Outlook.com and Hotmail don't let ordinary mail apps in with a password: Microsoft only allows its own sign-in. That's why so many Mac mail apps stumble on a Hotmail address. GotEmail signs in the way Microsoft asks, on Microsoft's own page, and then gives your Outlook mail a native Mac window, right next to everything else you read.
Which Microsoft accounts work
- Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live and MSN addresses, from any country.
- Microsoft 365 work and school accounts.
- Custom domains hosted on Outlook or Microsoft 365, like you@yourcompany.com.
Pick Outlook when you add the account, whichever of these you have.
What you get with Outlook in GotEmail
- One list for every account. Your Outlook or Hotmail inbox sits in All Inboxes with your Gmail, iCloud and work mail.
- Microsoft's own connection. Outlook and Microsoft 365 accounts use Microsoft's own connection (Microsoft Graph), so mail loads quickly and stays in step with Outlook on the web.
- Sign-in codes, one click away. Verification codes and magic links show beside the subject and in a banner, ready to copy.
- AI drafts and summaries, Send Later, Snooze and one-click Unsubscribe, for Outlook mail like any other.
- Notifications the moment new mail arrives, even with the window closed.
Set up Outlook or Hotmail on your Mac
- Choose Outlook. In GotEmail choose Add Account, then Outlook.
- Sign in with Microsoft. Microsoft's sign-in page opens. Sign in as you always do: password, code or the Authenticator app.
- That's it. Microsoft hands GotEmail a sign-in, which stays in your Mac's Keychain. Your inbox loads and new mail arrives as it lands.
Outlook on the web vs. Outlook in GotEmail
| Outlook in a browser tab | Outlook in GotEmail | |
|---|---|---|
| Your other addresses | Separate tabs or apps | Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo and IMAP in the same list |
| Notifications | Only while the tab is open | Native notifications, even with the window closed |
| Verification codes | Open the message and find the code | Shown beside the subject, copied in one click |
| Feels like a Mac app | No | Yes, it is one |
Good to know
Labels you make in GotEmail work on Outlook mail too. On Outlook accounts they're kept on your Mac rather than on Microsoft's servers, while Gmail, iCloud and most IMAP servers carry them with the mail.
Questions
Does GotEmail work with Hotmail and Live addresses?
Yes. Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live and MSN addresses, from any country, all sign in through Outlook in GotEmail.
Can I add a Microsoft 365 work or school account?
Yes. Work and personal Microsoft accounts sign in the same way, custom domains included. If your organization has to approve new apps, your IT team may need to allow GotEmail first.
Do I need an app password for Outlook?
No. Outlook accounts sign in with Microsoft on Microsoft's own page. GotEmail never sees your Microsoft password; it only keeps the sign-in Microsoft gives it, in your Keychain.
Will I have to sign in again every few months?
No. Microsoft renews the sign-in each time GotEmail refreshes it, and GotEmail keeps the renewed one, so the account keeps working.
Does mail I send show up in Outlook's Sent folder?
Yes. Microsoft keeps its own copy of every message you send, so it appears in Sent in Outlook on the web and everywhere else, once.