Why should I switch to the Outlook app?

Changes are coming to improve the security of our university email that will impact your ability to access these services. Get ahead of the change and install the Microsoft Outlook mobile app now.

There are many benefits to using the Outlook mobile app:

  • Provides the best user experience for email and calendar on mobile devices
  • Enables a more secure sign-in and better protects accounts
  • Offers better features and reliability

If you are already using the Outlook app, look to see if you have your account set up in another Mail, Calendar or Contacts app.  Do NOT uninstall the Outlook app.

To switch to using the Outlook mobile app, first remove your account from the current email app (Mail, Gmail, Email) on your mobile device and then install and configure the Outlook app using the instructions below.  Do NOT delete the app itself.

NOTE: Only the latest 2 iOS versions and the latest 4 Android OS versions are supported.

Before switching to the Outlook app, you should check to see if you have Contacts or Calendar items on your device and not in Microsoft 365.  

Contacts

If you were syncing your email contacts with the contacts list on your phone prior to using the Outlook app, and you lost your contacts when you changed to the Outlook app, you can re-add them by following the steps below.

  1. Tap Settings
  2. Tap Contacts
  3. Tap Accounts
  4. Tap Add Account
  5. Tap Microsoft Exchange 
  6. In the Email Address field, type your HawkID@uiowa.edu
  7. Enter a description for your account (e.g., Microsoft 365, UI email)
  8. Tap Next
  9. When prompted, tap Sign In
  10. Enter your HawkID password in the Password field
  11. Tap Log In
  12. You may be prompted to complete the login using DUO
  13. If you are prompted about "are you trying to sign in with Apple..." choose Yes
  14. Choose contacts to sync your contacts with your iOS account
  15. Tap Save

Calendar

Verify that any events you added to your calendar via your iPhone are on the correct calendar.  They should be on your Microsoft 365 calendar and not the iPhone calendar.   Otherwise, you won't see them when you use the calendar in Outlook. 

 

The two most recent iOS versions:

First, remove your Microsoft 365 account from the alternative mail app:

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap Mail.
  3. Tap Accounts.
  4. Tap your Office365 account.
  5. Tap Delete Account.
  6. Choose which items (email, calendar, contacts, etc.) you want to delete (we recommend deleting all). This will delete all email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device. 
    Exception: If you have contacts stored locally on your device, do not remove contacts.
  7. Tap Delete Account to confirm. 

Next, install the Microsoft Outlook app:

  1. Download Microsoft Outlook from the App Store.
  2. Open the app and tap Get Started.
  3. On the "Add Account" screen, in the Email Address field, type your HawkID@uiowa.edu.
  4. Tap Add Account.
  5. On the "HawkID Login" screen, type your HawkID password.
  6. Tap Sign In.
  7. Note: If you have Two-Step Login with Duo Security, you will be prompted to complete login using Duo.
  8. Tap Maybe Later when prompted to add another account.
  9. View the tutorial by swiping or tap Skip.

Older iOS versions

The Outlook app is no longer available for download for versions older than the two most recent versions. To access your university email on your device, follow the instructions below to remove the account from the default mail app, then update your device to the most recent version, and follow the above instructions to set up Outlook mobile.  If you have an older iPhone, you may not be able to update to the latest iOS so you won't be able to use Outlook mobile.

Note: While older versions of Outlook already installed will still work on devices running older iOS versions, these devices will not get new app updates. Users can expect a degraded experience of the Outlook for iOS app over time if they do not stay up to date.  Microsoft only supports the two most recent OS release versions.

To remove your mail account from the default Mail app on iOS:

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap Passwords & Accounts.
  3. Tap your Microsoft 365 account
  4. Tap Delete Account.
  5. Choose which items (email, calendar, contacts, etc.) you want to delete (we recommend deleting all). This will delete all email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device. Exception: If you have contacts stored locally on your device, do not remove contacts.
  6. Tap Delete Account to confirm. 

or:

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap Mail (or Mail, Accounts, Calendars depending on your iOS version)
  3. Tap Accounts (depending on your iOS version this may not show)
  4. Select your Microsoft 365 account.
  5. Tap Delete Account.
  6. Choose which items (email, calendar, contacts, etc.) you want to delete (we recommend deleting all).  This will delete email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device. Exception: If you have contacts stored locally on your device, do not remove contacts.
  7. Tap Delete Account to confirm.

*** Starting on July 1, 2019, support is limited to only the last four major versions of Android OS.

Switching from the Gmail App on Your Android

First, remove your Microsoft 365 account from the Gmail app.

  1. Tap Settings
  2. Tap Accounts
  3. Select your Office365 account.
  4. Tap Remove Account.  This will delete email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device.

Next install the Microsoft Outlook app. 

  1. Next, from the Google Play Store, search for and install Microsoft Outlook 
  2. Tap Open once the install is complete
  3. Tap Get Started, and either slide through or skip the introductory tips
  4. Type your HawkID@uiowa.edu and tap Continue (allow the screen to load the University's login page)
  5. Type your HawkID Password (your HawkID@uiowa.edu should already be entered)
  6. If your HawkID@uiowa.edu is not displaying correctly or is misspelled, you'll need to touch the back button and re-type it rather than correcting the error on the University's login page
  7. ​Tap Log In
  8. Note: If you have Two-Step Login with Duo Security, you will be prompted to complete login using Duo.
  9. When prompted to add another account, tap Skip
  10. View the tutorial by swiping or tap Skip

Switching from the Android Email App to the Outlook App

First, remove your Microsoft 365 account from the Email app

Current versions (most recent 4 OS versions):

  1. Tap Settings 
  2. Tap Accounts
  3. Select your Office365 account. 
  4. Tap Remove Account.  This will delete email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device.

Installing the Outlook App

  1. Next, search for and download Microsoft Outlook from the Play Store (app store), through Google Play > Apps
  2. Tap Open once the install is complete
  3. Tap Get Started, and either slide through or skip the introductory tips
  4. Tap the Microsoft 365 icon
  5. Enter HawkID@uiowa.edu, and allow the screen to load the University's login page
  6. At the University login page, add your HawkID Password (your HawkID@uiowa.edu should already be entered)
  7. If your HawkID@uiowa.edu is not displaying correctly or is misspelled, you'll need to touch the back button and re-type it rather than correcting the error on the University's login page
  8. ​Tap Sign In
  9. Note: If you have Two-Step Login with Duo Security, you will be prompted to complete login using Duo.
  10. When prompted to add another account, tap Maybe Later
  11. You can either skip the tips or tap right arrow to scroll through them. 

While we recommend the fully supported Outlook app, you can continue to use your current email app as long as it supports Modern Authentication.  See Alternative Mobile Device Clients for more information.  Limited support is provided for these apps.

Article number: 
120206
Last updated: 
September 19, 2023
Category: