Microsoft 365 scan-to-email is changing. Take ten minutes now to avoid an IT headache later.
If your copier or multifunction printer uses Microsoft 365 to scan documents to email, there’s an important security update coming that could interrupt that workflow.
Microsoft is phasing out Basic Authentication for SMTP AUTH in Exchange Online and moving organizations toward more secure authentication methods like OAuth 2.0.
For PERRY proTECH clients receiving this notice, taking care of the required update should take about ten minutes.
Ignoring it could mean something very different: employees suddenly unable to scan documents to email, error messages appearing on equipment, and your IT team spending time troubleshooting something that could have been prevented.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is changing with Microsoft 365 scan to email?
Many copiers, scanners and multifunction printers use SMTP AUTH to connect to Microsoft 365 and send scanned documents through email.
Some devices are still configured using Basic Authentication. In simple terms, the copier authenticates to Microsoft 365 using a stored username and password.
Microsoft is moving away from that method in favor of Modern Authentication, including OAuth 2.0.
OAuth works differently. Instead of relying on a username and password stored on the device, it uses secure access tokens to authorize the connection. That helps reduce the risk associated with stolen credentials and brings these devices in line with Microsoft’s newer security standards.
For employees using the copier, very little changes.
Behind the scenes, however, the way the machine connects to Microsoft 365 does.
When is Microsoft disabling Basic Authentication for SMTP AUTH?
Microsoft’s current timeline gives businesses some time to prepare, but the first major milestone is approaching.
Through December 2026, Microsoft says SMTP AUTH Basic Authentication behavior will remain unchanged.
At the end of December 2026, Basic Authentication for SMTP AUTH will be disabled by default for existing Microsoft 365 tenants. Administrators will temporarily retain the ability to re-enable it.
For Microsoft 365 tenants created after December 2026, Basic Authentication for SMTP AUTH will be unavailable by default.
Microsoft has also confirmed that a complete removal is still coming. The company plans to announce the final removal date during the second half of 2027.
The important part is simple: this is not a temporary configuration issue. Microsoft is actively moving Exchange Online away from Basic Authentication, so updating now is the better long-term solution.
Who could be affected by the Microsoft OAuth 2.0 change?
This primarily matters for organizations using Microsoft 365 or Exchange Online with equipment that sends email.
Your copier or multifunction printer may need attention if it uses Microsoft 365 for scan-to-email and currently authenticates using a stored email address, username and password.
The same underlying change can also affect automated device notifications and other systems that use SMTP AUTH to send email through Microsoft 365.
Older equipment deserves particular attention because some legacy devices may not support OAuth 2.0 without a firmware update, configuration change or alternative email setup.
What happens if you don’t update your copier?
Your copier probably isn’t going to stop printing.
The problem is scan-to-email.
Once Basic Authentication is disabled for your environment, a copier still relying on that authentication method may no longer be able to authenticate with Microsoft 365.
Someone walks up to the machine, scans a document, selects an email address and hits send.
Instead of the document landing in their inbox, they could get an authentication or transmission error.
That creates an IT problem that often looks like an equipment problem. Employees start retrying scans. Someone restarts the copier. IT checks the network. Support gets called.
The machine itself may be working perfectly. The authentication method it uses to communicate with Microsoft 365 is what changed.
Ten minutes now is a much easier option.
What should PERRY proTECH clients do now?
If you’ve received an update notice from PERRY proTECH, don’t file it away for later. The required action is designed to get your equipment ready before Microsoft’s changes begin disrupting normal workflows.
- Complete the update the way that fits your team. Every network is set up a little differently, so no single set of steps works for everyone. If you have an IT person or provider who’s comfortable in Microsoft 365, our instructions give them what they need to finish in a few minutes. If you’d rather not touch it, our help desk can handle the update for you for a flat fee.
- Confirm scan-to-email is working afterward. Send a quick test scan and make sure it reaches the intended inbox.
- Don’t wait for scan-to-email to fail. Waiting until Basic Authentication is disabled turns a preventative update into an IT support issue.
- Reach out if something doesn’t look right. Device models, firmware and Microsoft 365 configurations vary. If the steps don’t match what you’re seeing, our team can help figure out what your setup needs.
What if my copier doesn’t support OAuth 2.0?
Not every copier or multifunction printer supports OAuth in the same way.
Compatible equipment may simply need a configuration or firmware update. Older equipment may require another approach, such as an SMTP relay or another supported method of sending email.
That doesn’t automatically mean the copier needs to be replaced.
The right solution depends on the equipment, firmware, Microsoft 365 environment and security requirements involved. PERRY proTECH can review the setup and help determine the best path forward.
Why is Microsoft making this change?
Basic Authentication has been around for a long time, but its reliance on usernames and passwords makes it less secure than newer authentication methods.
OAuth 2.0 uses token-based authorization instead. Those access tokens are limited in how and where they can be used, reducing some of the risks associated with traditional stored credentials.
This is part of Microsoft’s larger move away from legacy authentication across Exchange Online and Microsoft 365.
For businesses, the update improves security.
It just requires some older devices and workflows to catch up.
Is this a PERRY proTECH or copier manufacturer change?
No.
This change originates with Microsoft and affects organizations using Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online.
Copier manufacturers and technology providers are responding by updating firmware, supporting OAuth 2.0 and providing alternative connection methods for equipment that can’t authenticate through OAuth directly.
PERRY proTECH’s role is to help make that transition as painless as possible for the equipment we support.
My scan to email stopped working with Office 365. Could this be the reason?
Potentially.
There are many reasons scan-to-email can stop working, including network settings, SMTP configuration, passwords, certificates, firmware and Microsoft 365 security settings.
As Microsoft continues disabling Basic Authentication, authentication will become an increasingly important place to look.
If your copier uses Microsoft 365, connects through SMTP AUTH and is still configured with Basic Authentication, it should be reviewed.
Does this affect regular email in Outlook?
For most users, no.
Modern versions of Outlook and other Microsoft applications already use Modern Authentication. This particular issue is more likely to surface with devices, applications and older workflows that send email through SMTP AUTH using stored credentials.
That is why copiers and multifunction printers are an important part of the conversation.
Do I need to replace my copier?
Not necessarily.
Many current devices can support OAuth 2.0 directly or through updated firmware. Other environments can use alternative SMTP configurations or relay methods.
The first step is determining how your current equipment is configured and what authentication options it supports.
How long does the PERRY proTECH update take?
For clients receiving our update instructions, plan on approximately ten minutes.
It’s a small amount of time now that can prevent a much larger disruption later.
Ten minutes now. Hours of troubleshooting avoided later.
Microsoft’s move away from Basic Authentication isn’t something businesses can permanently opt out of.
The good news is that you don’t need to wait for an error message to deal with it.
If PERRY proTECH has contacted you about updating your equipment, take a few minutes and complete the process now. You’ll keep scan-to-email working, get ahead of Microsoft’s security changes and give your team one less IT problem to deal with later.
Need help determining whether your equipment is affected? PERRY proTECH can review your setup and help make sure you’re ready.