--- title: "Support OAuth2 authentication for email channels" slug: "vcc-support-oauth2-authentication-for-email-channels" updated: 2026-09-25T08:16:38Z published: 2026-09-25T08:16:38Z canonical: "help.8x8.com/vcc-support-oauth2-authentication-for-email-channels" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.8x8.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Support OAuth2 authentication for email channels The 8x8 Contact Center authenticates email channels via basic authentication, using the simple username and password. Email service providers like Microsoft announced plans to stop supporting basic authentication for Post Office Protocol (POP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), and potentially for outgoing server setups (SMTP). This requires integrators to migrate their current email client to use modern authentication methods like OAuth2. To prepare for this security improvement, 8x8 Contact Center now supports OAuth2 authentication for users of Microsoft. We continue to support basic authentication for existing users. > [!WARNING] > IMPORTANT: > > 8x8 Contact Center **DELETES** each email from the mailbox once it has been processed. This applies whether the email channel is connected using POP, IMAP, or Microsoft Exchange; none of these protocols saves a copy of the email on the server. > > Connect an email channel only to a dedicated email address created for this purpose. We recommend not connecting an email channel to any of the following: > > - A personal mailbox > - A colleague's mailbox > - A shared mailbox that people also read directly ## Features - Improved security without compromising performance when fetching and processing emails. - Ability to change from basic authentication to OAuth2 without impacting the service. - Ability to switch from OAuth2 to basic authentication if required. ## Limitations - OAuth2 authentication is available for outgoing SMTP email. To enable it, navigate to **Security** > **SMTP Servers** in 8x8 Configuration Manager, select **Microsoft Exchange** as the Authentication Type, and choose **Connect**. For specific Microsoft 365 requirements, see [Define a custom SMTP server](/documentation/docs/vcc-define-a-custom-smtp-server). ## Set up OAuth2 authentication for Microsoft Exchange The OAuth2 authentication requires changes in the email channel configuration via 8x8 Configuration Manager. As an 8x8 Contact Center administrator, you need to select Microsoft Exchange for the incoming mail server and save. This new feature does not impact agents. Administrators need to modify the email channels for the existing users to implement this change. 8x8 Contact Center agents will continue to receive emails as before. **To set up OAuth2 authentication for Microsoft Exchange:** 1. Log in to 8x8 Configuration Manager. 2. Go to **Channels > Email**. 3. In the list of email channels, click **Add new email channel**. 4. Enter a **Channel Name**. 5. If you have a Microsoft **Email Address**, enter it here. 6. For **Authentication type**, click the drop-down list. 7. Select **Microsoft Exchange**. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/oauth-select-microsoft-exchange.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A39%3A11Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A39%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=f8OTeghCjFj8SbHJ0AYaSEZPGXKMK0TF%2FG6Cd%2B1ucnA%3D) 8. Click **Connect**. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/oauth-microsoft-exchange.gif?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A39%3A11Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A39%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=f8OTeghCjFj8SbHJ0AYaSEZPGXKMK0TF%2FG6Cd%2B1ucnA%3D) 9. Click **Yes** to allow the 8x8 app to access your Microsoft email account. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/oauth-access-ms-exchange-a.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A39%3A11Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A39%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=f8OTeghCjFj8SbHJ0AYaSEZPGXKMK0TF%2FG6Cd%2B1ucnA%3D) ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/oauth-access-ms-exchange-b.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A39%3A11Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A39%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=f8OTeghCjFj8SbHJ0AYaSEZPGXKMK0TF%2FG6Cd%2B1ucnA%3D) 10. If connected to your Microsoft account successfully, your email address appears in the **Account** field of 8x8 Configuration Manager. 11. Click **Save**. Your email channel with OAuth2 authentication is now saved for your tenant without any impact on the service or agents workflow. 12. To test if your email account is connected, click **Test connection**. A message shows the connection was successful along with the number of received messages on the server. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/oauth-ms-exchange-test-connection.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A39%3A11Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A39%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=f8OTeghCjFj8SbHJ0AYaSEZPGXKMK0TF%2FG6Cd%2B1ucnA%3D) If there is a connection problem, an error message notifies you. Enter the correct email address and try again. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/oauth-ms-exchange-connection-error.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A39%3A11Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A39%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=f8OTeghCjFj8SbHJ0AYaSEZPGXKMK0TF%2FG6Cd%2B1ucnA%3D) > [!NOTE] > Note: > > You may experience some delay. Please allow a few minutes and then click test connection again. You can edit or delete the email channel from the main email Channel list. ## Additional information - [Using Microsoft 365 Shared Mailboxes with 8x8 Email Channels (Workaround + Legacy Setup)](https://help.8x8.com/docs/using-microsoft-365-shared-mailboxes-with-8x8-email-channels) - [How to keep my own copy of emails](https://help.8x8.com/docs/how-can-i-keep-my-own-copy-of-emails) - [How to recover a message that has already gone](https://help.8x8.com/docs/how-can-i-recover-a-message-that-has-already-gone)