TopperMail FAQs

Instructions for resetting MFA on TopperMail or Google Workspace accounts.

Issue/Question

How do I reset my Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for TopperMail or Google Workspace?

Environment

• TopperMail
• Google Workspace

Resolution

To reset your MFA for TopperMail or Google Workspace please contact the ITS Service Desk.

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 15:43PM

Information about accessing Microsoft Office after graduation and/or absence from WKU.

Issue/Question

How do I access Microsoft Office after I have graduated and/or am no longer taking classes at WKU? 

Environment

• TopperMail 
  • Office365

Resolution

Due to WKU's licensing agreement with Microsoft, only current WKU students will retain Microsoft Office licenses. Once you have graduated or are no longer taking classes with WKU you will lose access to Microsoft Office and Microsoft OneDrive storage. You will need to transfer any files from OneDrive to a personal storage account or medium prior to graduation to preserve the data. WKU degree-awarded alumni are granted the TopperMail account for life. This is only an email address and does not contain any Microsoft Office functionality whatsoever. Students leaving WKU that are not degree-awarded will not be granted their TopperMail accounts and such accounts will be terminated after a time period. 

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 15:43PM

Information about changing a student email multi factor authentication number.

Issue/Question

I need to change the phone number associated with my student email's multi factor authentication. 

Environment

• TopperMail

Cause

Access to the current phone number is no longer possible. 

Resolution

If you need to change the phone number associated with multi factor authentication on a student email account please contact the ITS Service Desk.

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 15:44PM

Information on looking up a WKU email address.

Issue/Question

How do I look up someone's WKU email address?

Resolution

1. Go to the Campus Directory.
2. Enter in at least the first two letters of the person's last name.
3. Click Search.

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 15:44PM

Information on how to rename your WKU email account.

Issue/Question

How do I change my email address to reflect a legal name change or my preferred name with WKU?

Environment

• TopperMail
• Exchange

Resolution

Students

1. Complete these steps to update your preferred or legal name.
    Note: Students with long email addresses because of their long name can send requests up to have their emails shortened without going through the Registrar's Office.
2. After this has been processed, please contact the ITS Service Desk or submit a request by clicking the Request Service button to have the email address changed.

Faculty/Staff/Retired

1. Complete these steps to update your preferred or legal name.
2. After this has been processed, please contact the ITS Service Desk or submit a request by clicking the Request Service button to have the email address changed.
    Note: Exchange Display Names are updated automatically when a person’s information is updated in Banner. 

Alumni

1. Submit the name change or preferred name to Alumni Relations at 270-745-6921.
2. After this has been processed, contact the ITS Service Desk or submit a request by clicking the Request Service button to have the email address changed.

Last Modified: 03-09-2023 09:05AM

Instructions for using the Microsoft Authenticator app as multi factor authentication method on multiple platforms.

Issue/Question

How do I set up the Microsoft Authenticator app for my student email account? 

Environment

• WKU Email
  • Student Email

Resolution

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:17PM

Instructions on what to do when you notice you are no longer receiving emails to your WKU email account.

Issue/Question

I don't think that my WKU email is working as I haven't received emails I've been told I was sent. What do I do?

Environment

• WKU Email

Resolution

1. Log into your email account.
2. Try and search for the email(s) in question.
3. Check the Forwarding setting in the options menu for any unknown accounts that the account is forwarding to.
   1. Click the (gear icon).
   2. View all Outlook settings.
   3. Expand Mail.
   4. Expand Rules.
   5. Delete any unrecognized rules.
   6. Select Sweep.
   7. Delete any unrecognized rules.
   8. Select Forwarding.
   9. Select Stop Forwarding if any unknown accounts are linked to it.
   10. Click Save.
        Note: If your account is forwarding to an email address you are not familiar with, your account is compromised. Stop following these instructions and following these instructions.
4. Check Deleted Items.
5. Check Junk E-Mail.
6. Send a test email to the WKU email account in question from a known good email account.
7. If the message was received to the WKU email account the client should contact the sender of the email they haven't received to try again or gather any bounce back message the sender was sent.
8. If the message was not received and all other steps were taken above please contact the ITS Service Desk.

 Note: If you are a student, faculty, or staff member located on main campus and would like to attempt to retrieve missing emails, please see related article Recovering Missing or Deleted Emails. If you are a student located off-campus please contact the ITS Service Desk.

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:22PM

Instructions for viewing a WKU email account calendar online.

Issue/Question

How do I view calendars when logged into my WKU email account? 

Environment

• OWA (Outlook Web Access)

Resolution

1. Click  on the left side of the page.
2. Click Calendar.
3. The calendar will appear.

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:26PM

Information about accessing student email accounts before registering for classes for the first time.

Issue/Question

Why can I not find or access my student email (TopperMail) account credentials?

Cause

Students are not given an account until they have been fully admitted.

Resolution

Students (including Dual-Credit) applying to the University will have their email account created within 24 hours of being admitted to WKU.

Last Modified: 03-08-2023 10:53AM

Information on "temporary locked" error message when trying to login to email.

Issue/Question

Why do I get this error message when I try to log into my Exchange or TopperMail email?

Your account is temporarily locked to prevent unauthorized use. Try again later, and if you still have trouble, contact your admin.

Environment

• Exchange
• TopperMail

Cause

After 10 failed attempts to login to an Exchange account, the account automatically locks for one minute. Additional failed attempts lock the account for longer durations.

Resolution

The lockout timer must run out on its own and cannot be reset. Because this error only occurs after repeatedly entering an incorrect password, it is recommended to reset your password before attempting to login again. Note that resetting the password does not reset the lockout timer; you must wait until the timer runs out on its own before you will be able to login.

Please contact the ITS Service Desk if you need assistance resetting the password.

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:30PM

Instructions for adding multiple authentication methods to access your email account.

Issue/Question

How can I add additional phone numbers for my WKU email account? 

Environment

• TopperMail Account
• Retiree Exchange Account

Resolution

1. Login to your email account here.
2. Once signed in, click on your initials in the upper right hand corner. 
3. Click View Account.
4. Choose Security Info.
5. Click Add Method +.
6. You can now choose which alternate method you want to add. 

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:32PM

Instructions for setting up Microsoft's Multi-Factor authentication for TopperMail accounts and retired faculty / staff email accounts.

Issue/Question

How do I configure Microsoft Multi-Factor Authentication to access my email account? 

Environment

• TopperMail Accounts
• Retired WKU Faculty/Staff Email Accounts

Cause

All WKU email accounts must use some form of multi-factor authentication. The authentication method for both student TopperMail accounts and retired faculty / staff Exchange accounts require the use of Microsoft's multi-factor process. 

Resolution

1. Go to Office.com.
2. Click Sign in.
3. Type in your WKU email address. 
4. Click Next. 
5. Enter your WKU email address password. 
6. Click Sign in. 
7. On the More information required screen, click Next. 
8. Select how you would like to authenticate. You may authenticate by phone, or by downloading and using the Microsoft Authenticator app on a smartphone or tablet. 
   Note: You will have to have this authentication method with you each time you wish to sign into your email account. If your authentication method is set to use a landline, you must be available to answer that phone when you want to sign into your email account. Additionally, you will need to have your smartphone or tablet with you should you choose to authenticate using the Microsoft Authenticator app.
9. If you would like to authenticate by phone, complete the following steps, if you would like to authenticate using the Microsoft Authenticator app, please go to step 10. 
   1. Select Authentication phone from the dropdown menu. 
   2. Input your country and telephone information. 
   3. Select if you would like to receive a text message, or a phone call. 
   4. Click Next. 
   5. Follow the steps on the screen to complete your registration. 
10. If you would like to authenticate using the mobile app, complete the steps below: 
    1. Select the option for Mobile app authentication.
    2. Select the option to Receive notifications for verification or Use verification code. 
       Note: When using the option to Receive notifications for verification, your phone or tablet will be sent a notification that you must approve to allow login. If selecting the option of Use verification code, the Authenticator app on your phone will automatically create numerical codes that you will have to enter when signing in.
       Note: These codes are time-sensitive and will last no more than 30 seconds at a time. It is recommended to use the option of Receive notifications for verification opposed to using the verification codes. 
    3. Click Set up to configure the mobile app. 
    4. Complete the steps that are presented to you in order to set up the Microsoft Authenticator app. 
11. Once the Multi-Factor Authentication process is complete, you will be able to sign into your email account. 

Please contact the ITS Service Desk should you encounter any problems or have any questions regarding this process. 

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:33PM

Instructions for logging into WKU email.

Issue/Question

How do I log into WKU email?

Resolution

1. Go here.
2. Select your account. 
3. Enter in your full WKU email address.
4. Enter in your WKU email password.
5. Click Sign In.

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:34PM

Information about how long students can keep their email accounts.

Issue/Question

How long will I retain my Student Email account?

Resolution

Student email accounts for degree-awarded alumni will remain active unless there is no activity in a 6 month period of time. Students who were not awarded a degree from WKU will have their accounts deleted after their last semester of coursework has passed. 

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:35PM

Information about student email passwords expiring, causing clients to be unable to sign into their account.

Issue/Question

My student email has suddenly stopped working on mobile devices or my password has suddenly stopped allowing me to sign in.

Environment

• Student email

Cause

Student email accounts are hosted by Microsoft 365, and Microsoft requires that all passwords expire every 2 years. If the account password has expired, it may prevent you from signing in or checking email on your connected devices.

Resolution

Visit the Manage My WKU Accounts website to change your student email password. This will allow you to sign-in to webmail immediately. If the password is still rejected on your mobile device, wait 24-hours for the systems to synchonize and try again.

Last Modified: 03-06-2023 16:36PM

Instructions for recovering missing or deleted emails for Student/Faculty/Staff email accounts.

Issue/Question

How do I restore missing or deleted emails?

Resolution

Students/Faculty/Staff

You can access your archived emails with the Email Archiver.

1. Log in with your NetID and password to the Email Archiver (https://earchive.wku.edu).
2. You will now see your emails. Select the emails you want to restore and click Resend to Me.
   Note: You can SHIFT + Click to select multiple emails in a row.

Shared Mailbox Email Accounts

Emails to shared accounts are not logged in the Email Archiver and cannot be accessed.

Alumni

WKU ITS does not support the retrieval of deleted emails for alumni.

Last Modified: 03-07-2023 13:46PM

Information about what email applications are supported by WKU.

Issue/Question

What mail applications are supported by WKU?

Resolution

WKU ITS only supports TopperMail and Faculty/Staff email through the following methods: 

• Webmail 
• Microsoft Outlook program
• Native iOS Mail App
• Native Android Mail App

 Note: Sponsored Faculty/Staff (Exchange) accounts are only supported via Webmail.

 Note: WKU retiree accounts are only supported via Webmail.

Last Modified: 04-06-2023 10:17AM

Instructions for how to delete an email account from an iOS (e.g., iPhone, iPad) device.

Issue/Question

How do I delete an email account from my iOS (e.g., iPhone, iPad) device? 

Environment

• iOS 10+

Resolution

1. From the home screen of your device, tap Settings. 
2. Tap Accounts & Passwords. 
   Note: If you are using iOS 13 or later, tap Mail, then Accounts. 
3. Tap the account you wish to remove. 
4. Tap Delete Account.
5. Tap Delete again to confirm your choice. 

Last Modified: 03-07-2023 13:57PM

Instructions for correcting email not syncing on iOS devices.

Issue/Question

I added my email account to my iOS device successfully, but no new messages are appearing in my inbox.

Resolution

1. Remove and re-add the account to ensure it is using the latest account credentials and settings. Reference the related articles section for assistance.
2. If the account still does not show messages that should appear, restart the device:
   1. Press and hold the Sleep button for 5 seconds.
   2. Slide to power off the device.
   3. Press and hold the Sleep button to turn the device back on.
3. Open Mail and ensure the account is now syncing properly.

Last Modified: 03-07-2023 13:58PM

Information about using your TopperMail account with a trial version of Microsoft 365.

Issue/Question

My computer came with a trial version of Office. Can I use my TopperMail account's Microsoft 365 subscription to validate it?

Resolution

The trial version included with many new computers is not compatible with the license type of Microsoft 365 included with TopperMail accounts. The trial version software will need to be uninstalled, then Microsoft 365 can be downloaded and installed through your TopperMail account.

Last Modified: 03-07-2023 14:02PM

Information for Faculty/Staff/Students about installing Microsoft 365 on a personal computer.

Issue/Question

Does WKU offer Microsoft 365 for Faculty/Staff/Students?

Environment

• Faculty/Staff/Students
  • Personal Device
    • Microsoft 365

Resolution

WKU Faculty, Staff, and Students can download and install Microsoft 365 Pro Plus free of charge and may install the software on up to five devices/computers. Microsoft 365 is provided through WKU's enterprise licensing agreement with Microsoft. Based on Microsoft’s licensing requirements, it is not offered to past students who have graduated or leave WKU. Microsoft 365 Pro Plus offers you the most recent version of the Microsoft Office Suite.

Microsoft 365 Pro Plus includes the following list of applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access, and Publisher.

 Note: OneNote, Access, and Publisher are available for Windows computers only. The software may be installed on up to 5 devices/computers. These are full desktop applications, not web or cloud apps.

If you need additional assistance, please contact the ITS Service Desk or submit a service request by clicking the Request Service button.

Last Modified: 03-09-2023 09:03AM