# Outlook Keeps Asking for My Password: How to Fix It

Source: https://dijitulsupport.co.uk/guides/outlook-keeps-asking-for-password/
Updated: 2026-10-10

> Outlook keeps asking for your password when its saved sign-in token is stale or corrupted, when an old Outlook version cannot use modern authentication, or when Microsoft 365 is blocking the sign-in. Clearing saved credentials, updating Office and creating a new profile fixes most cases. dijitul fixes Outlook sign-in loops for UK businesses at £45 an hour + VAT.

## Key facts

- Microsoft 365 mailboxes use modern authentication; Outlook versions that cannot use it will prompt endlessly
- Stale entries in Windows Credential Manager are the most common cause of repeated prompts
- Signing out under File, Office Account and back in refreshes the token Outlook uses
- A corrupted Outlook profile can be replaced through Control Panel, Mail, Show Profiles
- Entra ID sign-in logs show whether Microsoft 365 is rejecting the sign-in and why
- Conditional Access or MFA changes can trigger prompts until the user completes the new sign-in
- dijitul fixes Outlook and Microsoft 365 sign-in problems remotely at £45 an hour + VAT

## Why Outlook keeps asking for your password

When you connect Outlook to a Microsoft 365 mailbox, you do not really sign in with a password each time. Outlook uses a token from a modern authentication sign-in, which Windows stores and refreshes in the background. The prompt loop starts when that process breaks. The usual reasons are:

- A saved credential in Windows is out of date after a password change.
- The token cache is corrupted, often after a Windows or Office update.
- The Outlook version is too old to use modern authentication. Microsoft switched off basic authentication for Exchange Online, so Outlook 2010 and unpatched older versions cannot connect properly.
- Microsoft 365 is blocking the sign-in: a locked account, an expired password, a new MFA requirement or a Conditional Access policy.
- The Outlook profile itself is damaged.

You might see a password box that reappears no matter what you type, 'Need Password' in the status bar at the bottom of Outlook, or a blank sign-in window that closes instantly.

## Step 1: check the account works on the web

Go to **outlook.office.com** in a private browser window and sign in. If that fails, the problem is the account, not Outlook. Reset the password, complete any MFA set-up you are asked for, or ask your Microsoft 365 administrator to check whether the account is blocked. If the web sign-in works, the fault is on the PC: carry on.

## Step 2: sign out and clear saved credentials

- In Outlook, open **File, Office Account** and choose **Sign out**. Close every Office app.
- Open **Credential Manager** from the Start menu and choose Windows Credentials.
- Remove entries that start with *MicrosoftOffice*, or that mention *outlook*, *msteams* or your email address. They are recreated when you sign in again.
- Open **Settings, Accounts, Access work or school**. If your work account appears with an error, disconnect and reconnect it, but only if your IT administrator has not set up the PC through Intune or Entra join, because disconnecting can remove company access.
- Restart the PC, open Outlook and sign in once, completing any MFA prompt.

## Step 3: update and repair Office

In any Office app, go to **File, Office Account, Update Options, Update Now**. Then in Windows Settings, Apps, find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office, choose Modify and run a **Quick Repair**. If that does not help, run an Online Repair, which reinstalls Office and takes longer.

If you are on Outlook 2013 or older, the real fix is moving to a supported version included with Microsoft 365. Old versions will keep failing however many times the password is typed.

## Step 4: create a new Outlook profile

If prompts continue, open **Control Panel, Mail (Microsoft Outlook), Show Profiles**, click **Add** and set up a fresh profile with your email address. Set it to 'Always use this profile', open Outlook and let it download the mailbox. With Microsoft 365, mail, calendar and contacts live on the server, so nothing is lost. Only remove the old profile once the new one works, and check first for any local PST files attached to it.

If you use the new Outlook for Windows rather than classic Outlook, remove and re-add the account under Settings, Accounts instead.

## When to call dijitul

Call us when the loop affects several people, when the web sign-in fails too, or when you are not sure whether to touch Credential Manager or work account settings. As administrators we check the Entra ID sign-in logs, which show the exact reason a sign-in failed, such as a Conditional Access block, an MFA problem or legacy authentication, and fix it at the source. Ad-hoc help is £45 an hour + VAT. See Outlook support or contact us.

Our Complete plan, £99 a month + VAT, includes IT and Microsoft 365 helpdesk support for your team, so this kind of problem is covered. If prompts started straight after you turned on MFA, read how to enable MFA in Microsoft 365.

## FAQs

### Why does Outlook keep asking for my password when it is correct?

Outlook is usually not checking the password itself but failing to get or refresh a modern authentication token. Stale entries in Windows Credential Manager, a corrupted token cache, an outdated Outlook version or a Microsoft 365 policy blocking the sign-in are the common causes.

### What does 'Need Password' in Outlook mean?

It means Outlook has lost its sign-in to the mailbox and is waiting for you to authenticate again. Click it to sign in. If it keeps returning, sign out of Office, clear Office entries in Credential Manager, update Office and, if needed, create a new profile.

### Will creating a new Outlook profile delete my emails?

Not with Microsoft 365 or Exchange, because email, calendar and contacts are stored on the server and download again. The exception is local PST files, such as old archives, which you need to reattach. Check for these before removing the old profile.

### Can old versions of Outlook still connect to Microsoft 365?

Very old versions such as Outlook 2010 cannot use modern authentication, which Microsoft 365 requires now basic authentication is switched off for Exchange Online. They keep prompting for a password. Upgrading to the Outlook included with Microsoft 365 is the fix.

### Why did Outlook start asking for a password after we turned on MFA?

Once MFA is required, Outlook must complete a modern sign-in with the second factor. Signing out of Office and signing back in usually triggers the MFA prompt. Very old Outlook versions and apps using legacy protocols cannot do MFA and will keep failing.

### How much does dijitul charge to fix Outlook password prompts?

Ad-hoc fixes are £45 an hour + VAT, with a 30-minute minimum then 15-minute blocks. Most single-PC Outlook prompt loops are fixed in the first session. The Complete plan at £99 a month + VAT includes Microsoft 365 helpdesk support for your team.

## Pricing and contact

Support plans from £25 a month + VAT, or £45 an hour + VAT for one-off fixes. Plans: Essential £25/month + VAT (Website software updates (core, plugins, themes) applied and checked, Daily backups, Uptime monitoring, Security monitoring); Business £50/month + VAT (Everything in Essential, 1 hour of fixes or changes every month, Priority support); Complete £99/month + VAT (Everything in Business, 3 hours of fixes or changes every month, IT and Microsoft 365 helpdesk for your team). Ad-hoc support is £45 an hour + VAT. The first 30 minutes are the minimum charge, then we bill in 15-minute blocks. Contact: 01623 650333, support@dijitul.uk, https://dijitulsupport.co.uk/contact/