What is 2-Step Verification?
2-Step Verification is a security setting used by email hosts such as Hotmail (Outlook) and Gmail to verify your identify, preventing unwanted access. It’s a bit tedious to implement, but worth the effort for the extra security.
How to Fix It
Step 1: Implement 2-Step Verification (from Microsoft)
Note: If you already have 2-Step Verification Activated, proceed to Step 2.
- Sign in to your Microsoft account.
- Because you're changing sensitive info, you might be prompted to enter a security code. Check your phone or alternate email for the code, enter it, and tap or click Submit.
- Under Password and security info, tap or click Edit security info.
- Under Two-step verification, tap or click Set up two-step verification.
- Tap or click Next, and then follow the instructions.
- If you need to add or verify any security info before you can turn on two-step verification, they’ll prompt you with a few simple steps to do so.
Step 2: Generate App Specific Password (from Microsoft)
Now that you have 2-Step Verification enabled, you’ll have to generate a special password for ReplyManager. This is required for 3rd-party apps such as ours.
- Sign in to your Microsoft account.
- Under Password and security info, tap or click Edit security info.
- If you're prompted for a security code here, enter it and tap or click Submit.
- Under App passwords, tap or click Create a new app password.
- A new app password is generated and appears on your screen.
- Log into ReplyManager and go to Maintenance > Accounts. Select the appropriate Hotmail account.
- Enter the new password.
- To test the account, from the main Account screen, mark the checkbox next to the account you want to test and click on Test accounts. You should get a message that the account is reading successfully.