Using Microsoft Hotmail/LIVE OAUTH + IMAP

Microsoft Live IMAP4 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. This way is more secure, but a little bit complex.

Create your application in Azure Portal

To use Microsoft/Office365 OAUTH in your application, you must create a application in https://portal.azure.com.

Sign in to the Azure portal using either a work or school account or a personal Microsoft account.
If your account gives you access to more than one tenant, select your account in the top right corner, and set your portal session to the Azure AD tenant that you want.
In the left-hand navigation pane, select the Azure Active Directory service, and then select App registrations > New registration.

Single tenant and multitenant in account type

When the register an application page appears, enter a meaningful application name and select the account type.

Select which accounts you would like your application to support.

If your application only supports the users in your directory or organization, please select Single tenant type;
If your application needs to support all users in Office 365 and Microsoft personal account (hotmail.com, outlook.com), please select Multitenant type, and you must verify publisher.

Because we want to support all Office 365 and LIVE SDK (hotmail, outlook personal account), so select Accounts in any organizational directory and personal Microsoft accounts.

API Permission

Now we need to add permission to the application:

Click API Permission -> Add a permission -> Microsoft Graph -> Delegated Permission -> User.Read, email, offline_access, openid, profile, SMTP.Send, IMAP.AccessAsUser.All, POP.AccessAsUser.All.

EWS API permission

With the above permissions, your application can support SMTP, POP and IMAP service. If your application needs to support EWS protocol either, add EWS permission like this:

Click API Permission -> Add a permission -> APIs in my organization uses -> Office 365 Exchange Online -> Delegated Permission -> Check EWS.AccessAsUser.All

Here is permissions list:

Authentication and redirect uri

Click "Authentication" -> Add a platform -> Mobile and desktop applications -> Redirect Uri, please check or add the following URI.
```
https://login.microsoftonline.com/common/oauth2/nativeclient
https://login.live.com/oauth20_desktop.srf
http://127.0.0.1
                
```
* "https://login.live.com/oauth20_desktop.srf" is used for Live SDK, "http://127.0.0.1" is used for local Http Listener.
If your application needs to support Microsoft personal account, set both "Live SDK Support" and "Treat application as a public client" to "Yes".
If your application is web application, you should use a page to get authorization code instead of HttpListener. You need to add your page path to Authentication -> add a platform -> web -> Redirect URIs in your Azure application.

Client Id and client secrets

Now we need to create a client secret for the application, click Certificates and secrets -> client secrets and add a new client secret.

After client secret is created, store the client secret value to somewhere, Please store client secret value by yourself, because it is hidden when you view it at next time.

Branding and verify publisher

Now we click Branding, you can edit your company logo, URL and application name. If your application supports multitenant (access user in all Office 365 and Microsoft personal account), you must complete the publisher verification.

It is not difficult, you can have a look at publisher verification. After publisher verification is completed, your branding is like this:

You must complete the publisher verification for multitenant application, otherwise, your application will not request access token correctly.

Client id and tenant

Now you can click Overview to find your client id and tenant.

If your application is single tenant, use the tenant value in tokenUri and authUri instead of "common". If your application is multitenant, use "common" as tenant.

Above client_id and secret support both "Office365 + SMTP/POP/IMAP/EWS" and "Live (hotmail, outlook personal account) + SMTP/POP/IMAP".

Use client id and client secret to request access token

You can use client id and client secret to get the user email address and access token like this:

Your application uses a web browser/browser control to open OAUTH URL;
User inputs user and password in Web Authentication, the server returns access token back to your application
Your application uses access token to access the server. You can find the example codes in EAGetMail Installation Path\Samples_{Programming language/Developer Tool}\* project.

Access token expiration and refresh token

You don’t have to open browser to request access token every time. By default, access token expiration time is 3600 seconds, you can use the access token repeatedly before it is expired. After it is expired, you can use refresh token to refresh access token directly without opening browser. You can find full sample project in EAGetMail installation path to learn how to refresh token.

You should create your client id and client secret, don't use the client id in the sample project, it is only for test purpose. If you got "This app isn't verified" information, please click "advanced" -> Go to ... for test.

Use access token to retrieve email from Live/Hotmail IMAP server

After you get user email address and access token, you can use the following codes to retrieve email using Hotmail/Live OAUTH + IMAP4 protocol.

Example

[Visual Basic 6.0, VBScript, Visual C++, Delphi] The following example demonstrates how to receive email using Gmail IMAP OAUTH, but it doesn't demonstrates the events and mail parsing usage. To get the full samples of EAGetMail, please refer to Samples section.

[Visual Basic 6.0]
Public Sub ReceiveMail( _
ByVal userEmail As String, _
ByVal accessToken As String)
    
    Const MailServerPop3 = 0
    Const MailServerImap4 = 1
    Const MailServerEWS = 2
    Const MailServerDAV = 3
    Const MailServerMsGraph = 4

    Const MailServerAuthLogin = 0
    Const MailServerAuthCRAM5 = 1
    Const MailServerAuthNTLM = 2
    Const MailServerAuthXOAUTH2 = 3
    
    Dim oClient As New EAGetMailObjLib.MailClient
    oClient.LicenseCode = "TryIt"
    
    Dim oServer As New EAGetMailObjLib.MailServer
    oServer.Server = "outlook.office365.com"
    oServer.User = userEmail
    oServer.Password = accessToken
    oServer.Protocol = MailServerImap4
    oServer.AuthType = MailServerAuthXOAUTH2
    
    oServer.SSLConnection = True
    oServer.Port = 993 'SSL IMAP4
    
    On Error GoTo ErrorHandle
        oClient.Connect oServer

        Dim infos
        Set infos = oClient.GetMailInfoList()
        
        Dim i
        For i = 0 To infos.Count - 1
            Dim info
            Set info = infos.Item(i)
            
            MsgBox "UIDL: " & info.UIDL
            MsgBox "Index: " & info.Index
            MsgBox "Size: " & info.Size

            MsgBox "Read: " & info.Read
            MsgBox "Deleted: " & info.Deleted
                        
            Dim oMail
            Set oMail = oClient.GetMail(info)
            'Save mail to local
            oMail.SaveAs "d:\tempfolder\" & i & ".eml", True

            ' Delete email from server
            oClient.Delete info
        Next

        oClient.Quit
        Exit Sub
ErrorHandle:
        ''Error handle
        MsgBox Err.Description
        
        oClient.Close
End Sub


[VBScript]
Sub ReceiveMail( _
ByVal userEmail, _
ByVal accessToken)
    
    Const MailServerPop3 = 0
    Const MailServerImap4 = 1
    Const MailServerEWS = 2
    Const MailServerDAV = 3
    Const MailServerMsGraph = 4
    
    Const MailServerAuthLogin = 0
    Const MailServerAuthCRAM5 = 1
    Const MailServerAuthNTLM = 2
    Const MailServerAuthXOAUTH2 = 3
    
    Dim oClient
    Set oClient = CreateObject("EAGetMailObj.MailClient")
    oClient.LicenseCode = "TryIt"
    
    Dim oServer
    Set oServer = CreateObject("EAGetMailObj.MailServer")
    oServer.Server = "outlook.office365.com"
    oServer.User = userEmail
    oServer.Password = accessToken
    oServer.Protocol = MailServerImap4
    oServer.AuthType = MailServerAuthXOAUTH2
    
    oServer.SSLConnection = True
    oServer.Port = 993 'SSL IMAP4

    oClient.Connect oServer
    Dim infos
        Set infos = oClient.GetMailInfoList()
        
        Dim i
        For i = 0 To infos.Count - 1
            Dim info
            Set info = infos.Item(i)
            
            MsgBox "UIDL: " & info.UIDL
            MsgBox "Index: " & info.Index
            MsgBox "Size: " & info.Size

            MsgBox "Read: " & info.Read
            MsgBox "Deleted: " & info.Deleted
                        
            Dim oMail
            Set oMail = oClient.GetMail(info)
            'Save mail to local
            oMail.SaveAs "d:\tempfolder\" & i & ".eml", True

            ' Delete email from server
            oClient.Delete info
        Next

    oClient.Quit
End Sub


[Visual C++]
#include "stdafx.h"
#include <windows.h>

#include "eagetmailobj.tlh"
using namespace EAGetMailObjLib;

void ReceiveMail(
        LPCTSTR userEmail, 
        LPCTSTR accessToken)
{
    ::CoInitialize(NULL);

    const int MailServerPop3 = 0;
    const int MailServerImap4 = 1;
    const int MailServerEWS = 2;
    const int MailServerDAV = 3;
    const int MailServerMsGraph = 4;
    
    const int MailServerAuthLogin = 0;
    const int MailServerAuthCRAM5 = 1;
    const int MailServerAuthNTLM = 2;
    const int MailServerAuthXOAUTH2 = 3; 

    try
    {
        IMailClientPtr oClient;
        oClient.CreateInstance(__uuidof(EAGetMailObjLib::MailClient));

        IMailServerPtr oServer;
        oServer.CreateInstance(__uuidof(EAGetMailObjLib::MailServer));
        
        oClient->LicenseCode = _T("TryIt");

        oServer->Server = _T("outlook.office365.com");
        oServer->User = userEmail;
        oServer->Password = accessToken;
        oServer->Protocol = MailServerImap4;
        oServer->AuthType = MailServerAuthXOAUTH2;
       
        oServer->SSLConnection = VARIANT_TRUE;
        oServer->Port = 993;
           
        oClient->Connect(oServer);

        IMailInfoCollectionPtr infos = oClient->GetMailInfoList();
        
        for(long i = 0; i < infos->Count; i++)
        {
            IMailInfoPtr pInfo = infos->GetItem(i);
            
            _tprintf(_T("UIDL: %s\r\n"), (TCHAR*)pInfo->UIDL);
            _tprintf(_T("Index: %d\r\n"), pInfo->Index);
            _tprintf(_T("Size: %d\r\n"), pInfo->Size);
            
            _tprintf(_T("Read: %s\r\n"), (pInfo->Read == VARIANT_TRUE)?_T("TRUE"):_T("FALSE"));
            _tprintf(_T("Deleted: %s\r\n"), (pInfo->Deleted == VARIANT_TRUE)?_T("TRUE"):_T("FALSE"));

            IMailPtr oMail = oClient->GetMail(pInfo);
            TCHAR szFile[MAX_PATH+1];
            memset(szFile, 0, sizeof(szFile));
            ::wsprintf(szFile, _T("d:\\tempfolder\\%d.eml"), i);
            //save to local disk
            oMail->SaveAs(szFile, VARIANT_TRUE);
            oMail.Release();

            // delete email from server
            oClient->Delete(pInfo);
        }

        oClient->Quit();
    }
    catch(_com_error &ep)
    {
        _tprintf(_T("ERROR: %s\r\n"),  (TCHAR*)ep.Description());
    }

    ::CoUninitialize();
}


[Delphi]
const 
    MailServerPop3 = 0;
    MailServerImap4 = 1;
    MailServerEWS = 2;
    MailServerDAV = 3;

    // Auth type
    MailServerAuthLogin = 0;
    MailServerAuthCRAM5 = 1;
    MailServerAuthNTLM = 2;
    MailServerAuthXOAUTH2 = 3;

var
    Form1: TForm1;

implementation

{$R *.dfm}

procedure ReceiveMail(userEmail: WideString; accessToken: WideString);
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);
        oServer.Server := 'outlook.office365.com';
        oServer.User := userEmail;
        oServer.Password := accessToken;
        oServer.Protocol := MailServerImap4;
        oServer.AuthType := MailServerAuthXOAUTH2;

        // Enable SSL Connection
        oServer.SSLConnection := true;
        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.

Remarks

If you don't want to use OAUTH 2.0, Hotmail/Live also supports traditional user authentication.

Online Tutorials

VB6 - Retrieve Email using Google/Gmail OAuth 2.0 Authentication + IMAP Protocol
VB6 -Retrieve Email using Gmail/G Suite OAuth 2.0 + IMAP4 Protocol in Background Service (Service Account)
VB6 -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + IMAP4 Protocol from Hotmail/Outlook Account
VB6 -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + EWS/IMAP4 Protocol from Office 365 Account
VB6 -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + EWS Protocol from Office 365 in Background Service

Delphi - Retrieve Email using Google/Gmail OAuth 2.0 Authentication + IMAP Protocol
Delphi -Retrieve Email using Gmail/G Suite OAuth 2.0 + IMAP4 Protocol in Background Service (Service Account)
Delphi -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + IMAP4 Protocol from Hotmail/Outlook Account
Delphi -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + EWS/IMAP4 Protocol from Office 365 Account
Delphi -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + EWS Protocol from Office 365 in Background Service

VC++ - Retrieve Email using Google/Gmail OAuth 2.0 Authentication + IMAP Protocol
VC++ -Retrieve Email using Gmail/G Suite OAuth 2.0 + IMAP4 Protocol in Background Service (Service Account)
VC++ -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + IMAP4 Protocol from Hotmail/Outlook Account
VC++ -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + EWS/IMAP4 Protocol from Office 365 Account
VC++ -Retrieve Email using Microsoft OAuth 2.0 (Modern Authentication) + EWS Protocol from Office 365 in Background Service