How to Add a Non-Microsoft Email Account to the Windows 8 Mail App (Historical)

Historical support note: This article documents the built-in Mail app shipped with Windows 8. Windows 8/8.1 and their Store ecosystem are no longer supported, and modern mail providers may reject the authentication methods available to this old app.

The Windows 8 Mail app was not limited to Hotmail/Outlook/Microsoft accounts. It could add supported accounts from other providers as well.

Add another account

1. Open the Mail app from Start.
2. Open the Charms bar and select Settings.
3. Select Accounts.
4. Select Add an account.
5. Choose the provider if it is listed.
6. If the provider is not listed, choose Other account when available and enter the incoming/outgoing server details supplied by your email provider.

Depending on the provider, the account may use IMAP, Exchange ActiveSync, or another protocol supported by that version of Mail.

If the account no longer connects

Do not weaken the email account’s security settings simply to make a 2012-era client connect. Modern providers may require OAuth, app passwords, newer TLS versions, or may have stopped supporting the protocol used by Windows 8 Mail.

In that case, use a currently supported mail client or the provider’s webmail rather than disabling modern account-security protections.

Historical limitation

Microsoft ended support for Windows 8.1 on January 10, 2023, and Store purchases/updates for that ecosystem have also been wound down. This guide is retained for legacy-reference purposes.

Official references

• Microsoft: Windows 8.1 end of support: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-8-1-support-ended-on-january-10-2023-3cfd4cde-f611-496a-8057-923fba401e93
• Microsoft Windows lifecycle status: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/updates-lifecycle/what-does-it-mean-if-windows-isn-t-supported