In previous section, I introduced how to download email from Yahoo account. In this section, I will introduce how to download email from Hotmail/MSN Live/Outlook.com/Office 365 account in Delphi.
Sections:
Hotmail/Outlook POP3 server address is outlook.office365.com
. It requires SSL connection
on 995 port; Hotmail/Outlook IMAP4 server address is outlook.office365.com
. It requires SSL connection
on 993 port;
You should use your Hotmail/Outlook email address as the user name
for user authentication. For example: your email is liveid@hotmail.com
, and then
the user name should be liveid@hotmail.com
.
Server | Port | SSL | Protocol |
outlook.office365.com | 995 | SSL required | Pop3 |
outlook.office365.com | 993 | SSL required | Imap4 |
If your account enabled two-factor authentication, you cannot login your account by normal user authentication,
you should create an App Passwords and
use this App Password
instead of the user password.
Another solution is using OAUH, please see Hotmail IMAP OAUTH section.
Note
Remarks: All of examples in this section are based on first section: A simple Delphi project. To compile and run the following example codes successfully, please click here to learn how to create the test project and add reference to your project.
The following example codes demonstrate how to download email from Hotmail/MSN Live/Outlook account using POP3 protocol.
Note
To get the full sample projects, please refer to Samples section.
unit Unit1;
interface
uses
Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
Dialogs, StdCtrls, EAGetMailObjLib_TLB;
type
TForm1 = class(TForm)
Button1: TButton;
procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
private
{ Private declarations }
public
{ Public declarations }
end;
const
MailServerPop3 = 0;
MailServerImap4 = 1;
MailServerEWS = 2;
MailServerDAV = 3;
MailServerMsGraph = 4;
var
Form1: TForm1;
implementation
{$R *.dfm}
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
oServer: TMailServer;
oClient: TMailClient;
oTools: TTools;
oMail: IMail;
infos: IMailInfoCollection;
oInfo: IMailInfo;
localInbox, fileName: WideString;
i: Integer;
begin
try
// set current thread code page to system default code page.
SetThreadLocale(GetSystemDefaultLCID());
oTools := TTools.Create(Application);
// Create a folder named "inbox" under
// current directory to store the email files
localInbox := GetCurrentDir() + '\inbox';
oTools.CreateFolder(localInbox);
oServer := TMailServer.Create(Application);
// Hotmail/MSN Live POP3 server address
oServer.Server := 'outlook.office365.com';
oServer.User := 'liveid@hotmail.com';
// If you got authentication error, try to create an app password instead of your user password.
// https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/using-app-passwords-with-apps-that-don-t-support-two-step-verification-5896ed9b-4263-e681-128a-a6f2979a7944
oServer.Password := 'your password or app password';
oServer.Protocol := MailServerPop3;
// Enable SSL connection
oServer.SSLConnection := true;
// Set 995 SSL Port
oServer.Port := 995;
oClient := TMailClient.Create(Application);
oClient.LicenseCode := 'TryIt';
oClient.Connect1(oServer.DefaultInterface);
ShowMessage('Connected!');
infos := oClient.GetMailInfoList();
ShowMessage(Format('Total %d email(s)', [infos.Count]));
for i := 0 to infos.Count - 1 do
begin
oInfo := infos.Item[i];
ShowMessage(Format('Index: %d; Size: %d; UIDL: ' + oInfo.UIDL,
[oInfo.Index, oInfo.Size]));
// Generate a random file name by current local datetime,
// You can use your method to generate the filename if you do not like it
fileName := localInbox + '\' + oTools.GenFileName(i) + '.eml';
// Receive email from POP3 server
oMail := oClient.GetMail(oInfo);
ShowMessage('From: ' + oMail.From.Address + #13#10 +
'Subject: ' + oMail.Subject);
// Save email to local disk
oMail.SaveAs(fileName, true);
// Mark email as deleted from POP3 server
oClient.Delete(oInfo);
end;
// Quit and expunge emails marked as deleted from POP3 server
oClient.Quit;
except
on ep:Exception do
ShowMessage('Error: ' + ep.Message);
end;
end;
end.
The following example codes demonstrate how to download email from Hotmail/MSN Live/Outlook account using IMAP4 protocol.
Note
To get the full sample projects, please refer to Samples section.
unit Unit1;
interface
uses
Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
Dialogs, StdCtrls, EAGetMailObjLib_TLB;
type
TForm1 = class(TForm)
Button1: TButton;
procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
private
{ Private declarations }
public
{ Public declarations }
end;
const
MailServerPop3 = 0;
MailServerImap4 = 1;
MailServerEWS = 2;
MailServerDAV = 3;
MailServerMsGraph = 4;
var
Form1: TForm1;
implementation
{$R *.dfm}
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
oServer: TMailServer;
oClient: TMailClient;
oTools: TTools;
oMail: IMail;
infos: IMailInfoCollection;
oInfo: IMailInfo;
localInbox, fileName: WideString;
i: Integer;
begin
try
// set current thread code page to system default code page.
SetThreadLocale(GetSystemDefaultLCID());
oTools := TTools.Create(Application);
// Create a folder named "inbox" under
// current directory to store the email files
localInbox := GetCurrentDir() + '\inbox';
oTools.CreateFolder(localInbox);
oServer := TMailServer.Create(Application);
// Hotmail/MSN Live IMAP4 server address is "outlook.office365.com"
oServer.Server := 'outlook.office365.com';
oServer.User := 'liveid@hotmail.com';
// If you got authentication error, try to create an app password instead of your user password.
// https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/using-app-passwords-with-apps-that-don-t-support-two-step-verification-5896ed9b-4263-e681-128a-a6f2979a7944
oServer.Password := 'your password or app password';
oServer.Protocol := MailServerImap4;
// Enable SSL connection
oServer.SSLConnection := true;
// Set 993 IMAP4 SSL Port
oServer.Port := 993;
oClient := TMailClient.Create(Application);
oClient.LicenseCode := 'TryIt';
oClient.Connect1(oServer.DefaultInterface);
ShowMessage('Connected!');
infos := oClient.GetMailInfoList();
ShowMessage(Format('Total %d email(s)', [infos.Count]));
for i := 0 to infos.Count - 1 do
begin
oInfo := infos.Item[i];
ShowMessage(Format('Index: %d; Size: %d; UIDL: ' + oInfo.UIDL,
[oInfo.Index, oInfo.Size]));
// Generate a random file name by current local datetime,
// You can use your method to generate the filename if you do not like it
fileName := localInbox + '\' + oTools.GenFileName(i) + '.eml';
// Receive email from IMAP server
oMail := oClient.GetMail(oInfo);
ShowMessage('From: ' + oMail.From.Address + #13#10 +
'Subject: ' + oMail.Subject);
// Save email to local disk
oMail.SaveAs(fileName, true);
// Mark email as deleted from IMAP server
oClient.Delete(oInfo);
end;
// Quit and expunge emails marked as deleted from IMAP server
oClient.Quit;
except
on ep:Exception do
ShowMessage('Error: ' + ep.Message);
end;
end;
end.
Microsoft Live SMTP servers (Hotmail, Oultook personal account) have been extended to support authorization via the industry-standard OAuth 2.0 protocol. Using OAUTH protocol, user can do authentication by Microsoft Web OAuth instead of inputting user and password directly in application.
Microsoft will disable traditional user authentication in the future, switching to Microsoft OAuth (Modern Authentication) is strongly recommended now.
First of all, you should go to Office 365 Outlook
-> Options
-> See All Options
-> Account
-> My Account
-> Settings for POP, IMAP, and SMTP access
.
You will get your Office 365 POP3/IMAP4 server address and port. The default POP3 server is outlook.office365.com
on SSL 995 port;
IMAP4 server is outlook.office365.com
on SSL 993 port.
Important
Office 365 has started to disable user login in POP/IMAP protocol, you should use Office365 POP/IMAP/EWS OAUTH instead of traditional user/password login.
Server | Port | SSL | Protocol |
outlook.office365.com | 995 | SSL required | Pop3 |
outlook.office365.com | 993 | SSL required | Imap4 |
If your account enabled two-factor authentication, you cannot login your account by normal user authentication,
you should create an App Passwords and
use this App Password
instead of the user password.
Office 365 has started to disable user login in POP/IMAP protocol, if basic authentication
has been disabled in your tenant,
you have to use Office365 POP/IMAP/EWS OAUTH.
The following example codes demonstrate how to download email from Offic 365 account using IMAP4 protocol.
Note
To get the full sample projects, please refer to Samples section.
unit Unit1;
interface
uses
Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
Dialogs, StdCtrls, EAGetMailObjLib_TLB;
type
TForm1 = class(TForm)
Button1: TButton;
procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
private
{ Private declarations }
public
{ Public declarations }
end;
const
MailServerPop3 = 0;
MailServerImap4 = 1;
MailServerEWS = 2;
MailServerDAV = 3;
MailServerMsGraph = 4;
var
Form1: TForm1;
implementation
{$R *.dfm}
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
oServer: TMailServer;
oClient: TMailClient;
oTools: TTools;
oMail: IMail;
infos: IMailInfoCollection;
oInfo: IMailInfo;
localInbox, fileName: WideString;
i: Integer;
begin
try
// set current thread code page to system default code page.
SetThreadLocale(GetSystemDefaultLCID());
oTools := TTools.Create(Application);
// Create a folder named "inbox" under
// current directory to store the email files
localInbox := GetCurrentDir() + '\inbox';
oTools.CreateFolder(localInbox);
oServer := TMailServer.Create(Application);
// Office 365 IMAP4 server address is "outlook.office365.com"
oServer.Server := 'outlook.office365.com';
oServer.User := 'user@domain';
// If you got authentication error, try to create an app password instead of your user password.
// https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/using-app-passwords-with-apps-that-don-t-support-two-step-verification-5896ed9b-4263-e681-128a-a6f2979a7944
oServer.Password := 'your password or app password';
oServer.Protocol := MailServerImap4;
// Enable SSL connection
oServer.SSLConnection := true;
// Set 993 IMAP4 SSL Port
oServer.Port := 993;
oClient := TMailClient.Create(Application);
oClient.LicenseCode := 'TryIt';
oClient.Connect1(oServer.DefaultInterface);
ShowMessage('Connected!');
infos := oClient.GetMailInfoList();
ShowMessage(Format('Total %d email(s)', [infos.Count]));
for i := 0 to infos.Count - 1 do
begin
oInfo := infos.Item[i];
ShowMessage(Format('Index: %d; Size: %d; UIDL: ' + oInfo.UIDL,
[oInfo.Index, oInfo.Size]));
// Generate a random file name by current local datetime,
// You can use your method to generate the filename if you do not like it
fileName := localInbox + '\' + oTools.GenFileName(i) + '.eml';
// Receive email from IMAP server
oMail := oClient.GetMail(oInfo);
ShowMessage('From: ' + oMail.From.Address + #13#10 +
'Subject: ' + oMail.Subject);
// Save email to local disk
oMail.SaveAs(fileName, true);
// Mark email as deleted from IMAP server
oClient.Delete(oInfo);
end;
// Quit and expunge emails marked as deleted from IMAP server
oClient.Quit;
except
on ep:Exception do
ShowMessage('Error: ' + ep.Message);
end;
end;
end.
Because IMAP/EWS/WebDAV support read mail flag, with this feature, we can also retrieve unread/new email only from Hotmail/Outlook/Office 365 like this
unit Unit1;
interface
uses
Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
Dialogs, StdCtrls, EAGetMailObjLib_TLB;
type
TForm1 = class(TForm)
Button1: TButton;
procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
private
{ Private declarations }
public
{ Public declarations }
end;
const
MailServerPop3 = 0;
MailServerImap4 = 1;
MailServerEWS = 2;
MailServerDAV = 3;
MailServerMsGraph = 4;
// GetMailInfosParam Flags
GetMailInfos_All = 1;
GetMailInfos_NewOnly = 2;
GetMailInfos_ReadOnly = 4;
GetMailInfos_SeqRange = 8;
GetMailInfos_UIDRange = 16;
GetMailInfos_PR_ENTRYID = 32;
GetMailInfos_DateRange = 64;
GetMailInfos_OrderByDateTime = 128;
var
Form1: TForm1;
implementation
{$R *.dfm}
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
oServer: TMailServer;
oClient: TMailClient;
oTools: TTools;
oMail: IMail;
infos: IMailInfoCollection;
oInfo: IMailInfo;
localInbox, fileName: WideString;
i: Integer;
begin
try
// set current thread code page to system default code page.
SetThreadLocale(GetSystemDefaultLCID());
oTools := TTools.Create(Application);
// Create a folder named "inbox" under
// current directory to store the email files
localInbox := GetCurrentDir() + '\inbox';
oTools.CreateFolder(localInbox);
oServer := TMailServer.Create(Application);
// Hotmail/MSN Live/Outlook/Office365 IMAP4 server address
oServer.Server := 'outlook.office365.com';
oServer.User := 'liveid@hotmail.com';
// If you got authentication error, try to create an app password instead of your user password.
// https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/using-app-passwords-with-apps-that-don-t-support-two-step-verification-5896ed9b-4263-e681-128a-a6f2979a7944
oServer.Password := 'your password or app password';
oServer.Protocol := MailServerImap4;
// Enable SSL connection
oServer.SSLConnection := true;
// Set 993 SSL Port
oServer.Port := 993;
oClient := TMailClient.Create(Application);
oClient.LicenseCode := 'TryIt';
oClient.Connect1(oServer.DefaultInterface);
ShowMessage('Connected!');
// retrieve unread/new email only
oClient.GetMailInfosParam.Reset();
oClient.GetMailInfosParam.GetMailInfosOptions := GetMailInfos_NewOnly;
infos := oClient.GetMailInfoList();
ShowMessage(Format('Total %d unread email(s)', [infos.Count]));
for i := 0 to infos.Count - 1 do
begin
oInfo := infos.Item[i];
ShowMessage(Format('Index: %d; Size: %d; UIDL: ' + oInfo.UIDL,
[oInfo.Index, oInfo.Size]));
// Generate a random file name by current local datetime,
// You can use your method to generate the filename if you do not like it
fileName := localInbox + '\' + oTools.GenFileName(i) + '.eml';
// Receive email from IMAP server
oMail := oClient.GetMail(oInfo);
ShowMessage('From: ' + oMail.From.Address + #13#10 +
'Subject: ' + oMail.Subject);
// Save email to local disk
oMail.SaveAs(fileName, true);
// mark unread email as read, next time this email won't be retrieved again
if not oInfo.Read then
oClient.MarkAsRead(oInfo, true);
// if you don't want to leave a copy on server, please use
// oClient.Delete(oInfo);
// instead of MarkAsRead
end;
// Quit and expunge emails marked as deleted from IMAP server
oClient.Quit;
except
on ep:Exception do
ShowMessage('Error: ' + ep.Message);
end;
end;
end.
Microsoft Office365 servers have been extended to support authorization via the industry-standard OAuth 2.0 protocol. Using OAUTH protocol, user can do authentication by Microsoft Web OAuth instead of inputting user and password directly in application.
Microsoft will disable traditional user authentication in the future, switching to Microsoft OAuth (Modern Authentication) is strongly recommended now.
TLS is the successor of SSL, more and more Email servers require TLS 1.2 encryption now.
If your operating system is Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 2003/2008/2008 R2/2012/2012 R2
,
and you got connection error with SSL/TLS connection,
you need to enable TLS 1.2 protocol in your operating system like this:
Enable TLS 1.2 on Windows XP/Vista/7/10/Windows 2008/2008 R2/2012
Next Section
At next section I will introduce how to retrieve email with event handler.
Appendix
Comments
If you have any comments or questions about above example codes, please click here to add your comments.