

The access token grants Outlook for iOS and Android access to the appropriate resources in Microsoft 365 or Office 365 (for example, the user's mailbox). At sign-in, the user authenticates directly with Azure Active Directory and receives an access/refresh token pair in return. It also provides a secure mechanism for Outlook for iOS and Android to access email, without requiring access to user credentials.

MSAL-based authentication uses OAuth for modern authentication-enabled accounts (Microsoft 365 or Office 365 accounts or on-premises accounts using hybrid modern authentication). MSAL authentication, used by Office apps on both desktop and mobile devices, involves users signing in directly to Azure Active Directory, which is the identity provider for Microsoft 365 and Office 365, instead of providing credentials to Outlook.

MSAL-based authentication is what Outlook for iOS and Android uses to access Exchange Online mailboxes in Microsoft 365 or Office 365. Modern authentication is enabled by using the Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL). Modern authentication is an umbrella term for a combination of authentication and authorization methods that include:Īuthentication methods: Multi-factor Authentication Client Certificate-based authentication.Īuthorization methods: Microsoft's implementation of Open Authorization (OAuth). In addition, Outlook for iOS and Android also offers IT administrators the ability to "push" account configurations to their Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users, and to control whether Outlook for iOS and Android supports personal accounts. Users with modern authentication-enabled accounts (Microsoft 365 or Office 365 accounts or on-premises accounts using hybrid modern authentication) have two ways to set up their own Outlook for iOS and Android accounts: AutoDetect and single sign-on. Summary: How users with modern authentication-enabled accounts can quickly set up their Outlook for iOS and Android accounts in Exchange Online.
