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Download/Retrieve Email from Hotmail/Outlook/Live/Office 365 in C++/CLI/CLR

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 C++/CLI/CLR.

Introduction

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

App Password with Microsoft Account

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 C++/CLI/CLR 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.

[C++/CLI/CLR Example - Retrieve emails from Hotmail/MSN Live/Outlook account using POP3]

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.

#include "stdafx.h"

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Globalization;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace EAGetMail; //add EAGetMail namespace

// Generate an unqiue email file name based on date time
static String ^ _generateFileName(int sequence)
{
    DateTime currentDateTime = DateTime::Now;
    return String::Format("{0}-{1:000}-{2:000}.eml",
        currentDateTime.ToString("yyyyMMddHHmmss", gcnew CultureInfo("en-US")),
        currentDateTime.Millisecond,
        sequence);
}

int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
    try
    {
        // Create a folder named "inbox" under current directory
        // to save the email retrieved.
        String ^localInbox = String::Format("{0}\\inbox", Directory::GetCurrentDirectory());

        // If the folder is not existed, create it.
        if (!Directory::Exists(localInbox))
        {
            Directory::CreateDirectory(localInbox);
        }

        // Hotmail POP3 server is "outlook.office365.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
        MailServer ^oServer = gcnew MailServer("outlook.office365.com",
                    "hotmailid@hotmail.com",
                    "your password or app password",
                    ServerProtocol::Pop3);

        // Enable SSL/TLS connection, most modern email server require SSL/TLS by default
        oServer->SSLConnection = true;
        // Set 995 POP3 SSL PORT
        oServer->Port = 995;

        // if your server doesn't support SSL/TLS, please use the following codes
        // oServer->SSLConnection = false;
        // oServer->Port = 110;

        Console::WriteLine("Connecting server ...");

        MailClient ^oClient = gcnew MailClient("TryIt");
        oClient->Connect(oServer);

        array<MailInfo^> ^infos = oClient->GetMailInfos();
        Console::WriteLine("Total {0} email(s)\r\n", infos->Length);

        for (int i = 0; i < infos->Length; i++)
        {
            MailInfo ^info = infos[i];
            Console::WriteLine("Index: {0}; Size: {1}; UIDL: {2}",
                info->Index, info->Size, info->UIDL);

            // Generate an unqiue email file name based on date time
            String^ fileName = _generateFileName(i + 1);
            String^ fullPath = String::Format("{0}\\{1}", localInbox, fileName);

            // Receive email from POP3 server
            Mail ^oMail = oClient->GetMail(info);
            Console::WriteLine("From: {0}", oMail->From->ToString());
            Console::WriteLine("Subject: {0}\r\n", oMail->Subject);

            // Save email to local disk
            oMail->SaveAs(fullPath, true);

            // Mark email as deleted from POP3 server.
            oClient->Delete(info);
        }

        // Quit and expunge emails marked as deleted from POP3 server.
        oClient->Quit();
        Console::WriteLine("Completed!");
    }
    catch (Exception ^ep)
    {
        Console::WriteLine(ep->Message);
    }

    return 0;
}

[C++/CLI/CLR Example - Retrieve emails from Hotmail/MSN Live/Outlook account using IMAP4]

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.

#include "stdafx.h"

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Globalization;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace EAGetMail; //add EAGetMail namespace

// Generate an unqiue email file name based on date time
static String ^ _generateFileName(int sequence)
{
    DateTime currentDateTime = DateTime::Now;
    return String::Format("{0}-{1:000}-{2:000}.eml",
        currentDateTime.ToString("yyyyMMddHHmmss", gcnew CultureInfo("en-US")),
        currentDateTime.Millisecond,
        sequence);
}

int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
    try
    {
        // Create a folder named "inbox" under current directory
        // to save the email retrieved.
        String ^localInbox = String::Format("{0}\\inbox", Directory::GetCurrentDirectory());

        // If the folder is not existed, create it.
        if (!Directory::Exists(localInbox))
        {
            Directory::CreateDirectory(localInbox);
        }

        // Hotmail IMAP4 server is "outlook.office365.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
        MailServer ^oServer = gcnew MailServer("outlook.office365.com",
                "hotmailid@hotmail.com",
                "your password or app password",
                ServerProtocol::Imap4);

        // Enable SSL connection
        oServer->SSLConnection = true;
        // Set 993 IMAP4 SSL port
        oServer->Port = 993;

        Console::WriteLine("Connecting server ...");

        MailClient ^oClient = gcnew MailClient("TryIt");
        oClient->Connect(oServer);

        array<MailInfo^> ^infos = oClient->GetMailInfos();
        Console::WriteLine("Total {0} email(s)\r\n", infos->Length);

        for (int i = 0; i < infos->Length; i++)
        {
            MailInfo ^info = infos[i];
            Console::WriteLine("Index: {0}; Size: {1}; UIDL: {2}",
                info->Index, info->Size, info->UIDL);

            // Generate an unqiue email file name based on date time
            String^ fileName = _generateFileName(i + 1);
            String^ fullPath = String::Format("{0}\\{1}", localInbox, fileName);

            // Receive email from IMAP server
            Mail ^oMail = oClient->GetMail(info);
            Console::WriteLine("From: {0}", oMail->From->ToString());
            Console::WriteLine("Subject: {0}\r\n", oMail->Subject);

            // Save email to local disk
            oMail->SaveAs(fullPath, true);

            // Mark email as deleted from IMAP server.
            oClient->Delete(info);
        }

        // Quit and expunge emails marked as deleted from IMAP server.
        oClient->Quit();
        Console::WriteLine("Completed!");
    }
    catch (Exception ^ep)
    {
        Console::WriteLine(ep->Message);
    }

    return 0;
}

Hotmail IMAP OAUTH

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.

Retrieve Email from Office 365

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

App Password and Office 365 OAUTH

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.

[C++/CLI/CLR Example - Retrieve emails from Office 365 account using IMAP4]

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.

#include "stdafx.h"

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Globalization;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace EAGetMail; //add EAGetMail namespace

// Generate an unqiue email file name based on date time
static String ^ _generateFileName(int sequence)
{
    DateTime currentDateTime = DateTime::Now;
    return String::Format("{0}-{1:000}-{2:000}.eml",
        currentDateTime.ToString("yyyyMMddHHmmss", gcnew CultureInfo("en-US")),
        currentDateTime.Millisecond,
        sequence);
}

int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
    try
    {
        // Create a folder named "inbox" under current directory
        // to save the email retrieved.
        String ^localInbox = String::Format("{0}\\inbox", Directory::GetCurrentDirectory());

        // If the folder is not existed, create it.
        if (!Directory::Exists(localInbox))
        {
            Directory::CreateDirectory(localInbox);
        }

        // Office365 IMAP4 server is "outlook.office365.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
        MailServer ^oServer = gcnew MailServer("outlook.office365.com",
                    "user@domain",
                    "your password or app password",
                    ServerProtocol::Imap4);

        // Enable SSL connection
        oServer->SSLConnection = true;
        // Set 993 IMAP4 SSL port
        oServer->Port = 993;

        Console::WriteLine("Connecting server ...");

        MailClient ^oClient = gcnew MailClient("TryIt");
        oClient->Connect(oServer);

        array<MailInfo^> ^infos = oClient->GetMailInfos();
        Console::WriteLine("Total {0} email(s)\r\n", infos->Length);

        for (int i = 0; i < infos->Length; i++)
        {
            MailInfo ^info = infos[i];
            Console::WriteLine("Index: {0}; Size: {1}; UIDL: {2}",
                info->Index, info->Size, info->UIDL);

            // Generate an unqiue email file name based on date time
            String^ fileName = _generateFileName(i + 1);
            String^ fullPath = String::Format("{0}\\{1}", localInbox, fileName);

            // Receive email from IMAP server
            Mail ^oMail = oClient->GetMail(info);
            Console::WriteLine("From: {0}", oMail->From->ToString());
            Console::WriteLine("Subject: {0}\r\n", oMail->Subject);

            // Save email to local disk
            oMail->SaveAs(fullPath, true);

            // Mark email as deleted from IMAP server.
            oClient->Delete(info);
        }

        // Quit and expunge emails marked as deleted from IMAP server.
        oClient->Quit();
        Console::WriteLine("Completed!");
    }
    catch (Exception ^ep)
    {
        Console::WriteLine(ep->Message);
    }

    return 0;
}

[C++/CLI/CLR Example - Retrieve unread/new email from Hotmail/Outlook/Office 365]

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

#include "stdafx.h"

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Globalization;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace EAGetMail; //add EAGetMail namespace

// Generate an unqiue email file name based on date time
static String ^ _generateFileName(int sequence)
{
    DateTime currentDateTime = DateTime::Now;
    return String::Format("{0}-{1:000}-{2:000}.eml",
        currentDateTime.ToString("yyyyMMddHHmmss", gcnew CultureInfo("en-US")),
        currentDateTime.Millisecond,
        sequence);
}

int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
    try
    {
        // Create a folder named "inbox" under current directory
        // to save the email retrieved.
        String ^localInbox = String::Format("{0}\\inbox", Directory::GetCurrentDirectory());

        // If the folder is not existed, create it.
        if (!Directory::Exists(localInbox))
        {
            Directory::CreateDirectory(localInbox);
        }

        // Hotmail IMAP4/Office365 server is "outlook.office365.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
        MailServer ^oServer = gcnew MailServer("outlook.office365.com",
                "hotmailid@hotmail.com",
                "your password or app password",
                ServerProtocol::Imap4);

        // Enable SSL connection
        oServer->SSLConnection = true;
        // Set 993 IMAP4 SSL port
        oServer->Port = 993;

        Console::WriteLine("Connecting server ...");

        MailClient ^oClient = gcnew MailClient("TryIt");
        oClient->Connect(oServer);

        // retrieve unread/new email only
        oClient->GetMailInfosParam->Reset();
        oClient->GetMailInfosParam->GetMailInfosOptions = GetMailInfosOptionType::NewOnly;

        array<MailInfo^> ^infos = oClient->GetMailInfos();
        Console::WriteLine("Total {0} unread email(s)\r\n", infos->Length);

        for (int i = 0; i < infos->Length; i++)
        {
            MailInfo ^info = infos[i];
            Console::WriteLine("Index: {0}; Size: {1}; UIDL: {2}",
                info->Index, info->Size, info->UIDL);

            // Generate an unqiue email file name based on date time
            String^ fileName = _generateFileName(i + 1);
            String^ fullPath = String::Format("{0}\\{1}", localInbox, fileName);

            // Receive email from IMAP server
            Mail ^oMail = oClient->GetMail(info);
            Console::WriteLine("From: {0}", oMail->From->ToString());
            Console::WriteLine("Subject: {0}\r\n", oMail->Subject);

            // Save email to local disk
            oMail->SaveAs(fullPath, true);

            // mark unread email as read, next time this email won't be retrieved again
            if (!info->Read)
            {
                oClient->MarkAsRead(info, true);
            }

            // if you don't want to leave a copy on server, please use
            // oClient->Delete(info);
            // instead of MarkAsRead
        }

        // Quit and expunge emails marked as deleted from IMAP server.
        oClient->Quit();
        Console::WriteLine("Completed!");
    }
    catch (Exception ^ep)
    {
        Console::WriteLine(ep->Message);
    }

    return 0;
}

Office365 POP/IMAP/EWS OAUTH

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.

Or you can generate App Passwords and use this app password instead of your user password.

TLS 1.2

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.

See Also