Configuring Mozilla Thunderbird with Office 365 Email

There is no outlook for linux users. Setting up email, calendar, contacts etc in linux with office 365 (or exchange) account could be painful.However there is a little known fact that office 365 also have SMTP feature for configuring non exchange compliant client like Mozilla Thunderbird.

Since office 365 is a cloud hosting by Microsoft which is multi-tenant, setup configuration is pretty much same unless the company decides to override anything.

For email

Incoming:
  • IMAP
  • Server hostname: outlook.office365.com
  • Port: 993
  • SSL: SSL/TLS
  • Authentication: Normal password
Outgoing:
  • Server hostname: smtp.office365.com
  • Port: 587
  • SSL: SSL/TLS
  • Authentication: Normal password
User Name: your company email

For calendar you have to install the following addon.


Installing the Add-on:

  1. Install the latest version of the Lightning add-on.
  2. Download the latest version of the Exchange Calendar and Tasks Add-on.
  3. In Thunderbird, click on Tools | Add-ons
  4. Click on the Gear icon (next to "Search all add-ons") and select Install Add-on From File...
  5. Browse to the downloaded add-on in the previous step
  6. Click Install to verify that you understand that you are trusting the add-on from a non-verified author
  7. Click Restart now to restart Thunderbird and finish installation of the add-on
Configuring to Access O365:
  1. Launch Thunderbird
  2. Click on File | New | Calendar
  3. Select On the Network and click Continue
  4. Select Microsoft Exchange 2007/2010 and click Continue
  5. Choose any name and color for the calendar. Remove the check mar from Show Reminders check box if you do not wish to receive pop-up reminders to meetings
  6. Select the email address that is associated with your calendar, then click Continue
  7. Enter the following information for settings:
    • Server URL: https://pod51011.outlook.com/ews/exchange.asmx
    • Primary email address:company username
    • Username: company username
    • Domain name: [Leave this blank]
    • Share Folder Id: [Leave this blank]
  8. Click on Check server and mailbox.
  9. You will be prompted for your password. Enter the password for the account you are configuring and click OK.
  10. Make sure Calendar folder is selected for Folder base
  11. Click Continue.
  12. Click Done.


Reference
http://www.it.cornell.edu/services/thunderbird/howto/config-exchange.cfm