Learn how to set up iCloud email on Outlook 2016 for Mac (preview). Outlook 2016 for Mac preview was publicly released beside the other Office 2016 apps (Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote) on March 5, 2015. And like Outlook 2013, setting up iCloud email on Outlook 2016 for Mac is again a bit tricky because the automatically configuration is not working.
Like Outlook 2011 for Mac, Outlook 2016 for Mac (preview) does not support Apple iCloud calendar (CalDAV) and contact (CardDAV) synchronization. This means you cannot sync iCloud calendars and iCloud contacts with Outlook 2016 for Mac (preview).

Outlook for Mac 2016 preview – iCloud email account
Here’s how to set up iCloud email on Outlook 2016 for Mac (preview):
- Download and install Office 2016 for Mac 2016 (preview), if you haven’t already installed it. Open Outlook 2016 for Mac preview. In the Outlook menu bar, go to ‘Tools‘ and click on ‘Accounts…‘.

Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_01_Tools-Accounts
- In the next screen ‘Add an account‘, select ‘Other email‘.

Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_02 Add an Account Other Email
- Enter your iCloud account information (iCloud email and password). You will noticed that the automatic configuration will not work and another screen will pop up.

Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_03_Enter your account information configure automatically not working
- On the pop-up screen fill in (override default port if necessary):

Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_04_Enter your account information configure manually
- Incoming server (IMAP): ‘p08-imap.mail.me.com’ and port 993, SSL activated
- Outgoing server (SMTP): ‘p08-smtp.mail.me.com’ and port 587, SSL activated
- Click on ‘Add account‘.
- On the next screen, you will see your iCloud account starting to sync (yellow signal).

Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_05_IMAP account in syncing process
- In the meanwhile, you can check the advanced settings ‘Server‘, ‘Folders‘ and ‘Security‘:
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Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_06_IMAP account advanced server
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Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_07_IMAP account advanced Folders
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Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_08_IMAP account advanced Security
- When the syncing process is finished, you will see a green signal beside your iCloud account.

Setting up iCloud email on Outlook for Mac 2016 preview_09_IMAP account synced
Note: If you still face problems check if the IMAP server is ‘p08-imap.mail.me.com’ and ‘p08-smtp.mail.me.com’ is the correct one for your iCloud email account. Alternatively, try p01, p02, p03,…
Again and again it is annoying: Why does not Microsoft make it easy to set up iCloud email on Outlook? Further more, syncing iCloud calendars and iCloud contacts is not possible because Outlook 2016 for Mac (preview) does not support CalDAV and CardDAV synchronization. For me, Outlook for Mac does not make any sense.
Stay tuned! 😉
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Hi Gee
I’ve been playing around with this. So, even if I configure my iCloud account on Outlook 2016, I cannot sync my calendar and contacts?
Hi Abdon,
yes, it’s true. As I’ve written in this post, Outlook 2016 for Mac (like Outlook for Mac 2011) does not support Apple iCloud calendar (CalDAV) and contact (CardDAV) synchronization. This means you cannot sync iCloud calendars and iCloud contacts with Outlook 2016 for Mac (preview).
It’s really annoying….
Cheers,
Gee Are
There is a way to sync iCloud and Outlook for Mac 2016 – few steps: select all your iCloud contacts from your Address Book on your Mac, export in one Vcard file, drag Vcard file to My Computer category in your contacts under People in Outlook for Mac – all your contacts will be copied and iCloud account synchronized with Outlook for Mac 2016 for automatic contact updates thereafter.
worked perfectly – thanks!
Hi emily,
you’re welcome! Thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Dear Gee,
I totally agree with you. Not being able to sync iCloud calendar and contacts makes Outlook for Mac totally useless. This was the only reason I gave up using the Mac and went back to pc. What can I say? Outlook is my favourite programme!!
Hi Brendan,
thanks for your feedback! And Outlook will even get better on other OS:
https://miapple.me/outlook-for-windows-10-mobile-mail-and-calendar-app-for-windows-10/
Cheers,
Gee Are
Setting Up iCloud Email On Outlook 2016 For Mac http://t.co/J1O1yU8YzM.
well, you are absolutely right it is annoying. Thanks for your info, which is one of the very few to find on the net. Unfortunately it does not work for me. I tried all different p0X, based on the info in Apples Mail App it should be p01 for me, but nothing works, I always get an authentication failure.
Its unbelievable that an email app cannot connect to one of the popular mail-servers, especially an email app designed for Mac that cannot connect to Apple email-server.
You are right too with the statement that Outlook 2016 for mac makes no sense.
Hi Karl,
firstly, thank you very much for your detailed feedback! Secondly, I’m sorry that you didn’t succeed in getting it working! One last option: Do you have a complex iCloud-password? If so, try a simpler one, using a-z and numbers, no special characters.
Cheers,
Gee Are
Good morning to all,
I was having the same problems. I tried your suggestions using p08- and still did not work.
Then I remembered I have activated the two-step verification for my apple ID. I generated an App specific password in my Apple ID account and retried the auto config and all worked from the first shot.
If you have activated two-step verification, you need to generate an App Specific password for Outlook.
Hi Nabil,
thank you very much for your feedback and the solution provided!
Cheers,
Gee Are
I turned off my two-step authentication thinking that was blocking it. What does that mean? An app specific password? It is not the same one I use to enter my icloud.com email on the web? I don’t see anywhere under “Manage Your Apple ID” website where to do this. Please help!
I got it to work!!! I have an original mac mail account with the “@mac.com” ending.
I just updated my user name to a “@me.com” ending an it all works now. Outlook worked for years with my Mac.com but no more. Hope this helps anyone else with a super old mac mail account and Outlook 2016.
Hi Mark,
many thanks for your helpful comment!
Cheers,
Gee Are