Microsoft is gradually rolling out a higher security standard in Outlook. Users will be required to use a more secure login method than the traditional username and password combination.
Microsoft is beginning the rollout of the Secure Future Initiative. The login method, with a username and password, will be replaced with a more secure alternative. Non-business users must be switched by Sept. 16.
The new login method will be through the Modern Authentication method. Users won’t get a more complicated login process, but the e-mail service will still have limited interoperability with third-party apps. That will make it impossible to open Outlook from an app that does not support the new login method.
Farewell to third-party email apps and light version
The timeline for the switch was recently shared by David Los, Software Program Manager at Outlook. For the security initiative, the lighter web version of Outlook will be dropped on Aug. 19. From then on, it will no longer be possible to access the e-mail service from an outdated browser. Support for third-party e-mail apps will also disappear and will do so on June 30. The last change includes Gmail and the Google calendar associated with it.
According to Los, users won’t notice anything else about the switch: “With modern authentication methods, we apply additional backend processes/tokens that users may not notice, and that adds an extra layer of security.” The change applies to Outlook users, as well as Hotmail and Live.com users.
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