Updated Facebook provider for the Microsoft Outlook Social Connector

Starting May 1, 2012, the Microsoft Outlook Social Connector may notify you that social network updates are available. You can click the notification to be redirected to a Microsoft website that lists the available social networking providers for the Microsoft Outlook Social Connector.

If you previously installed the Facebook social network provider for Outlook, the notification directly states that an update to the Facebook provider is available. We recommend that you install the update to the Facebook provider for Outlook to prevent any disruption to Facebook updates in Outlook. In May 2012, an update to the Facebook platform begins to affect the Facebook provider for the Outlook Social Connector. These changes will prevent the older Facebook provider for Outlook from connecting to Facebook.

This section provides details about the changes that you can expect to the Outlook Social Connector starting in mid-April 2012.

If you have not installed any Outlook Social Connector providers

If you have not installed any Outlook Social Connector providers, you may be notified that social network updates are available. The following illustration shows the notification that appears in the collapsed People Pane in Outlook.



The following illustration shows the same notification as it appears in the expanded People Pane in Outlook.



Note If you click the Show social network updates in Outlook notification text, this opens the Outlook Social Connector Partner Listing page at the following Microsoft website:The latest version of the Facebook social network provider for Outlook is available at the following Microsoft website:Important Outlook 2010 is available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. If you are using Outlook 2010, make sure that you install the update that is specific to your version. To check which version of Outlook 2010 you are using, open Outlook, click the File tab on the ribbon, and then click Help.

If you previously installed the Facebook social network provider for Outlook

If you previously installed the Facebook social network provider for Outlook, the notification states that an update to the Facebook provider is available. The following illustration shows the notification that appears in the expanded People Pane in Outlook.



Notes

• If you click the An update is available on the Microsoft Download Center for this social network provider: Facebook notification text, this opens the following Microsoft website:
  http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?assetid=FX101812910
  
  
  The latest version of the Facebook social network provider for Outlook is available on the following Microsoft website:
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ce8b7517-234c-48a1-a655-324a88893b02
  
  
• Outlook 2010 is available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. If you are using Outlook 2010, make sure that you install the update that is specific to your version. To check which version of Outlook 2010 you are using, open Outlook, click the File tab on the ribbon, and then click Help.

How to verify that you have installed the latest version of the Facebook provider for the Outlook Social Connector

To verify that the latest version of the Facebook provider for the Outlook Social Connector was installed, follow these steps:

On Windows Vista or on Windows 7

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Programs, and then click Programs and Features.
3. Scroll down to find the program that is named Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider for Facebook.
4. In the Version column, verify that the version of the provider is at least 14.0.6114.5003.

On Windows XP

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add or Remove Programs.
3. Scroll down to find the program that is named Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider for Facebook.
4. Click the Click here for support information link.
5. In the Support Info window that appears, verify that the version of the provider is at least 14.0.6114.5003.

Changes to the Facebook platform

We recommend that you install the update to the Facebook provider for Outlook to prevent any disruption to Facebook updates in Outlook. In May 2012, an update to the Facebook platform will affect the Facebook provider for the Outlook Social Connector. These changes will prevent the older Facebook provider for Outlook from correctly authenticating and successfully connecting to Facebook.

If you do not install the update to the Facebook provider for Outlook, you may see the following error in the expanded People Pane in Outlook.



When you click the Unable to log in to: Facebook. Click here to log in notification text, an Enter Network Password dialog box is displayed. You receive the login error because the older provider can no longer connect to the updated Facebook platform.

How to manage the Outlook Social Connector

If you are an administrator, you can manage the Microsoft Outlook Social Connector by using Group Policy. For more information about how to manage the Outlook Social Connector, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For general information about the Outlook Social Connector, visit the following Microsoft website: