Basic authentication and MV2 extensions deprecations

Review how the upcoming deprecations of Basic authentication for specific protocols in Exchange Online (starting from October 1, 2022) and Manifest V2 extensions (by January 2023) will impact your automations.

Basic authentication

Microsoft is removing the capability to use basic authentication in Exchange Online for these specific protocols: MAPI, RPC, Offline Address Book (OAB), Exchange Web Services (EWS), POP, IMAP, Exchange ActiveSync (EAS), and Remote PowerShell. However, Microsoft recommends OAuth2.0 authentication for these protocols.
Note: SMTP AUTH is excluded from this deprecation.
Any client (for example, user app, script, or integration) using Basic authentication for one of the affected protocols will not be able to connect after October 1, 2022. An HTTP 401 error (bad username or password) will be displayed.
Note: Any app using OAuth 2.0 for these same protocols will not be impacted.

If you are using bots for email automation that connect to Exchange Online using IMAP, POP3, or EWS protocols with Basic authentication, your bots will be impacted.

We plan to provide Version 11.3.5.7 Client patch version with OAuth 2.0 support as part of email automation in the week of October 10, 2022. You can upgrade to the Version 11.3.5.7 Client patch to use OAuth 2.0 support for IMAP and POP3 protocols. You should update the impacted bots by replacing each email command using Basic authentication with OAuth 2.0 authentication.

We recommend that you start using OAuth 2.0 based on the following recommendations:
Protocols Enterprise 11 command Our plan Our recommendation
EWS Email automation The EWS option currently supports both Basic and OAuth 2.0 authentication
  • Bots with OAuth 2.0 are not impacted.
  • Switch authentication policies from Basic to OAuth 2.0 for the impacted bots by replacing each email-related command with OAuth 2.0.
EWS Email trigger Enhance the Email Trigger and Loop actions to support OAuth 2.0 for EWS
  • Switch authentication policies from Basic to OAuth 2.0.
  • Update the impacted bots by replacing each email-related command with OAuth 2.0.
IMAP and POP3 Email automation and trigger Enhance the Email server option to support OAuth 2.0 for IMAP and POP3 protocols
  • Switch authentication policies from Basic to OAuth 2.0 after the Client is upgraded to Version 11.3.5.7.
  • Update the impacted bots by replacing each email-related command with OAuth 2.0 after the Client is upgraded to Version 11.3.5.7.
SMTP Email Settings in Tools > Options No changes required. This protocol is currently excluded from the Basic authentication deprecation. Therefore, there is no impact to bots that use SMTP for email automation.

For more information on deprecation of Basic authentication, see Basic authentication in Exchange Online.

Manifest V2 extensions

As Google will deprecate Manifest V2 extensions by June 2023, automations that use our current Chrome extensions will stop working by June 2023. You can use the enterprise group policy to continue using the current extensions until January 2024. However, post this date, you have to switch to V3 extensions for your automations to work.

For more information on Manifest V2 and support timelines, see these pages:

We will publish a new Chrome extension updated with Manifest V3 as part of the Version 11.3.5.8 (Client patch) planned for 27 January 2023. If you have bots impacted by the deprecation of Manifest V2 extensions, you should upgrade to one of these patches to use the updated extensions.

Extend Manifest V2 extensions usage through group policy

You can choose to delay switching to MV3 extensions by using the group policy that extends support for Manifest V2 extensions until January 2024 and configure the following settings with windows registry for Google Chrome.
  1. Open the Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00.
  2. Enter the following registry path.
    • For the base Version 11.3.1, Version 11.3.2 and their patches.
      [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist]
"ExtensionSettings"="{\"jjpdebaihkangkfpbgefmnnlafkahebn\":{\"installation_mode\": \"normal_installed\",\"update_url\": \"http://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx\"}}"
    • For Version 11.3.3 and later.
      [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist]
"ExtensionSettings"="{\"akaagfbdekcffpppnbajieljleihifdc\":{\"installation_mode\": \"normal_installed\",\"update_url\": \"http://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx\"}}"
  3. Save the changes.