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Introduction
This article explains how to connect your University of Pittsburgh email account to the most common desktop and Mac email programs: Microsoft Outlook (on Windows and Mac) and Apple Mail. No matter which program you use, you will sign in through Pitt Passport with your University Computing Account, so it helps to have your username, your password, and a device set up for Duo Mobile within reach before you start.
Information
Outlook for Windows and Mac
There are now two versions of the Outlook desktop app: new Outlook and classic Outlook. New installations of Microsoft 365 open new Outlook by default, so most people setting up a new device will see it first. Both versions connect to Pitt Email the same way, through Pitt Passport, so just follow the steps that match the version you have. To check which one you are using, look at the top-right corner of the window for a Settings (gear) icon. If you see it, you are in new Outlook.
New Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- Open Outlook.
- The first time you open it, type your University email address when prompted and select Continue.
- If Outlook already has another account set up, select Add account at the bottom of your folder list, or open Settings (the gear icon), choose Accounts, then Add account, and type your University email address.
- When the Pitt Passport login screen appears, enter your University Computing Account username and password, then approve the Duo Mobile prompt.
- When the confirmation appears, select Done.
Classic Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- Open Outlook.
- If this is the first account you are setting up, you may be asked to accept the Microsoft Licensing Agreement. Select Accept to continue.
- A Welcome to Outlook box will appear. Type your University email address in the Email address field and select Continue.
- If the Welcome to Outlook box does not appear because Outlook is already set up for another inbox, select the File tab, then select Add Account under Account Information. The welcome box should appear so you can enter your email address.
- When the Pitt Passport login screen appears, enter your University Computing Account username and password, select Submit, and approve the Duo Mobile prompt.
- When the box says Account setup is complete, select Continue.
New to Outlook? You can watch the Outlook Essential Training course, available at no cost through LinkedIn Learning.
Older versions of Outlook
To keep uninterrupted access to your Pitt Email, use a current, supported version of Outlook. Older releases gradually lose the ability to connect to Microsoft 365. Support for connecting Office 2016 and Office 2019 to Microsoft 365 ended on October 10, 2023, and Microsoft is moving everyone from classic Outlook to new Outlook, which is now the default on new installations.
The recommended path is the current Microsoft 365 version of Office, which the University provides at no cost through Office 365. To check your current version, open Outlook and select File > Office Account > About Outlook on Windows, or Outlook > About Outlook on a Mac.
Important for Mac users: Because of a Microsoft security certificate that expires July 13, 2026, any copy of Office on a Mac that is not fully updated by that date switches to a read-only mode. In read-only mode you can open and print documents in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, but you cannot edit them or create new ones. If you use Office 2021 or Microsoft 365, you can avoid this by installing the latest updates (your Mac needs to be on macOS 12 Monterey or later). Office 2019 for Mac has no update available and cannot be fixed, so plan to move to a supported version. Office 2021 for Mac also reaches the end of its support on October 13, 2026.
Apple Mail (macOS)
On current versions of macOS, you set up accounts in System Settings. (This was called System Preferences in macOS 12 Monterey and earlier.) These steps work on any supported version of macOS.
- From the Apple menu, choose System Settings.
- Select Internet Accounts in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down to find it.
- Select Add Account, then choose Microsoft Exchange from the list of providers.
- Enter your name and your University email address, then select Sign In.
- When prompted, choose to sign in through Microsoft. When the Pitt Passport login screen appears, enter your University Computing Account username and password, then approve the Duo Mobile prompt.
- Choose the apps you want to use with the account, such as Mail, Contacts, and Calendars, then select Done.
- Open Mail from the Dock, and your messages will begin to appear in your inbox.
If you run into trouble setting up your Pitt Email, contact the IT Help Desk for help.