HOW TO: Create a new Outlook Profile (Exchange / POP / IMAP)

As creating a new Outlook profile is a process that comes in very handy when you are confronted with various Outlook issues I came up with this detailed tutorial (quite lengthy with many screenshots, so I hope it covers most of the common questions).
It's purpose is to give a detailed explanation on every single step and I also tried to provide some useful links on special topics.

I hope my article can help solving the one or other Outlook issue.

By the way:
Screenshots are showing an Office 2013 installation on a Windows 7 (64bit) client.
Some of the settings may slightly vary in older versions of Outlook.

-------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

To start off, open up the control panel and click on the “Mail” button (it is called “Mail (32-bit)” because I am running a 64bit machine.)
Then click the “Show Profiles…” button:
What you see now is a list of already created profiles. In case it is a fresh Outlook installation, the list will be empty. Simply click on “Add…”:

1. Prompt for a profile to be used

if more than 1 outlook profile is set up (for example your private one and another one for a resource mailbox) outlook will prompt for a profile to connect to

2. Always use this profile

Outlook will always connect to the specified profile without prompting on startup
Now it’s time to give your new profile a name (this can be any name you wish and does not have anything to do with your mail address or the account type you choose). e.g. if you are creating a POP account profile for gmail you may call the profile “gmail – pop”.
In the next window you can choose to either automatically connect (if you are connected to an Exchange Server), or to manually set up the profile.

1. E-mail Account

In case you are connected to an Exchange Server this is the fastest and easiest way to create a new outlook profile. Choose this option and hit “Next”. This way, a “default” Outlook profile will be created.

2. Manual setup or additional server types

manually setting up an outlook profile allows you to instantly configure various other settings right away (I am using this option for this tutorial)Up to here the steps are exactly the same for Exchange, POP and IMAP accounts.

Now let's see how the separate account types are set up:

-------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

Exchange Account

(connected to Exchange 2007)

In order to manually set up an Exchange profile choose “Microsoft Exchange…” and hit “Next”:

Insert the name of your company’s Exchange Server and your Windows username and click on “Check Name” to make sure it is correctly resolved. (In case the server- and username are entered correctly they will be underlined as soon as you click on “Check Name”). If the names are resolved correctly, click on “More Settings…”

1. Server Settings

Insert the name of the exchange server and your windows username and click on “check name”. In case the server- and username are entered correctly they will be underlined as soon as you click on “Check Name”.

2. Offline Settings

Here you can enable or disable Cached Exchange Mode.
You can find detailed information on cached exchange mode here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/outlook-help/turn-on-or-off-cached-exchange-mode-HP001232935.aspx
and here:
http://hosting.intermedia.net/support/kb/?id=1057
In the “General” tab we have the option to give our Exchange Account a reference name:
On the “Advanced” tab you can connect additional mailboxes and configure some more cached mode settings:

1. Mailboxes

In order to add an additional mailbox to your outlook profile (it will be shown underneath your default profile in the outlook folder list) click the “Add…” button. Then insert the name of the additional mailbox and click OK.

2. Use Cached Exchange Mode

here you can enable or disable cached exchange mode in general (this is the same option as mentioned previously in the “add Acount” screenshot in the “Offline Settings” section)

3. Download shared folders

When you enable this option, shared folders (like the shared calendar or inbox from your colleagues) will also be made available offline (this will have more or less effect on the size of your *.ost file where all the offline items are stored)

4. Download Public Folder Favorites

When you enable this option, all items that are located in your public folder favorites will be made available offline (this will have more or less effect on the size of your *.ost file where all the offline items are stored)

5. Outlook Data File Settings…

In this dialogue you can specify the location for the *.ost file (by default outlook will create the file C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\outlook.ost on a Windows 7 client)

1. Browse

In order to change the location and name of the *.ost file click on „Browse“ and specify location and name for the file.

2. Compact Now

Through clicking on „Compact Now“ you can reduce the file size of the *.ost file (in my case it is greyed out because I am still setting up my profile and the ost file referenced above has not been created yet)
On the “Security” tab you can change a few security settings:

1. Encryption

Activate this option in order to encrypt data between Outlook and your Exchange server.

2. User identification

If you enable this option you are prompted for a username and password each time you connect to the exchange server.
Further information can be found here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/outlook-help/specify-exchange-network-security-HP001003058.aspx

3. Logon network security

You can choose between various authentication options (select the corresponding option depending on your environment).
Under “Connection” you can setup “Outlook Anywhere” (greyed out in my screenshot as we set it via policy in our environment):
When you click on “Exchange Proxy Settings…” you can specify all necessary settings for “Outlook Anywhere”:
Detailed information on “Outlook Anywhere” can be found here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/outlook-help/use-outlook-anywhere-to-connect-to-your-exchange-server-without-vpn-HP010102444.aspx

As all available settings are set now, click “Next”:
On the last screen of the profile setup click “Finish”:
Basically your Outlook profile is set up and should be running fine. But there are still no pst files etc. connected to it. In order to finalize your Outlook profile highlight the profile you’ve just set up and click “Properties”:
On the „E-Mail“ tab you can configure the following options:

1. New...

Allows you to create an additional (new) account

2. Repair...

Allows you to repair the selected account.
Further information can be found here:
http://www.itechtalk.com/thread9989.html

3. Change...

Allows you to make changes to the selected account. (It will bring you back to all the settings previously explained in this article.)

4. Set as Default

In case multiple accounts are set up in Outlook, you can set one as default here. (New messages are delivered to the default account.)

5. Remove

Allows you to completely remove an account.

6. Up- and Down Arrows

Allow you to re-arrange the accounts in the accounts- list.On the “Data Files” tab you can change the following settings:

1. Add...

Allows you to add data files (e.g. Personal Folders aka PST files).

2. Settings...

Allows you to change the settings for the selected data file.

01. Change Password...

Allows you to specify (or change) a password for the selected data file.

02. Compact Now

Reduces file size of the selected data file.

3. Set as Default

Allows you to specify a data file as default. In case you specify a data file as default, be aware of those changes:

4. Remove

Allows you to remove a data file. (It is NOT deleted, but only removed from within Outlook)

5. Open File Location

Opens the Windows Explorer pointing to the location where the selected data file is located.On the “RSS Feeds” tab you can add, change or remove your RSS Feed subscriptions:

1.

In order to add a new RSS Feed Subscription, simply click “New…” and insert the URL to the RSS Feed.

2.

You are also able to change the folder location where RSS Feeds are delivered to: On the “SharePoint Lists” tab you can see, change and remove all your connected SharePoint lists. (In order to Add a new SharePoint List to Outlook you’ll have to click on “Connect to Outlook” from within the SharePoint Site):
On the “Internet Calendars” tab you can add, change or remove your Internet Calendar subscriptions:

1.

In order to add a new Internet Calendar Subscription, simply click “New…” and insert the URL to the Internet Calendar On the “Published Calendars” tab you can see, change and remove all your calendars that you have previously published to the Internet. (In order to publish a calendar, right-click the calendar in Outlook and click “Publish to Internet”):
On the “Address Books” tab you can add, change and remove different types of address books:

1. New...

Allows you to set up a new directory or Address Book:

01. Internet Directory Service (LDAP)

Allows you to connect to an LDAP Server

02. Additional Address Books

Allows you to either add a “Mobile Address Book” or an “Outlook Address Book”. Further information on adding various types of address books in Outlook can be found here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/outlook-help/add-or-remove-an-address-book-HA010164208.aspx
and here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-help/use-the-mobile-address-book-HA010126747.aspx

2. Change...

Allows you to change further settings for the selected address book like “Show names by” etc: CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have now successfully set up your Exchange profile!
-------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

POP / IMAP Account

In order to manually set up a POP or IMAP profile choose “POP or IMAP” and hit “Next”:
In the next window, the following information has to be provided:

1. User Information

Provide your full name and email address here.

2. Server Information

Here you can choose between POP3 and IMAP account types.
Further information on the difference between POP3 and IMAP can be found here:
http://mail2web.com/blog/2010/02/pop-imap-difference/
and here:
http://www.guidingtech.com/2207/difference-between-pop-and-imap/

3. Logon Information

Provide your username and account password here (e.g. your gmail username and password)
Activating the “Remember password” option means that you do not have to re-enter your password every time you start outlook. If you uncheck it, Outlook will prompt for your account password each time it is started.

4. Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA)

Further information on SPA can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Password_Authentication
and here:
http://www.kuro5hin.org/?op=displaystory;sid=2002/4/28/1436/66154

5. Test Account Settings

Once you’ve entered all the necessary information (you also have to insert all necessary information in the "More Settings..." section in order to pass this test), click on “Test Account Settings”. You should see the following window appear – and, assuming you’ve entered all necessary information correctly – complete the test without any errors:

6. Deliver new messages to

Here you can either specify that a new *.ost file should be created for this account or you can simply configure an existing *ost file to be used for storing your emails.

7. More Settings...

Once you’ve provided all necessary information, click the “More Settings…” button.On the “General” tab you can enter a name for your account and some information on your organization:
On the “Outgoing Server” tab you can configure if the SMTP server requires authentication or not. If it does you can either set it up to use the same settings as your incoming mail server or you can provide a separate account (your email provider has to inform you about the settings you’ll have to provide here):
On the “Advanced” tab you can specify the following settings (again, your email provider has to provide you with the necessary settings here):

Example for a POP3 account:
Example for an IMAP account:
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have now successfully set up your POP / IMAP profile!

A list of common POP3 servers and the necessary port settings can be found here:
http://www.arclab.com/products/amlc/list-of-smtp-and-pop3-servers-mailserver-list.html

A list of common IMAP servers and the necessary port settings can be found here:
http://www.arclab.com/products/amlc/list-of-smtp-and-imap-servers-mailserver-list.html