Microsoft Exchange
Connect Microsoft Exchange Server to Missive. On-premises and hybrid support.
Connect your Microsoft Exchange account to Missive using IMAP. This option is for on-premises Exchange servers or hosted Exchange environments that don't support OAuth-based Office 365 authentication.
If you use Office 365 or Outlook.com, use the Office 365 / Outlook connection instead - it's simpler and supports more features.
Prerequisites
Before connecting, ensure your Exchange server has:
IMAP enabled (port 993 with TLS or port 143 with STARTTLS)
SMTP enabled (port 587 with STARTTLS or port 465 with TLS)
Your account has IMAP access permissions
Contact your IT administrator if you're unsure about these settings.
How to connect
Open account settings
Go to Settings > Accounts and click Add account.
To open Settings, click your avatar at the top of the sidebar, then Settings (or press ⌘,).
Select Microsoft Exchange
Under the Email tab, select Microsoft Exchange.
Choose import options
Select how much email history to import:
No history - start fresh
1 month to 10 years - recent emails only
All history - everything (paid plans only)
Choose if this is a personal or shared account.
Enter credentials
Fill in your account details:
Display name: How your name appears when sending
Email address: Your Exchange email
Password: Your Exchange password
Configure IMAP settings
Enter your Exchange server's IMAP details:
Hostname: Your Exchange server (e.g., mail.company.com)
Port: Usually 993 for TLS or 143 for STARTTLS
Encryption: SSL/TLS (recommended) or STARTTLS
Your username defaults to your email address. Some servers require a different format like DOMAIN\username.
Configure SMTP settings
Enter your Exchange server's SMTP details:
Hostname: Your Exchange server (e.g., smtp.company.com or same as IMAP)
Port: Usually 587 for STARTTLS or 465 for TLS
Encryption: STARTTLS (recommended) or SSL/TLS
Connect
Click Connect to add your account. Missive will verify the connection and start syncing your email.
Sync behavior
Actions in Missive sync back to your Exchange server:
New email in Inbox
Yes
Email sent
Yes - appears in Sent
Email archived
Yes - appears in Archive folder
Email read/unread
Yes
Label applied
Yes - appears in matching folder
Email deleted
Yes - appears in Trash
Email marked as spam
Yes - appears in Junk
Draft saved
No
Contacts
Missive does not sync contacts from Exchange IMAP accounts. Use Office 365 / Outlook if you need contact sync.
Calendar
Calendar sync is not available for Exchange IMAP accounts. Use Office 365 / Outlook if you need calendar integration.
Troubleshooting
Connection fails
Verify IMAP is enabled on your Exchange server
Check the hostname, port, and encryption settings with your IT team
Ensure your account has IMAP access permissions
Try both TLS and STARTTLS encryption options
Authentication errors
Some Exchange servers require DOMAIN\username format instead of email
Verify your password is correct
Check if your account requires app-specific passwords
Sync issues
Large mailboxes may take time to fully sync
Folders with special characters may not sync correctly
Contact support if specific folders aren't appearing
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