Outlook link to Virgin email

[Kempson02]

Until Friday evening I was happily using Outlook as my main email system in sync with the underlying Virgin email. When I switched on on Saturday morning I had been locked out of my Virgin email completely and Outlook was not able to send/receive. A call to 150 revealed that I was one of many in this situation as Virgin had implemented a change to their security system overnight. I was required to change the email address by which I access Virgin (not the one I use publicly) and the password and by Saturday afternoon the underlying Virgin email system was working again through my browser.

However, I still cannot get Outlook to talk to the Virgin email. I have changed the Outlook settings to the new username and password as instructed by the 150 team and it doesn't work. A further call to them today resulted in them transferring me to an outfit called the "Gadget Rescue Team". The agent who transferred me omitted to tell me that you have to pay for the GRT to do anything for you but that quickly became clear talking to the GRT agent. I don't see why I should pay when Virgin caused the problem in the first place with their action on Saturday morning.

Please can anyone advise how I should get Outlook back syncing with Virgin email.

[Graham_A · Accepted solution]

VM have recently changed the log in requirements for accessing VM Mail via third party apps.

If you change the password for the account in My Virgin Media > Account settings > Account details you will not be able to use the new password to access the account via an email client. Email client access now requires an app specific password which can be generated in the MyVM > Account Settings > Account details > Mailbox App password management

[用心棒]

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@Kempson02 wrote:

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However, I still cannot get Outlook to talk to the Virgin email. I have changed the Outlook settings to the new username and password as instructed by the 150 team and it doesn't work. …
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Just to add to Graham_A's good advice, with email clients, i.e. Outlook, you must continue to use your Virgin Media email address as the username. For example, if my email address is richard.branson@virginmedia.com and I change the Sign in Email Address to richard.branson@example.com then:

• the former would continue to be used as username when configuring an email client's settings
• the latter when signing into My Virgin Media or webmail

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[Kempson02]

Thank you so much Graham - this advice coupled with the advice on which email to use in the post below has enabled me to get Outlook up and running on my PC. Unfortunately I still can't access my email on my Android mobile phone. I've changed the password in the Server settings to the same password as on Outlook but it won't accept it. Are you able to help with this problem please?

[Kempson02]

Thank you for this - together with Graham's advice above it worked on my PC but unfortunately I'm still having problems picking up emails on my Android phone.

[Reece_MH]

Hi Kempson02 👋

Thanks for posting, and welcome to the Community Forums.

I'm glad to hear you've been able to get things working on your PC, but I'm sorry to hear you're still experiencing issues after attempting the fantastic advice from both Graham and 用心棒.

To clarify, are you seeing any specific error messages when attempting to sign in on your Mobile? Can you confirm what app you're using to access the Mail (e.g. Outlook, Android Mail, etc.).

Cheers,

[coenoby]

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@Kempson02 wrote:I'm still having problems picking up emails on my Android phone.

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There is a trick that often resolves a multitude of problems with updating email apps such as the one on your android phone.

Rather than updating the existing email settings in the app try deleting the VM email account from the email app. Then set it up again in the email app as a new email account.

Just to be clear, I am not suggesting that you delete the email account from the VM website just delete the email account from the settings in the email app on your phone. Set it up using the VM email address and the mail app password that you used in Outlook.

Setting the email account up again from scratch in the app, effectively as a new account, often works when trying to update the password in the existing app settings fails. If successful the app will then pick up all the existing emails in you webmail account so it will be the same as it was before.

Try doing that an see how it goes.

Coenoby

[novmsupport]

I have got a similar problem.  Bought a new PC and trying to set up Outlook client with no success. Have always set up Outlook before with no problem using the IMAP and SMTP server settings and before that POP3 settings but fails this time around. You would expect info on how to connect Outlook to VM e-mail servers would be published on a help page and known to support staff but not found official guidance or anybody in support prepared to advise on setting up Outlook.  I have been deflected by being asked to try another device or a different browser which I did with no success but why should I be asked to experiment!  I was able to access e-mails from my phone but after eventually getting through to VM (experiencing a high volume of calls ..as always)  the support person changed something to fix it and changed e-mail password now even my phone doesn't work.  Web site explains how to fix a mail unavailable problem but manage e-mail password isn't present on my account settings or account details so I have no way of changing e-mail password.  It's terrible  to be told wait for a call in a few days (maybe) whilst still can't get at my e-mails.  I wish VM had insightful support people who have the means to tackle the issue straight away.  And another thing, it's totally crazy to have to use 'another' e-mail address that's not blueyounder to change my virgin media password. If we didn't have google what would we do! 

[coenoby]

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@novmsupport wrote:

"You would expect info on how to connect Outlook to VM e-mail servers would be published on a help page" 

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I'll say at the outset I am not defending VM but just trying to offer some (hopefully) useful advice.

There is a Helpsheet from Virgin Media which has a lot of information about using VM's email service including a section on "How to set up my Virgin Media email on a device" which takes you through the necessary steps.

Sadly. that is not easy to find but here's a link to it https://www.virginmedia.com/help/broadband/manage-email-account 

"the support person changed something to fix it and changed e-mail password now even my phone doesn't work. Also. it does not specifically"

That sounds as if that they did not explain to you about the need to generate a "mail app" password for Outlook ans any other email apps that you use. However, I see that @Graham_A helped you with that when you posted back in September but I have repeated it here again for the benefit of anyone reading this for the first time.

It does seem that many VM support staff appear to be unaware that VM now insist that you use the mail app password in the email settings of all your email apps.

The Helpsheet in the link explains how to generate a new mail app - see the section "Setting your app password to use an Email app".

Just for completeness, to access your VM email account directly on the VM website you now need to enter the third party (non VM) email address as the username and the "normal" password that has just been reset.

"manage e-mail password isn't present on my account settings or account details"

Sorry, I cannot offer any solution to that although I know a lot of people are currently experiencing it. All I can say is that I have also experienced that on My Virgin Media account a few times. However, I found that it always came back when I have refreshed the web page a few times.

Coenoby

[Matthew_ML]

Thank you for posting some advice ceonoby.

I hope this does help but if it doesn't please do let us know. Cheers