Unfortunately, a number of customers who are using Microsoft email domains (e.g. Outlook, Hotmail, etc.), are seeing the following error message: User is authenticated by not connected.

The reason for this is most likely to be a limit on the number of simultaneous connections being imposed by Microsoft (not Mailbird). By default, Mailbird will use 5 connections at all times, and if you combine this with all the other ways in which you are accessing your emails, such as via your mobile device, laptop, or web browser, then you might risk running out of available connections (generally 15 is the maximum) because each method of checking your email uses a set number of connections.

Here are some actions which you can take in order to resolve this problem.

• Decrease the number of connections used by Mailbird from 5 to 1 (or 2).
  • Open the Mailbird menu in the top lefthand corner (i.e. the three horizontal lines).
  • Click on Settings.
  • Navigate to the Accounts tab, and then double-click on the affected email account.
  • At the bottom of the menu, you will see a connections slider. Set this to 1 or 2.
    • Naturally, having more connections is always better, but this approach has been shown to successfully resolve this issue.

• Connect your email using the Exchange protocol instead of IMAP (only available to Mailbird Premium customers)
  • There might be different limits for simultaneous connections between Exchange and IMAP protocols. To change the protocol you are using, when you add the account and the 'Settings found' message appears, you simply have to click on Edit settings, and in the Server type dropdown select Exchange. Then type in the password and click on Continue.
     
• Contact Microsoft Support to ask about increasing the number of allowed simultaneous connections. 
  • However, please keep in mind that customers have had differing levels of success with Microsoft when doing so.

Hopefully this article has provided you with the information that you required, but if you require further assistance, then please reach out to us via our Contact Form so that a member of our team can do their very best to help you.