The modern-day corporate culture demands a convergence of effective engagement activities, and this calls for Exchange email services. Exchange email services ensure that employees remain in touch, any time, anywhere.
One significant provider of such a service is Microsoft Exchange and it has some of the potential features that would increase the users’ productivity, security, and accessibility.
As exchange integrates a range of applications, it has gained significant popularity among companies as it is key to the management of business transactions.
For many users, the easiest way to log into Exchange email is via OWA. OWA lets users log in to their emails using any gadget with an internet connection which is convenient.
OWA ensures that email accounts, calendars, and contacts are always available whenever they are needed, irrespective of the user’s location.
Such access has become increasingly crucial due to the pandemic and the growth of remote working styles. The purpose of this article is to allow the opening of OWA when Exchange is accessed and looks at its advantages.
1. Accessing Outlook Web App (OWA)
Accessing Exchange emails online using the Outlook Web App (OWA) is easy. OWA is an intuitive web-based application used to access and manage e-mail, calendar, and address books from internet-enabled devices. Below are ways to log in to OWA using 2 main approaches.
1.1 Via Direct URL
To access OWA, a preferred web browser such as Chrome is opened then the address outlook.office.com weather forecaster is entered. This link directs one straight to the sign-in page for the Outlook Web App where one waits to input their credentials. When logged in, one has reached the peak level of accessing their mailbox with all valuables such as emails, calendars, and contacts management settings or tools.
1.2 Through Microsoft 365 Portal
Another way of getting OWA is through the Microsoft 365 portal. First, engage with portal.office.com. After signing in to the Microsoft 365 account, one has to search for Outlook among the listed applications and press the icon. This method is effective as it enables the user to access OWA while offering access to other Microsoft 365 platforms or systems.
The two methods are satisfactory as they provide a safe efficient way to go about exchanging emails online using the application, one so that all emails sent between the application and the recipient are proper and have been completed on all ends.
2.2 Log In
Although logging into Outlook Web Access (OWA) is straightforward, the first step is to ensure that the correct Exchange email credentials are being utilized. The following subsections outline the procedures for logging in with either email credentials or Microsoft 365 administrator credentials.
2.1 Logging In with Your Email Credentials
Let’s begin by directing you to your web browser’s outlook.office.com page. Your email username and password will need to be typed in if you are not already signed in. Usually, this username is the organization’s email address. After this step, choose Sign in, and after you have entered a code for two-factor authentication if enabled, your mailbox, as well as all its functionalities, will be accessible to you.
2.2 Microsoft 365 Admin Access
As an administrator of your organization, it may be necessary to sign in with admin login details in order to create or modify user accounts and change settings. Also, you can log into admin.microsoft.com or Microsoft 365 by navigating to portal.office.com and selecting the Admin icon in the application launcher.
To proceed, please provide the email associated with your admin account and its respective password. Should you be the global administrator, (minimum access) the person who usually created the Microsoft 365 account, you will enable user management, password resets, and organization settings to be managed.
If there are difficulties with logging in then verify the email address and password combination you are using or kindly seek help from another administrator.
3. Locating the OWA URL within Outlook
We can say that finding the OWA URL was a struggle even in Outlook 2010 or 2013 with the application being able to do it.
3.1 For Windows Outlook 2010 and 2013 Users
Outlook provides a way to retrieve the OWA URL within its own application as illustrated in the steps below:
- Open Outlook on your browser
- Select ‘File’ which is on top of the screen on the left side.
- After clicking that, select ‘Info’ from the left side of the menu.
- When you get to the page, search for either of the phrases Account Settings or something close to that; there must be an option that can be used to show your account information.
- You may see a link or address labeled something like “Outlook Web App” or “Access OWA”. That is the URL you can utilize to log into OWA straight through the web browser.
When you have this URL, simply copy it and paste it into your web browser address so that if you ever need to access your exchange email it is readily available. This is a good way to remember the OWA login page and bookmark it since it is a fast search.
4. Security Considerations
Upon entering the OWA, clients ought to bear in mind that information security is crucial to safeguarding sensitive data and unauthorized access. Realizing the security issues and dangers that may come with it and observing standard practices can be important in protecting the exchange of email.
4.1 Certificate Warnings
Certificate warnings are possible when navigating to OWA. These warnings are common when a web browser has determined that a security certificate for a given site is either not trusted or configured incorrectly.
This can be caused by a number of factors, including expired certificates or certificates that were issued, but not by a recognized authority. It is technically possible to bypass these cautions, but it is highly inadvisable to do this.
If a certificate is not trusted, it suggests that the connection is very likely to be compromised by other sources somewhere along the line and the client’s login details, along with other sensitive information, are likely to be in jeopardy.
Recommendations:
- Avoid Proceeding: Because there is a risk involved with certificate warnings, it is best not to continue to the site when such a warning has been issued until it has been cleared. If so, contact the IT Help Desk and ask them to confirm the trustworthiness of the certificate.
- Verify URL: If using OWA, be sure that it is properly executed with the proper URL (outlook.office.com) rather than a dubious one.
- Use Secure Connections: Whenever possible, OWA should only be accessed with HTTPS.
Read also: How to Add a Namecheap Private Email to Gmail
5. Troubleshooting Common Issues
Seeing OWA for the first time is relatively easy, yet as several users have experienced it was not without issues, especially while logging in. The following are some of these problems and how they can be solved.
5.1 Trouble Logging In
If you cannot log in to OWA, do the following:
- Check Credentials: The email address and the password should be typed correctly. Note that the password is case-sensitive.
- Reset Password: If you have forgotten your password, it is advisable to use the password recovery option that is easily accessed on the login page or call the IT for additional assistance.
- Account Lockout: Account lockout may occur after several unsuccessful attempts of logging in. These attempts are made in an effort to enhance security. Some waiting time may be required before attempting to log in again, or the user may be required to contact IT support in order to get his or her account unlocked.
- Browser Issues: Such a situation is also common. A user may be experiencing a login problem due to web-browser incompatibility. The user should delete the web browser cache and cookies history or go to log in using another web browser.
5.2 Browser Compatibility
The OWA application works efficiently when there is a supported web browser. It is recommended to use Microsoft Edge (Version 79 or later), Google Chrome (Version 79 or later), Mozilla Firefox (Version 78 or later), Apple Safari (Version 16 or later), and Opera (version 76 or later).
The management of OWA features will be compromised when older browser versions are accessed, and people are encouraged to always set to the latest browser version.
Read also:How Do I Open an Email from Namecheap?
6. Features of Outlook Web App
The application has various features which aim at improving productivity as well as offering streamlined email management.
6.1 Email Control
Even though OWA has wonderful complex abilities concerning email management, there are certain operations that may seem easy with a iction.
- Sending and Receiving Emails: New email messages can easily be created, messages replied and email messages sent with attachments over them.
- Organizing Emails: Keeping the inbox fully organized and allowing the user to flag some important messages using folders, categories, and flags.
- Search Bar: The user can quickly search for emails he/she is looking for and this can also be done using the search bar with filters or options for date, sender, and subject.
Read also:How to Add a Namecheap Private Email to Gmail
6.2 Calendar and Contacts Availability
OWA provides more than just email management as the users can also manage their calendars and contacts as seamlessly:
- Calendar Management: Owa allows users to schedule meetings and send out meeting requests, set reminders and even share their calendars with their colleagues for easy collaboration.
- Contacts Availability: Keep an orderly conduct list where you can include persons or groups with whom you wish to communicate with ease.
With these features available, OWA becomes a very good tool in the hands of the user as he or she is able to execute all the features of an Exchange email management system without a struggle.
