Outlook 2016 doesn't accept password or app password

Question

I have this problem - Outlook 2016 doesn't accept password or app password - and i think it is a growing World wide Microsoft problem :-(

See also here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Outlook/comments/19dx64p/outlook_2013_windows_10_suddenly_not_accepting/Outlook gives me this: (startede yesterday)

I have 2 PC's with HOTMAIL accounts in Outlook 2016 ...

They both have this error.

I do get mails ... but I can´t send mails. Yesterday it did work for 1-2 hours ... but right now the error is there all the time :-(

Please help me.

Thanks in advance

Pierre

Answer 1

Is the auth prompt the Windows Security prompt or like this one below?

If you click File, Office Account, under User Information, make sure you are signed in there with the account you got the subscription and no errors there.

Check the Connection Status Dialog if the Status shows any connections not Established when the auth prompt shows up. To see the Connection Status Dialog, locate the Outlook icon in the System Tray, press the Ctrl key, right click Outlook icon and click Connection Status.

In case there is some issue with the Outlook Profile, use the steps here to create a new one, Create an Outlook profile - Microsoft Support. You can keep the old profile or delete it later once you know everything is showing correctly in the new profile.

If the issue persists check if you have the option Help, Contact Support in Outlook Subscription and open a ticket from there.

Answer 2

It's showing as Microsoft Exchange already. On that screen you showed, I have two accounts, one is my work and the other one is the test Hotmail. My work email doesn't give me prompt for authentication but the Hotmail one does. Outlook version is 2407.

EnableADAL key doesn't exit in my registry. I don't know the default state of this. I have added it and set to 1, no difference.

I have a coworker doing the same for his outlook.com personal account and see the same issue. The authentication prompt is not as frequent as before but it definitely pops. In fact, that dialog has a "stay on top" behavior, so I have seen his pop during screen-shared Teams meeting.

POP3/IMAP is not longer used in Outlook desktop for hotmail/live/msn/outlook.com mail is a good thing. Exchange or EAS should be used to sync contacts and calendar as well. Those are syncing, so that's another indication I am on Exchange with this hotmail account.

Answer 3

In Outlook click File, Account Settings, Account Settings. Make sure the account shows as Type = Microsoft Exchange. If it is not, you can try removing it and add it back as Exchange or create a new Outlook Profile, Create an Outlook profile - Microsoft Support. Now that Basic Auth is being deprecated Outlook does not support adding Outlook.com accounts as POP/IMAP.

Answer 4

That didn't explain my problem with Outlook 2021 as EnableADAL is set to 1. Usually Outlook 2021 worked ok but occasionally threw up authentication errors (just like Outlook 2007 had done).