Customizing your Exchange Server’s default OWA (Outlook Web App) login page with your company logo creates a more professional and trustworthy experience for users. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for changing the OWA login page logo in Exchange 2013, 2016, and 2019.

 

 

1. Prerequisites

Before starting the logo customization process, ensure you have the following:

• Administrator Rights: Local administrator access to the Exchange server
• Backup Strategy: Backup of original files for restoration after upgrades
• Image Editing Tool: Paint, Photoshop, or any program capable of resizing images
• Logo Files: Company logo in PNG and ICO formats

 

 

2. Exchange OWA Logo File Locations

The default paths vary by Exchange version:

Exchange Version	Default Path
Exchange 2013	C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\FrontEnd\HttpProxy\owa\auth\15.0.xxx\themes\resources
Exchange 2016	C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\FrontEnd\HttpProxy\owa\auth\15.1.xxx\themes\resources
Exchange 2019	C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\FrontEnd\HttpProxy\owa\auth\15.2.xxx\themes\resources

Note: The xxx portion varies based on the installed Cumulative Update version. Check your server for the actual folder name.

 

 

3. Customizable Logo Files

The main image files you can modify on the OWA login page:

File Name	Description	Recommended Size	Location
owa_text_blue.png	Main “Outlook Web App” text logo	350×50 pixels	Top of login page
olk_logo_white.png	Left sidebar company logo	60×60 pixels	Left side of login page
olk_logo_white_cropped.png	Error page logo	60×60 pixels	Error pages
favicon.ico	Browser tab icon	16×16 pixels	Browser tab
sign_in_arrow.png	Sign-in button icon	16×16 pixels	Sign-in button

 

 

4. Step-by-Step Logo Change Process

4-1. Backup Original Files

# Create backup folder using PowerShell
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "C:\Exchange_OWA_Backup" -Force

# Backup original files
Copy-Item "C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\FrontEnd\HttpProxy\owa\auth\15.x.xxx\themes\resources\*" "C:\Exchange_OWA_Backup\"

4-2. Prepare Logo Images

1. Resize Images: Adjust image dimensions according to the recommended sizes above
2. Convert File Format: Save as PNG or ICO format as required
3. Rename Files: Use the exact same filenames as the originals

4-3. Replace Files

1. Log into the Exchange server as administrator
2. Navigate to: %ExchangeInstallPath%FrontEnd\HttpProxy\owa\auth\<version>\themes\resources
3. Replace existing files with your prepared logo files

4-4. Restart IIS

# Restart IIS from Command Prompt
iisreset

# Or using PowerShell
Restart-Service -Name "IIS Admin Service" -Force
Restart-Service -Name "World Wide Web Publishing Service" -Force

 

 

5. Verify Changes and Testing

5-1. Local Testing

Test the changes on the Exchange server using these URLs:

• https://localhost/owa
• https://127.0.0.1/owa

5-2. Clear Browser Cache

If the new logo doesn’t appear:

1. Clear Browser Cache: Ctrl+Shift+Delete
2. Hard Refresh: Ctrl+F5
3. Incognito Mode: Test in a new private browsing window

 

 

6. Multi-Server Environment Setup

In environments with multiple Exchange servers, apply the same changes to all servers.

6-1. Bulk Deployment Using PowerShell Script

# Define server list
$ExchangeServers = @("Exchange01", "Exchange02", "Exchange03")

# Copy files to each server
foreach ($Server in $ExchangeServers) {
    $DestPath = "\\$Server\C$\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\FrontEnd\HttpProxy\owa\auth\15.x.xxx\themes\resources\"
    Copy-Item "C:\CustomLogos\*" $DestPath -Force
    
    # Remote IIS restart
    Invoke-Command -ComputerName $Server -ScriptBlock { iisreset }
}

 

 

7. Troubleshooting Guide

7-1. Logo Not Displaying

1. Verify File Path: Ensure you’re using the correct path for your Exchange version
2. Check File Permissions: Verify IIS_IUSRS has appropriate permissions
3. Confirm File Format: Ensure files are saved in the correct format (PNG, ICO)

7-2. Performance Issues

1. Check Image Size: Verify images don’t exceed recommended dimensions
2. Optimize Compression: Use image compression tools to reduce file size
3. Consider CDN: For large images, consider hosting on separate web servers

 

Customizing the Exchange OWA login page logo is straightforward when following the proper procedures. This enhancement strengthens your corporate brand identity and provides users with a more professional experience. Follow this guide carefully to implement the changes safely and effectively.