your scenario with the same settings as me.

There is an TechNet blog talking about how to disable the First Run screens by using Group Policy:

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/odsupport/2012/11/14/how-to-manage-the-first-run-screens-that-appear-when-microsoft-office-2013-applications-are-first-launched/

Please enable the "Disable First Run Movie" and "Disable First Run on application boot" for Office 2016, and confirm if it is helpful.

Regards,

Winnie Liang
TechNet Community Support

Please mark the reply as an answer if you find it is helpful.

If you have feedback for TechNet Support, contact [email protected].

Friday, April 22, 2016 3:01 AM

I have the exact same issue and we need an answer in order to make Outlook 2016 roll out easier for staff on computers.

No domain.  Take a Windows 10 computer.  Join to Azure AD.  Install Office 365 Pro Plus en-us (2016) 16.0.6001.1073.

Adjust the registry key - HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover 
ZeroConfigExchange to 1

Run Outlook 2016... "Welcome to Outlook 2016"

Built in Win 10 Mail and Calendar apps work automagically out of the box.  Why Outlook 2016 cannot work in such as easy way is bizarre. 

http://blogs.technet.com/b/outlooking/archive/2015/10/30/the-prf-vs-zce-when-to-use-each.aspx

Surely it should be as easy as the blog makes out.  Especially given PRF isn't for Outlook 2016.

Thursday, December 22, 2016 1:28 PM

I have the same problem, and I have solved it by creating a .reg template with the necessary parameters, then searching the AzureAD user for the registry, and replacing the .reg file text with the appropriate user.
The only thing that asks for the user's password.
Now I am trying not to get the activation of O365 and done automatically.

Friday, August 17, 2018 2:52 PM

I recognize this is an old post, but I have the same problem with a configuration identical to original post and the "solution" is very vague.  What registry key are you setting to tell Outlook 2016 the e-mail address of AzureAD user?  I see that I can get e-mail address from WHOAMI / UPN but I don't know what registry key to set.

By the way, I was able to resolve not getting a password prompt by updating our tenant configuration

set-organizationconfig -Oauth4clientprofileEnable $true  (which is default for new O365 tenants created after Aug 2017)

My current issue is for an AzureAD joined user, Outlook doesn't pre-populate the e-mail address and perform ZCE even though registry key is set.  If I enter email address in initial Outlook profile prompt, then rest of configuration is automatic.

Could someone share the "necessary parameters" to make Outlook smart enough to utilize the e-mail address that user logged into Windows 10 with?