This article describes how you can set up different versions of Outlook as an email client for RWTH e-mail.

 

Important

For information security and data protection reasons, the following apps may not be used in the RWTH context:

• the free Outlook apps for Windows 10 and 11
• the Outlook apps on mobile devices (Android and iOS/macOS)

Please use the supported versions described in this article instead.

• Set up Outlook 365 (Exchange inbox)
• Deactivate Autodiscover for Outlook  
• Set up an additional Outlook profile
• Set up Outlook classic (Exchange)
• Set up Outlook classic (macOS)

Please also note the information in the FAQ about login prompts when starting Outlook.

 

Note

If, when setting up your version of Outlook, you are asked to select the Office 365 or Microsoft account type, or if you are unable to select "Exchange", deactivate Autodiscover for Outlook.

Set up Outlook 365

You can download Outlook 365 as part of the Office package via your RWTH student or employee access from office.com (opens in new tab).

If your Office 365 or Microsoft account is queried in the meantime, please deactivate the autodiscover function for Outlook.

Step 1
Start the software and click on File.

Step 2
Use the Add account option to set up a new e-mail account.

Step 3
A window will open where you can enter your email address. Then click Connect.
Please note that...

• personal email addresses must be entered in the form firstname.lastname@rwth-aachen.de, and
• email addresses for employees must be entered in the form name@institution.rwth-aachen.de.
• Each institution decides for itself how the names are entered before the @
• functional email addresses must be entered without the preceding fkt_ from the user name.

Step 4
Select Exchange as the account type:

Step 5
Do not enter anything at first and click on More options:

Step 6
Click on Use another account:

Step 7
Enter the credentials for your email account:

• Username: ab123456@rwth-aachen.de or ab123456@institution.rwth-aachen.de
  • For functional email addresses (e.g. info@institut.rwth-aachen.de), please enter the user name in the form: fkt_info@institution.rwth-aachen.de
• Password: the respective password for the corresponding RWTH e-mail account

To save the login data, you can check the box Save login data. Click OK to complete the setup:

Deactivate Autodiscover for Outlook

For certain Outlook versions (mainly Outlook 365 & Outlook 2019) there is a change in the autodiscover process.
This means that when selecting the account type, the Office 365 or Microsoft account is queried or the selection of Exchange is not possible.
This leads to a problem when connecting to the central mail system of RWTH Aachen University.

If this is the case when setting up your Outlook version, please deactivate the autodiscover function for Outlook.
To do this, set the following registry keys on your end device:

Step 1
Call up the Windows app Registry Editor:

• Press the Windows button + R and enter regedit in the Run window or search for regedit in the Windows search bar.

Step 2
Navigate to the path mentioned above:

• [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover]

Step 3
Now right-click to create a DWORD value with the name “ExcludeExplicitO365Endpoint”.

Step 4
Then double-click on the entry you have just created and change the value from 0 to 1.

Step 5
Then continue with the next step of the instructions for your respective Outlook version.
 

Set up an additional Outlook profile

The setup for your Outlook profile may be necessary if Outlook has never been configured on the computer and cannot be started without a valid configuration.

Step 1
To do this, open the Windows Control Panel and click User Accounts:

Step 2
Click Mail (Microsoft Outloook):

Step 3
Select Show profiles:

Step 4
Select the Confirm profile to be used option and then click Add to create a new profile:

Step 5
Assign a unique name for the profile and confirm with OK.

Step 6
Enter your name (this will later become the display name) and your email address.
Please make sure that the email address has the format firstname.lastname@rwth-aachen.de or name@instutution.rwth-aachen.de:

Step 7
A Windows login window will appear. Under Further options, select the option Use another account and log in with your user name and password for the RWTH e-mail account.
Please make sure that the user name is in the format ab123456@rwth-aachen.de or ab123456@institution.rwth-aachen.de:
 

Step 8
Outlook will now set up your profile. Once the setup is complete, click Finish.

Step 9
Start your Outlook and select the previously created profile.

Step 1
Start Outlook classic and click on File.

Step 2
Use the Add account option to set up a new email account.

Step 3
A window will now open where you can enter the display name, an email address and password. Then click on Next.

Step 4
Please note that...

• personal email addresses must be entered in the form firstname.lastname@rwth-aachen.de, and
• email addresses for employees must be entered in the name@institution.rwth-aachen.de.
• functional email addresses must be entered without the prefix fkt_ from the user name.

Outlook then searches for the email server settings.

Step 5
Another window appears. Here Outlook automatically adopts everything that has already been set up in an existing account after the “@”.
Take the example below: A mailbox with [...]@rwth-aachen.de is to be set up, but Outlook has automatically adopted [...]@itc.rwth-aachen.de.

Step 6

Select More options and then Use another account.
Then enter the following:

• Username: ab123456@rwth-aachen.de or ab123456@institution.rwth-aachen.de
• Password: Your password for the e-mail account

With newer versions of Outlook, an error message may appear stating that Exchange is not available. In this case pleace click on the Help menu and Switch to older version/legacy mode.

Step 1
Open the settings in Outlook, click on Accounts / Add email account.

Step 2
Then select Exchange or Office 365.

Step 3
Enter the following data:

• Email address: firstname.lastname@rwth-aachen.de or name@institution.rwth-aachen.de

Then click Continue:

Step 4
To connect to the Exchange, add the following data:

• Method: user name and password
• Email-Address: firstname.lastname@rwth-aachen.de or name@institution.rwth-aachen.de
  • Please use the same address as in the previous step
• Domain-\Username: username@rwth-aachen.de (e.g. ab123456@rwth-aachen.de or ab123456@institution.rwth-aachen.de)
• Password: Your password for the email account

Step 5
Outlook will now attempt to recognize the server data automatically.
Click on Allow to allow the setup to be carried out.

Step 6
Click on Done to complete the setup.

Additional information:

• Configuration of ports
• Thunderbird (IMAP)
• Android
• Apple