Configure Exchange Online with the Evolution email client on Linux

On this page:

Overview
Instructions

Overview

Note:

For Linux users at IU, the Owl for Exchange add-on in Thunderbird is the recommended method for connecting an email client with Exchange Online. However, UITS has been able to get Evolution to connect with Exchange Online using the instructions below. Linux users can use Outlook on the web, as well.
Since Exchange Online doesn't support IMAP, UITS recommends the Evolution client for Linux users.
On devices running a version of Ubuntu that's earlier than 22.04, apt-get will install a version of Evolution that is incompatible with Exchange Online unless an Application ID is created. There is no IU centrally-supported Application ID at this time. In Ubuntu 22.04, apt-get installs Evolution 3.44.1.0ubuntu1; although it may be possible to install Evolution 3.44.1.0ubuntu1 using an alternative process, such as Snap or Flatpak, UITS has not tested these alternatives and does not officially support them.

At IU, Exchange Online allows you to access email, calendar, contacts, and tasks from your personal computer, the web, and mobile devices.

Instructions

Note:

For calendaring to work correctly on Linux in parts of Indiana that use Eastern Time, make sure to set the time zone to Eastern Time (US & Canada). Do not use Indiana (East).

To set up your Exchange Online account with the Evolution email client on Linux:

Open Terminal, and then run the following command:
```
sudo apt-get install evolution-ews
```
Note:

Do this even if you already have Evolution installed; this command adds the EWS component you need to connect to Exchange Online.
When prompted, enter your Linux administrator credentials (not your IU username and passphrase).
Once apt-get has completed, Evolution will appear in your list of applications. Open Evolution. A "Welcome" dialog should appear. Click Next until you get to the "Identity" tab.
On the "Identity" tab:
1. Enter your name (if that field is blank).
2. Enter your @iu.edu email address (even if your primary email address has a campus-specific suffix).
3. Uncheck (de-select) the Look up mail server details option.
4. Click Next.
On the Receiving Email tab:
- Select Exchange Web Services, and make sure "Host URL" is set to https://outlook.office365.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx.
- Do not click Fetch URL.
- In the "Authentication" area, select OAuth2(Office365).
- Make sure Override Office365 OAuth2 is not selected.
On the Receiving Options tab, click Next.
On the Account Summary tab, click Next.
In a few seconds, the dialog boxes for CAS and Duo should appear. Fill these out as normal. Other dialog boxes may also prompt you for input, but ignore them (they will go away when the CAS and Duo dialogs are completed).
Depending on your internet connection, you may need to wait several minutes before you begin seeing your email. Also, Evolution often focuses initially on the mailbox folder, not the inbox folder, so you may need to manually select the inbox folder to see your messages.

Note:

Evolution will store a local copy of all your email; it is not possible to have only a few days or a few months of email stored. For this reason, Evolution may appear busy for a few minutes to a few hours.