The Academy of Versailles has switched to Microsoft 365 for its professional email. This technical change has profoundly altered the way agents configure their academic address on a third-party email client. Traditional server settings are no longer always sufficient, and several features that were once common, such as automatic forwarding, have been removed.
End of ac-versailles.fr forwarding to Gmail: the departure constraint
Since July 17, 2025, the Academy of Versailles has disabled automatic forwarding of professional emails to external mailboxes. Gmail, Outlook.com, addresses from other academies: no transfers are allowed, for security and GDPR compliance reasons.
The forwarding rules already in place in the webmail no longer work. They must be manually removed by each agent. This measure forces those who accessed their academic emails via their personal inbox to rethink their organization.
It is precisely this removal that makes direct configuration on Outlook or Gmail more relevant than before. It is no longer a matter of convenience, but the only way to centralize academic messages in a third-party client. A detailed guide allows you to configure Versailles email on Gmail while taking into account the new protocols imposed by the rectorate.
IMAP and SMTP servers ac-versailles: what settings in 2026
The configuration relies on two distinct servers. The academic documentation is not always consistent with each other, complicating the task for users.
Server addresses and ports
Some sources indicate messagerie.ac-versailles.fr as the single server for IMAP and SMTP. Other more recent documentation distinguishes two separate addresses: imap.ac-versailles.fr for receiving (port 993, SSL/TLS) and smtp.ac-versailles.fr for sending (port 465, SSL/TLS).
This coexistence of nomenclatures creates confusion. In practice, both formats work according to user testimonials, but the separate format (imap / smtp) seems to be preferred in the most recent academic guides.
Login identifier
The “username” field does not correspond to the full email address. You must enter the academic identifier only (in the format firstname.lastname), without the suffix @ac-versailles.fr. This is one of the most common blocking points during the initial configuration.
- IMAP server: imap.ac-versailles.fr (or messagerie.ac-versailles.fr), port 993, SSL/TLS encryption
- SMTP server: smtp.ac-versailles.fr (or messagerie.ac-versailles.fr), port 465, SSL/TLS encryption
- Identifier: your academic identifier (firstname.lastname), not the full email address
- Password: that of your academic account, the same as that of the webmail
OAuth2 authentication on Outlook: what really blocks
The transition to Microsoft 365 comes with a change in the authentication method. The Academy of Versailles is gradually enforcing OAuth2 instead of simple password authentication. This protocol requires the email client to open a secure web login window rather than storing the credentials directly.
Outlook (desktop version) has natively supported OAuth2 for several years. Automatic configuration generally works well: you just need to enter the academic address, and Outlook detects the Microsoft 365 settings.
However, older versions of Outlook pose a problem. A user on Microsoft Q&A had already reported the inability to enter an identifier different from the email address on Outlook 2016. With OAuth2, these versions simply no longer allow connection. Outlook 2016 and earlier versions do not support OAuth2 for academic accounts.
Thunderbird has supported OAuth2 since version 78, but the configuration is not automatic. You need to force the authentication mode in the advanced account settings.
Gmail and the Versailles academic email: technical limits
Gmail offers a “Check mail from other accounts” feature that allows importing emails via POP or IMAP. For an ac-versailles.fr address, this method encounters several obstacles.
The OAuth2 protocol imposed by the academy is not compatible with Gmail’s import feature. Google only supports OAuth2 for its own services and a few partner providers. Gmail cannot connect directly in OAuth2 to an academic Microsoft 365 server.
There are two workarounds, but each has its limits:
- Use the Gmail app on mobile to add the academic account as a “Microsoft account”: the app then manages OAuth2 via the built-in browser, but this method only works on the mobile app, not on the Gmail web interface
- Access the Outlook web interface (outlook.office365.com) without configuring Gmail at all: the academic webmail remains accessible from any browser, allowing you to check your messages without local configuration
- Configure a third-party application like Thunderbird or the Windows Mail app, which supports OAuth2 for Microsoft 365 accounts
Field feedback varies on the reliability of POP import in Gmail with an application password, as some academies have disabled this possibility without prior communication.
MFA and password: strengthening planned on Microsoft 365 Education
Microsoft has announced a gradual strengthening of multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all its services, including education tenants. SMS authentication is being phased out in favor of more robust methods (Microsoft Authenticator app, FIDO2 keys).
For agents of the Academy of Versailles, this means that a second factor of authentication will likely be required for any connection from a third-party client. Application passwords, already used as a workaround by some users, could also disappear.
The configuration done today on Outlook or Thunderbird will therefore need to be adapted in the medium term. Keeping access to the academic webmail remains the most sustainable method for checking messages, in addition to a properly configured local client.
