How to Access OWA Military Email with Your CAC

Accessing Military Email from Home

Outlook Web Access (OWA) lets you check your military email from any computer with a CAC reader. Whether you use Army 365, Navy FlankSpeed, or Air Force email, the process follows similar steps.

What You Need

Before attempting to access OWA, ensure you have:

CAC reader connected and working
DoD root certificates installed
Your CAC card with valid email certificates
Knowledge of your email PIN

Finding Your OWA Portal

Each branch uses different OWA URLs:

Army: webmail.apps.mil or army365.sharepoint.com
Navy/Marines: webmail.apps.mil (FlankSpeed)
Air Force: webmail.apps.mil
Coast Guard: mail.uscg.mil

Your unit may use additional portals. Check with your S6 or IT department for the correct URL.

Step-by-Step Login Process

Navigate to your OWA portal in Edge, Chrome, or Firefox. The site will prompt you to select a certificate. Choose your DoD EMAIL certificate, not the ID or signature certificate.

Enter your CAC PIN when prompted. The system verifies your certificate and loads your inbox. First-time logins may take longer as the system provisions your account.

Troubleshooting Certificate Selection

If no certificates appear, your browser isn’t detecting your CAC. Verify your reader works in Device Manager and ensure DoD certificates are installed.

If you see certificates but authentication fails, you may have selected the wrong certificate. Look for “EMAIL” in the certificate name and try again.

Common OWA Errors

“Your connection is not private”: DoD certificates are missing or expired. Download and install the latest certificate bundle.

“Access Denied”: Your account may not be provisioned for OWA access. Contact your unit’s IT support.

Infinite redirect loop: Clear browser cookies for the mail domain and try again.

Browser Recommendations

Microsoft Edge works best with OWA since both are Microsoft products. Chrome performs well as a second option. Firefox requires additional certificate configuration but works once properly set up.

Avoid Safari on Mac for military email. Certificate handling differs from Windows browsers and causes frequent authentication failures.

Mobile Access Options

Some military email systems support mobile access through apps like Outlook Mobile with Intune enrollment. However, mobile CAC readers add complexity. Most users find OWA on a laptop more practical than mobile solutions.

Security Reminders

Always log out completely when finished checking email. Don’t save passwords in your browser for military sites. Remove your CAC card when stepping away from your computer.

Avoid accessing military email on public computers or unsecured networks. Use a VPN when connecting from off-base locations if your unit provides one.