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Cloud Services Frequently Asked Questions

IT Connect > Teamwork and Collaboration Tools > Cloud Services > FAQs

Cloud Computing at the UW

General
Services Offered
Availability and Signup

General

What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing generally refers to email, calendaring, document sharing, and other collaborative and communication tools hosted by an external provider via the Internet ("in the cloud").

Why is UW interested in cloud computing?
The UW is exploring whether cloud services can help us meet our strategic goals of providing state-of-the-art personal productivity and collaboration tools to the UW community, while at the same time reducing costs for providing "commodity" IT and enabling us to re-focus technology staff on other high priority activities. Some of these services are offered at no charge to academic institutions, and many UW students and employees are already familiar with the services through their individual use of them.

Are there advantages to using the cloud services for email?
  • The cloud email services offer more storage space than the on-premise email accounts offered to UW students, staff, faculty, and alumni.
  • Many users may already be familiar with the user interface for Google and Microsoft email.
  • The services offer integrated instant messaging.
  • The services are easy to use with your mobile phone.

Services

Which cloud service vendors is UW partnering with?
During the summer of 2009, UW Technology embarked on a dual vendor approach, piloting Microsoft Windows Live and Google Apps Education Edition, and plan to make both services available to all current UW students, as well as alumni and former students, starting September 28, 2009. Those who sign up will continue to use their UW email address (uw.edu or u.washington.edu) and UW NetID.  Many UW students and employees have existing accounts on these services and so are already familiar with them. Additional vendor partnerships may be added in the future, providing more options for computing cycles and storage.

What services are offered through the cloud?
Microsoft's Live@Edu program provides many Windows Live services at no charge to education customers, including:
  • Outlook Live: 10 GB mailbox for email, calendar, and contacts; email forwarding to your Windows Mobile or iPhone
  • Messenger: Live chat, voice, and video communication
  • SkyDrive: 25 GB of online file storage
  • Spaces: Online workspace for collaboration
  • Photos: Tag and share photos and slideshows

Google Apps Education Edition packages many of Google's familiar tools at no charge for education customers, including:

  • Email: 7 GB of email storage
  • Google Calendar: Schedule meetings, create events, and share calendars
  • Google Docs: Create, store, and share documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online
  • Google Sites: Create Web sites and incorporate photos, videos, and calendars
  • Google Talk: Instant message and computer-to-computer voice calling

Do I have to choose one of the cloud services for my email?
At this time, students can choose any of the following options for their email:

These options may change at a future date.

If one of the above options is not selected, email messages sent to your UW email address (UWNetID@u.washington.edu or UWNetID@uw.edu) will be returned to the sender as undeliverable.

Will I be charged for email cloud service in the future?
Both Microsoft's Live@Edu and Google Apps Education Edition platforms are being made available to academic institutions at no charge. Consequently, no student or departmental fees will be needed for the basic services. Both vendors offer additional "for fee" services that include higher service level and compliance guarantees (e.g., eDiscovery) that are critical for some populations of UW personnel. We plan to evaluate the cost, benefit, and billing structure of these services in the coming months; however, the costs for these vendor-billable services will be passed along to users or departments that elect to use them.

Will I still have a "UW-branded" email address?
Yes. You will continue to send and receive email using your existing @u.washington.edu and @uw.edu email addresses.

Can I use my mobile device with either or both of the cloud options?
Yes, both services allow connections via mobile devices. Please see the individual sections below for information on how to connect your mobile device to UW Google Apps or UW Windows Live services.

Availability and Signup

When will UW sponsored cloud computing services be available to me?
UW Windows Live and UW Google Apps for Education will be available to all UW students, as well as alumni and former students, starting September 28, 2009. We expect that faculty and staff will be able to use them after a few outstanding contractual and policy issues (necessary to mitigate institutional risk) are resolved, perhaps in late 2009 or early 2010.

How do I sign up for cloud services?
If you are eligible for cloud services, you can activate your UW Windows Live ID and/or UW Google Apps account by going to your UW NetID Manage page and clicking on the UW Windows Live or UW Google Apps links on the left. (The links will only appear for you if you are eligible for the service.)

UW Google Apps for Education

General
Setup & Access
Email Address & Delivery
Privacy & Security
Leaving

General

Can I sign up for UW Google Apps if I have also signed up for UW Windows Live?
Yes, you can have both a UW Google Apps account and a UW Windows Live account although you must choose ONE location where your @u.washington.edu and/or @uw.edu email will be delivered. You can see or change where your UW email is being delivered on the Manage UW NetID Resources page.

Can I sign up if I already have a personal Google Apps or Gmail account? And what is the difference between a personal Google account and UW Google Apps?
You can sign up for a UW Google Apps account even if you already have a personal account on Google. UW Google Apps is a separate account that allows you to send and receive Google email using your @u.washington.edu and @uw.edu email addresses. A UW Google Apps account provides the benefits of Gmail in an ad-free environment.

Google provides many different services and they are used in different contexts. The services are referred to by names like Standard, Premier, Education, Team and Partner Editions. Educational institutions, businesses and others may use Google services by setting up sites with their domain. The University of Washington uses "uw.edu" for our Google Apps for Education service.

You may have multiple accounts for different Google services. If you have used another Google Apps service, or have a Standard Google account, you can still activate your UW Google Apps for Education service. The result will be separate accounts at Google. You will use your UW NetID password to access UW Google Apps for Education, but any previous Google accounts will retain the username and password you had already established.

Can I sign up if I already have a MyUW.net account? Will my MyUW.net address continue to work? What else do I need to know about moving from MyUW.net to UW Google Apps?
Yes, MyUW.net users can sign up for UW Google Apps starting September 28, 2009. MyUW.net users are being encouraged to move to UW Google Apps or UW Windows Live as we work to decommission the MyUW.net email service. At this time, however, there are some important things to note and consider:
  • UW Google Apps accounts have a default email address of UWNetID@uw.edu. Users can also choose to use their UWNetID@u.washington.edu email address from the Manage UW Google Apps page. If you want to use your UWNetID@myuw.net email address as your return email address, you will need to configure your UW Google Email account by following the instructions in the What is my default return email address FAQ for UW Google Apps.
  • The signup process for UW Google Apps will change your @u.washington.edu email forwarding if you choose to do so. Your MyUW.net email forwarding will need to be changed as well. You can change it on the Change MyUW.net Forwarding page.
  • You should follow the instructions for Transferring Email from a MyUW.net Account to UW Google Email.

What happens if I had previously signed up for Google Apps with my UW identity?
If you have more than one Google Apps accounts with your UW identity and log in to both at the same time with the same browser, some links you click on in one identity may take you to the other identity. It is OK to have multiple accounts but just be aware of the potential for confusion when navigating through them at the same time.

Why are some UW Google Apps services slightly different from similar services that are publicly provided by Google?
Google offers many different services, both within their "Google Applications" category and others too. The specifics of what is included in any particular service is controlled by Google.

I just got an email asking me to verify my account information for Google. Is it legitimate?
The University of Washington and Google will NEVER ask you to verify your account information via email. If you receive such a request, you should report it as spam and delete it. Do not respond to the message.

You should never send personal information, including your account name and password, via email. If you do accidentally share your account information with anyone, please change your password immediately and contact UW Technology (help@u.washington.edu or 206-221-5000) for further assistance.

Setup & Access

After I activate UW Google Apps, do I need to configure anything or will it just work?
You aren't required to configure anything after activing your account in order to use UW Google Apps. You may, however, want to establish a separate UW Google Apps password in order to access your account with a desktop email program or mobile device. You can set the password on the Manage UW Google Apps page. You can also choose to transfer your existing UW email to your UW Google Apps account.

How do I log in to UW Google Apps?
You can access the various UW Google Apps with your UW NetID and password at:

If you are accessing your UW Google Email through anything other than a Web browser (e.g. a desktop email program or mobile device), you will need to set a separate UW Google Apps password. You can do so on the Manage UW Google Apps page.

I'm trying to log in to UW Google Apps but I get an error about my credentials not being verified. What is wrong?
Users who have multiple UW NetIDs may receive the following error when trying to log in to UW Google Apps:

If you receive that error, please call the UW Technology Service Center at 206-221-5000 to have your UW NetIDs consolidated into a single one.

I have forgotten my UW Google Apps password. How can I reset it?
If you are accessing your UW Google Apps account via a Web browser, you can log in with your UW NetID and password. You don't need a separate UW Google Apps password for browser access. If you have forgotten your UW NetID password, you can find information on how to reset it in the Your Password section of the Accounts and Passwords page.

If you are using a desktop email program or mobile device that requires you to use a separate UW Google Apps password and have forgotten that password, you can reset it on the Manage UW Google Apps page.

How do I use my mobile device with UW Google Apps?
You can point your mobile device's Web browser to https://gmail.uw.edu/ to access your UW Google Apps email account after it has been activated. You will log in with your UW NetID and password.

If you would like to configure your mobile device's email application to include your UW Google Email account, you will first need to create a separate UW Google Apps password on the Manage UW Google Apps page. You also need to enable IMAP on your UW Google Email account.

To set up the account, follow your mobile device's instructions for adding a new account. You may need to provide some or all of the following information:

Name: your name
Email address: UWNetID@uw.edu
Password: UW Google Apps password created on the Manage UW Google Apps page
IMAP server: imap.gmail.com
IMAP Path Prefix: /
IMAP Server Port: 993
SSL (for IMAP): On
SMTP server: smtp.gmail.com
SMTP Server Port: 587
SSL (for SMTP): On

For more configuration suggestions, see Google's recommended IMAP client settings. Also, if you are using an iPhone, configure the account through Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Add Account > Other (rather than Gmail).

Can I use other email applications to read my UW Google Email?
Yes. In addition to using your Web browser or mobile phone to access your UW Google Email account, you may use many desktop email programs such as Outlook, Thunderbird, Mac Mail, and others. Doing so will require the following setup steps:
  1. Determine if your email client is one of Google's supported IMAP clients or supported POP clients. If it is a supported IMAP client, plan to use that option over POP in step 3 below.
  2. Create a separate UW Google Apps password on the Manage UW Google Apps page.
  3. Use your Web browser to connect to your UW Google Email (remember to use your UW NetID password rather than the separate password you established in step 2). Click on "Settings" in the upper right; click on "Forwarding and POP/IMAP"; click "Enable IMAP" unless your email program must use POP (if so, choose one of the POP options).
  4. Click on the "Configuration instructions" link in the "Settings" page for either IMAP Access or POP Download, depending on the choice you made in step 3. Proceed to choose the appropriate link and configure your email program. Remember that your email address and username will both be your UWNetID@uw.edu rather than username@gmail.com.
  5. Be sure to "Save Changes" to the Settings where you enabled IMAP or POP.

When I try to connect to UW Google Email I get a "Google Apps - Invalid Email" error. What is wrong?
That error indicates that the account used to log in to UW Google Email does not match an existing UW Google Apps account. The error looks something like this:

This error may mean your Web browser is already logged in to the UW NetID Weblogin service using a UW NetID for which the UW Google Apps service has not been activated. If you have not yet activated your UW Google Apps service, you should do that first from the UW Google Apps tab on the Manage UW NetID pages.

If you have already activated your UW Google Apps service, quit the Web browser, then try to connect to UW Google Email again by visiting https://gmail.uw.edu/. You should be redirected to the familiar UW NetID Weblogin page to log in. Be sure to enter the UW NetID and password for the account that has already activated the UW Google Apps service.

To check to see if you have an active UW Google Apps service, visit the Manage UW Google Apps page. You should see your account status listed as Active.

How do I change my name in UW Google Email?
If you want to change how your name is displayed on your UW Google Email account, log in to your account at http://gmail.uw.edu/ and click on the Settings link. Click on the Accounts tab and where it says Send mail as:, click on the "edit info" link. A new window will open where you can enter your choice of text for your Name and save your changes.

I have signed up for a UW Google Email account but my existing UW email is not there. What do I need to do to transfer my existing email?
You can find instructions on how to transfer your email on the Transferring Email From a UW Email Account to UW Google Email page.

If I have data stored in other Google accounts, how can that be transferred to UW Google Apps?
Some people who use a UW Google Apps account may have email, documents or other data that they would like to move from some other place into UW Google Apps. This document will address transferring data from other Google services. The other services might be a public Gmail or other Google account, or one or another Team Edition sites. The information here should apply when moving data from any other Google site to UW Google Apps.

Note that UW Google Apps does not include every service that Google offers. For example, Google offers Blogs via blogspot.com but UW Google Apps does not currently include a parallel service.

Transferring Gmail

Google provides "Mail Fetcher" which will copy messages from other accounts. Google's instructions for this are on their Get mail from other accounts page.

Transferring Gmail Contacts

You can transfer contact information using the Export and Import features of Google Contacts. Use of Export is straightforward. For information about importing contacts see Google's Importing contacts and mail page. For Google's help with Contacts, including troubleshooting import problems, see the Managing Contacts help articles.

Transferring Google Documents

There are no tools for a simple transfer of sets of documents. If you need to move many documents, be prepared for some tedious work. First use Google Documents to select the documents you want to transfer. You may select one or many at a time. Then use "More actions" and export the selected documents to your computer. Afterward, log into your UW Google Apps account and use the Upload tool in Google Documents to copy the files from your desktop computer. Upload will only work with one file at a time. See Google's Help on Uploading and exporting files.

There are limits to file sizes and embedded images. See Google's help on Getting to know Google Docs size limits.

For general help with Google Documents, see the Google Docs Help site.

Transferring Google Sites

There are no tools to transfer Google Sites. Transfer can be accomplished by using a Web browser to open the page to be transferred, having the browser copy (either the display or the HTML view), and then moving to your UW Google Apps Site and pasting the data to a new page. You will almost certainly have to make some changes to get things to display correctly.

Google Sites also disallows the uploading of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files due to various security reasons. There is some discussion of this topic on this Google Sites FAQ page.

For more help on Google Sites, see the Google Sites Help page.

Transferring Google Calendars

Depending on your circumstances, you may want to export data from an existing calendar and import that to your UW Google Apps calendar or your needs may be met by sharing the previous calendar with your new one. For help with export and import, see Google's Import and Export help page. For help with sharing calendars, see Google's Share your calendar and Share your calendar with specific users help topics. For more help with Google's Calendar, see the Google Calendar Help site.

Transferring Google Tasks

There is no way to transfer your task data into your UW Google Apps task list. But you can use the "Email task list" feature within the Tasks application to send the data in an email message to your UW Google Apps account. For more help, see Google's Using Tasks page.

Email Address & Delivery

What is my default return email address?
Your default return email address for UW Google Email is UWNetID@uw.edu where UWNetID is replaced with your own UW NetID. If you prefer to use your @u.washington.edu address, you can update the "Send mail as:" value within Google. To do so:
  1. Log in to your UW Google Email account at http://gmail.uw.edu/
  2. Click on the Settings link.
  3. Within the Settings section, click on the Accounts tab.
  4. In the "Send mail as:" section, click on the "Add another email address you own" link and follow the instructions provided.
  5. Make sure you choose to set the new address as your default if you want UW Google Email to automatically use it as your From address.

If I change my UW NetID, will my UW Google Apps account be updated?
No, it is not possible at this time to change your UW Google Apps username automatically if your UW NetID is changed. UW Technology needs to assist you prior to changing your UW NetID or you will lose all of the content of your UW Google Apps account. Please contact UW Technology at 206-221-5000 for assistance.

Why does email I send from my UW Google email to my UW address not get forwarded back and delivered to me at Google?
Google discards messages when they are sent from a Google account (public Gmail or any special Google service like Team or Education edition) and come back to that same account for delivery, unless the To address matches your UW Google Email account setting "Send mail as:" value. This problem affects only email you send to yourself; messages from others are not affected.

To configure your UW Google Email account so that messages you send to UW addresses which forward back to your UW Google Email account will not be discarded, you must add to your UW Google Email settings a "Send mail as" entry for each of the UW addresses you might use. For example, the addresses might be:

your_UW_NetID@u.washington.edu
your_UW_NetID@washington.edu
your_UW_NetID@uw.edu

To configure your UW Google Email account:

  1. Log in to your UW Google Email account at http://gmail.uw.edu/
  2. Click the Settings link.
  3. Click the Accounts link.
  4. In the Send Email As: section, click "Add another email address."
  5. Follow the instructions provided regarding confirmation to add your email alias address(es).

After completing the confirmation, your email to yourself will get delivered. If there are further problems regarding email delivery to Google, check that your UW forwarding is set properly, then consult Gmail support services at http://mail.google.com/support/

Why don't copies of messages I send to a mailing list get delivered in my Google inbox?
Google has a built-in filter that keeps messages you send from your Google Mail account to a mailing list from being delivered to your inbox. The message will only appear in your "Sent Mail." For more information, see Google's answer to this question.

Why do I get an email bounce notification when trying to set my return address in Google Mail?
If the email address you are trying to use as your return address forwards to another address (e.g. you are trying to set your @u.washington.edu address but it forwards to your UW Outlook Live account which uses user@ms.uw.edu), the notification email that Google sends out will be returned to you because it was "forwarded more than the maximum allowed times."

The solution is to change your email forwarding, at least temporarily, to your UW Email account or your UW Google Email account. You can update your UW email forwarding on the Manage UW NetID pages.

If I forward email to my UW Google Apps inbox, will I still have UW spam filtering and my junk-mail folder?
No, but Google uses its own spam filtering and virus checking. For more information see Google's Spam FAQ.

I have my UW email set to forward to another address. Can I keep doing that and still use UW Google Apps?
Yes, you may activate and use UW Google Apps regardless of where you set your UW email forwarding.

Privacy & Security

Is my UW Google Apps account secure and private?
This service is being provided by the University of Washington as a email/collaboration system for eligible students. University policies apply to the service.

Google Apps for Education accounts have been customized for optimal educational collaboration. The University of Washington has taken steps to ensure that your student data is protected above and beyond a publicly available account. As an organization, Google is currently SAS 70 Type I compliant.

Google has promised to uphold a strict privacy policy and to always treat your personal information with the utmost care and security. Read more about Google Privacy & Security. Keep in mind that Google has agreed that University of Washington student data is subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) when in Google's possession.

I have opted not to publish my information in the UW Directory. Will my privacy be protected if I activate a UW Google Apps account?
Yes. Google does not publish your account information or make it available to anyone in a directory-type setting.

How is my personal data used by Google?
You can read about Google's security and privacy FAQs for Google Apps accounts. UW Google Apps accounts do not contain targeted advertising and are not scanned for advertising purposes.

Is my UW Google Apps information publicly available?
By default information in UW Google Apps accounts is not publicly available. Users can personally configure each tool to meet their specific needs. Information can be protected by only granting access to trusted individuals. Please exercise caution when sharing information with others for added protection.

Leaving

How do I deactivate my UW Google Apps service and what will happpen if I do? Is my data purged? Can I change my mind and reactivate?
You can deactivate your UW Google Apps service via the Manage UW Google Apps pages. As long as you are eligible, you may return to the account management pages and reactivate the account. All data stored on a deactivated account is deleted after a short period of time (approximately 5 days).

What will happen to my UW Google Apps service when I leave the University?
Your UW email address and your eligibility for UW Google Apps will continue to exist. You'll have the service indefinitely, unless Google discontinues the service or the UW-Google partnership is terminated. The offerings within UW Google Apps may change as Google services evolve.

UW Windows Live

General
Setup & Access
Email Address & Delivery
Privacy & Security
Leaving

General

Can I sign up for UW Windows Live if I have also signed up for UW Google Apps?
Yes, you can have both a UW Google Apps account and a UW Windows Live account although you must choose ONE location where your @u.washington.edu and @uw.edu email will be delivered. You can see or change where your UW email is being delivered on the Manage UW NetID Resources page.

Can I sign up if I already have a personal Windows Live account and Windows LiveID?
Yes. UW Windows Live is a separate account that allows you to send and receive UW Outlook Live email using your @u.washington.edu and @uw.edu email addresses. A UW Windows Live account provides the benefits of Outlook Live email in an ad-free environment.

Can I sign up if I already have a MyUW.net account? Will my MyUW.net address continue to work? What else do I need to know about moving from MyUW.net to UW Windows Live?
Yes, MyUW.net users can sign up for UW Windows Live starting September 28, 2009. MyUW.net users are being encouraged to move to UW Windows Live or UW Google Apps as we work to decommission the MyUW.net email service. At this time, however, there are some important things to note and consider:
  • UW Windows Live accounts have a default email address of UWNetID@uw.edu. Users can also choose to use their UWNetID@u.washington.edu or UWNetID@myuw.net email address from the Manage UW Windows Live page.
  • The signup process for UW Windows Live will change your @u.washington.edu (@uw.edu) email forwarding if you choose to do so. Your MyUW.net email forwarding will need to be changed as well. You can change it on the Change MyUW.net Forwarding page.
  • You should follow the instructions for Transferring Email From a MyUW.net Account to UW Outlook Live.

What happens if I had previously signed up for Windows Live with my UW identity?
Most people who signed up for a Windows Live ID with their UW email address used their @u.washington.edu address. Those people can continue to use their @u.washington.edu Windows Live ID and it will remain separate from this new UW Windows Live service. However, no new Windows Live IDs in the @u.washington.edu domain can be created.

If, however, you have a Windows Live ID that uses your @uw.edu address, that Live ID and associated content will be "lost" if you sign up for the UW Windows Live services.

I have a personal Windows Live ID and a UW Windows Live ID. Can I be logged in to both accounts at the same time?
It is OK to have multiple Windows Live IDs but it is not possible to log in to two different Windows Live accounts at the same time using the same browser.

Why am I getting a "reserved domain" error when attempting to set up a new personal Windows Live ID using my u.washington.edu or uw.edu address?
The University of Washington has reserved the u.washington.edu and uw.edu domains with Microsoft for use with our UW Windows Live services. If you would like to sign up for a Windows Live ID with a UW email address but not use the UW Windows Live services, you can use your @washington.edu address.

I just got an email asking me to verify my account information for Windows Live/Outlook Live. Is it legitimate?
The University of Washington and Microsoft will NEVER ask you to verify your account information via email. If you receive such a request, you should report it as spam and delete it. Do not respond to the message.

You should never send personal information, including your account name and password, via email. If you do accidentally share your account information with anyone, please change your password immediately and contact UW Technology (help@u.washington.edu or 206-221-5000) for further assistance.

Setup & Access

After I activate UW Windows Live, do I need to configure anything or will it just work?
You aren't required to configure anything after activating your account in order to use UW Windows Live. You may, however, want to update your display name within Windows Live and Outlook Live as they are not set by default. To update your display name in Windows Live, log in to http://home.live.com/ and click on the Profile link. Enter your first and last name, choose whether or not you want others on Windows Live to be able to see your last name, and click the Save button.

Your display name in UW Outlook Live is separate from your display name in UW Windows Live. To update your display name within UW Outlook Live, click on the Mail link if you are already signed in to UW Windows Live or access your UW Outlook Live account directly at https://www.outlook.com/. Click on the Options link in the upper right corner of the screen. In the Account Information box, click the Edit link. You can fill in your first name, middle initial, and last name (all optional). You will also need to change the Display name field. By default, your UW Outlook Live display name is UWNetID@uw.edu and that will be the "name" used in the From line of email messages you send out. Updating your display name changes the From name in your email messages. When you are finished, click on the Save link. Please note that changing your UW Outlook Live display name also updates the information included about you in the Global Address List (GAL). The GAL is available to all UW Outlook Live users.

You may also want to transfer your existing UW email to your UW Outlook Live account.

How do I log in to my UW Windows Live account?
You can access your UW Windows Live account at http://home.live.com/ or https://ms.uw.edu/. Log in with your UW Windows Live ID and its associated password. Your UW Windows Live ID is UWNetID@uw.edu where UWNetID is replaced with your own UW NetID. To access the other services provided with UW Windows Live, you can follow the links within Windows Live or go directly to the following URLs:

Is my UW Windows Live password the same as my UW NetID password?
No, your UW Windows Live password is separate from your UW NetID password. If you have forgotten or need to change your UW Windows Live password, you can do so on the Manage UW Windows Live page. There is an option at the bottom of that page to Change UW Windows Live Password

I have forgotten my UW Windows Live password. How can I reset it?
Your UW Windows Live password is separate from your UW NetID password. You can reset your UW Windows Live password from the Manage UW Windows Live page.

Can I use my mobile device to access my UW Outlook Live email?
Outlook Live supports the use of mobile devices to connect via Exchange ActiveSync or with a POP or IMAP connection. See Microsoft's help on using Mobile Phones to connect to your UW Outlook Live account. Depending on the type of account access you are using, you may need to provide some or all of the following information:

Name: your name
Email address: UWNetID@uw.edu
Password: UW Windows Live password created on the Manage UW Windows Live page
Incoming Mail Server Host Name: outlook.com (or server name specified by Microsoft's instructions if using ActiveSync)
User Name: UWNetID@uw.edu
SMTP server: In order to find the SMTP server name, sign in to the Outlook web application at https://pod51000.outlook.com/owa. After you sign in successfully, the address you entered will resolve to an address that contains the SMTP server name you need to use. For example, if the address resolves to https://pod51005.outlook.com/owa, enter pod51005.outlook.com for the SMTP server name.
SSL: Yes

(If you are using an iPhone (version 3.1.2 or newer), you may want to look at these directions provided by the iSchool.)

Can I use other email applications to read my UW Outlook Live email?
Yes. In addition to using your Web browser or mobile phone to access your UW Outlook Live account, you may use many desktop email programs such as Outlook, Entourage, Thunderbird, and others.

First you will need to determine if your email client is one of Microsoft's supported email programs. Some programs will support Exchange, while others support IMAP or POP. We recommend using IMAP over POP if you are using a program that supports both.

Here is information specific to UW Outlook Live and various email programs:

  • Outlook 2007 If you are using Outlook 2007, we recommend configuring it as an Exchange client in order to maximize the number of features it has to offer with your UW Outlook Live account. To configure, please follow Microsoft's instructions for Outlook 2007. In Step 5, enter your email address as UWNetID@ol.uw.edu and Outlook should be able to use Microsoft's autodiscover server to automatically configure your account settings. You will be prompted to log in to the autodiscover-s.outlook.com server and your User Name will be UWNetID@uw.edu and the password will be your UW Windows Live password. Please note: There is currently a bug in Outlook 2007 that will cause the program to prompt you to log in to autodiscover.uw.edu after your account has been configured. You will need to cancel the prompt but it will keep reappearing. Microsoft is working on fixing this issue and hopes to have the solution in place by mid-December 2009. In the meantime, the iSchool has published these instructions on how to prepare your computer so Outlook works with UW Outlook Live. The instructions are untested by UW Technology and cannot be directly supported.
  • Entourage 2008 If using Entourage, we recommend configuring it as an Exchange client in order to maximize the number of features it has to offer with your UW Outlook Live account. To configure, please follow Microsoft's instructions for Entourage 2008. In Step 4, enter your email address as UWNetID@ol.uw.edu. In Step 11, your Account ID will be UWNetID@uw.edu and your password will be your UW Windows Live password.
    (The iSchool has also published instructions for configuring Entourage 2008 that you may find useful.)
  • Other programs Microsoft has published instructions for programs that support IMAP and POP. When configuring your program, your user name will be UWNetID@uw.edu and your password will be your UW Windows Live password. We recommend configuring the program to use IMAP rather than POP if you have that option.

(The iSchool has published instructions for Apple Mail/iCal on Snow Leopard to connect to UW Outlook Live using ActiveSync.)

When I try to log in to my UW Outlook Live account, I get an error about not having an Outlook Web App mailbox. What is wrong?
If you have a Hotmail account that you are not completely logged out of and you try to access your UW Outlook Live account, you will receive the following error:

The solution is to log in to your Hotmail account and use the "Sign Out" function to completely log out. You will then be able to log in to your UW Outlook Live account at http://www.outlook.com

How do I set my UW Outlook Live email display name?
Your UW Outlook Live display name is the name used in the From line of messages you send out. It is also included in the Global Address List (GAL) that all UW Outlook Live users have access to. By default, your UW Outlook Live display name is your UWNetID@uw.edu. If you would like to update it, you can do so by clicking on the Options link in the upper right corner of the screen. In the Account Information box, click the Edit link. You can fill in your first name, middle initial, and last name (all optional). You will also need to change the Display name field. When you are finished, click on the Save link.

I have signed up for a UW Outlook Live account but my existing UW email is not there. What do I need to do to transfer my existing email?
You can find instructions on how to transfer your email on the Transferring Email From a UW Email Account to UW Outlook Live page.

During the account signup process, I was told I need permission to use Microsoft online services. Why did I get that and what can I do to finish activating my account?
Microsoft requires all account holders to be at least 13 years of age when activating an account. If you are at least 13 years of age but entered the wrong birth year, follow the instructions provided by Microsoft to enter your credit card information. Your credit card will not be billed and Microsoft will not retain your credit card information after verifying your age.

If you are not 13 years of age or older, you will need permission from your parent or legal guardian to sign up for a UW Windows Live account. Your parent or legal guardian will need to have a Windows Live ID and enter their credit card information for you. The credit card will not be charged and Microsoft will not retain their credit card information.

Email Address & Delivery

What is my default return email address in UW Outlook Live?
Your default return email address is UWNetID@uw.edu where UWNetID is replaced with your own UW NetID. If you would prefer to have your return address be UWNetID@u.washington.edu, you can update it on the Manage UW Windows Live page. In the UW Windows Live Account Information section, click on the Change link next to the Outlook Live "From" address field.

If I change my UW NetID, will my UW Windows Live ID be updated?
No, it is not possible at this time to change your UW Windows Live ID. UW Technology needs to assist you prior to changing your UW NetID or you will lose all of the content of your UW Windows Live and UW Outlook Live accounts. Please contact UW Technology at 206-221-5000 for assistance.

If I forward email to my UW Outlook Live inbox, will I still have UW spam filtering and my junk-mail folder?
No, but Outlooks Live uses its own spam filtering and virus checking. For more information see Microsoft's Spam Filtering with Outlook Live FAQ.

How can I keep messages from UW email addresses from being place in my Junk E-Mail folder?
If messages from UW email addresses (e.g. address ending in @u.washington.edu or @uw.edu) are ending up in your Junk E-Mail folder on your UW Outlook Live account, you can add those addresses to a "Safe Senders" list on your UW Outlook Live account. To access the "Safe Senders" list, log in to your UW Outlook Live account and click on "Options" and the "Junk E-Mail" tab. If you do not see the "Junk E-Mail" tab, try using Internet Explorer 7 or later to access your account.

Please note that we do not recommend adding entire domains to your "Safe Senders" list since the From address of spam email is often forged and often appears to be from a UW email address.

I have my UW email set to forward to another address. Can I keep doing that and still use UW Windows Live?
Yes, you may activate and use UW Windows Live and regardless of where you set your UW email forwarding.

Privacy & Security

How does Microsoft use my personal data?
You can read Microsoft's Online Privacy Statement for a full description of how they handle personal information.

Is my UW Windows Live information publicly available?
UW Outlook Live uses a shared address book (Global Address List or GAL) that contains the email addresses of all UW Outlook Live accounts. Your display name in UW Outlook Live will also appear in the GAL. By default, your display name is your email address but if you have changed your display name to use your actual name, that name will also appear in the GAL.

Leaving

How do I deactivate my UW Windows Live services and what will happen if I do?
Your UW Windows Live ID cannot be deactivated. You can update your email forwarding so messages are no longer delivered to your UW Outlook Live account by going to the Change UW Email Forwarding page. If you have a need to disable your UW Outlook Live account, please contact UW Technology at help@u.washington.edu or 206-221-5000.

What will happen to my UW Windows Live services when I leave the University?
Your UW email address and your eligibility for UW Windows Live will continue to exist. You'll have the service indefinitely, unless Microsoft discontinues the service or the UW-Microsoft partnership is terminated. The offerings within UW Windows Live may change as Microsoft services evolve.
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