authentication error on Outlook Android app

Question

Hey there.

I'm trying to add my personal e-mail account (@hotmail.com) one Outlook app (version 4.2231.1, downloaded from Google Play Store) on Android 9, but I get the error "An error occourred during authentication. Please try again later"

In phone settings for Outlook app I have set Battery = Don't Optimize, Data usage: Wifi data = On, Cellular data = On, Background data = On, VPN data = On, Unrestricted data usage = On.

I've tried using a different wi-fi network and also mobile data, but nothing changes.

I've tried clearing cache and data of the app and also re-installing it, but nothing changes.

I'm not having any issue with all other apps and that e-mail account is working fine on my computer

What can I do?

Thanks.
Luigi.

Answer 1

Hello sol quest.

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

Based on your description, don't worry, we can work together to get closer to the answer.

From the /For home/Android category you posted, we know your problem is "Encountered an authentication error in the Outlook application". Please feel free to correct me if my understanding is wrong.

Due to limited information and many reasons for the problem, we may need more details from you:

1. What protocol does the Hotmail account you currently configure in Outlook for Android belongs to, such as POP3/IMAP/Exchange?
2. Considering that you are currently using an email account of Outlook.com (including hotmail.com, msn.com, live.com, etc.), please launch your browser on your mobile phone and log in to the Outlook web page . Observe whether you can connect to the server to verify you identity.
3. As you have mentioned above, the current email account is working fine on the computer. From this we can conclude that your local area network supports connecting to the Outlook.com server, then we may need to tracing the reanson back to the network of the phone itself.
4. If it is convenient for you, could you please try to turn off your virtual personal network (VPN) and see if everything returns to normal, because these virtual personal networks may affect the phone's network and cannot connect to the server.

Please feel free to let me know how it goes.

Best regards,

Chandy|Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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* Beware of scammers posting fake support numbers here.

Answer 2

Hey there.

Thanks for replying.

1. how do I find that out? I mean I just launch Outlook app, choose add account, write e-mail address and password and I get that error. Don't have any option to choose between POP3/IMAP/Exchange
2. I've run the browser on my phone, and I could correctly log-in on www.outlook.com with that e-mail addredd
3. if pc and phone are on the same wi-fi network, I don't have any issue on pc while I have the same problem with the phone. So it's not a network issue.
4. actually I'm not using any VPN. I was only saying that I have the option VPN Data = On in Settings/App/Outlook/Data usage. I've tried turning that option off but nothing changes,
5. I've tried adding a different @hotmail.com e-mail address to Outlook app and I didn't have any issue. So it seems something related to my e-mail address.

Hope this helps.

Thanks.
Luigi.

Answer 3

Dear solquest.

I understand your confused feelings, and I have noticed that some users in the community also encountered the same problem like you.

This should be a temporary Outlook for Android application glitches. It might have affected a small number of users, the hotmail account may be temporarily disconnected from the Outlook application with the authentication error. It will be fixed in the next released version. This issue has been actively submitted to the internal design team

If there is a subsequent version update, we will keep you informed.

Answer 4

Thanks for replying.

Do you know when the next version of Outlook for Android will be released?

Thanks.
Luigi.

Answer 5

It is your VPN being enabled. Outlook and other email providers want to ensure that you are the one using the app. This is a security feature. So, if they see that you are accessing your account from a different country, they believe that someone else has hacked your account. I have had this happen several times. I no longer use a VPN for this reason.