Everytime i sign into outlook it takes me back to the sign in page

Question

Everytime i sign into outlook it takes me back to the sign in page

Zac 0

I Noticed I was not receiving emails a few days ago on my phone, I went into settings and it said I needed to authenticate the account. I went to do that and it kept taking me back to the sign in page. I have logged out of the account and now I cant log back in. I've tried on multiple devices and use multiple ways from the support page but nothing seems to work.

Thanks

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1 answer

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Answer 1

Francisco Montilla 30,700 Independent Advisor

Hi Zac,

It sounds like your Microsoft account is stuck in a sign in loop, not just the Outlook app itself. The simplest thing to try first is to sign in from a completely clean browser session so we can break that loop.

Please follow these steps in order.

On a computer, open a private browsing window. In Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome press Ctrl+Shift+N. In Google Chrome press Ctrl+Shift+N. In Safari on Mac choose File > New Private Window.

In that private window go directly to outlook.live.com. On the page choose "Sign in" and enter your full Outlook email address and password. If you are asked to verify your identity, complete the code by SMS, email or authenticator app.

If you see your inbox and can open emails, the account itself is fine and the loop was caused by cached sign in data on your devices.

In this case, on your phone remove the Outlook account from the Mail or Outlook app, then add it again choosing "Outlook" or "Exchange" and sign in with the same address and password. Do the same on any other device that was looping.

If the private window still sends you back to the sign in page without showing any error, then clear only Microsoft and Outlook cookies in your normal browser and try again.

In Edge or Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data > See all cookies and site data, search for live, outlook and microsoft and remove those entries only. Close all browser windows, open a new one, and try the sign in again.

If you try these steps and you still get bounced back to the sign in page in a private window, tell me whether you ever see any error message or code at all, and at which exact step the page goes back to "Sign in". With that detail I can guide you through the next checks without guessing.

Zac 0 Reputation points

2025-11-13T07:07:06.3266667+00:00

Hi Francisco,

I appreciate the help, but these steps have yet again failed to log me into my account, with the same log in loop happening no matter the device I try on, whether its on the app or different browsers. Would you have any other solutions?

Thanks
Francisco Montilla 30,700 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-11-13T16:58:38.23+00:00
Zac, thanks for sticking with it and for trying all that already.

The next thing we need to check is whether your Microsoft account itself can sign in outside of Outlook. For this solution, please do this on a phone or a computer, but follow the steps exactly.

On the device you want to use, open a private or incognito window. In that private window, go to account.microsoft.com and choose Sign in there. Enter the same email and password you use for Outlook, and complete any verification code if it is asked.

If you successfully land on the Microsoft account home page (you see things like Your info, Security, Privacy, etc.), your account is OK. In that same page, open the app launcher icon (the 9 dots in the top left), choose Outlook, and see if your mailbox opens that way.

If you are thrown back to a sign in screen again and never reach the Microsoft account home page, then the problem is not the Outlook app but the account sign in itself. In that case, in the same private window go to account.live.com/acsr and start the account recovery. Use an email address that you can currently access so Microsoft can send you codes, and fill in as much detail as you can about the account. When you get confirmation that the account is recovered or unlocked, try signing in again at account.microsoft.com, then go to Outlook from the app launcher.

If you can, tell me exactly which of these two points you reach, either "You can sign in to account.microsoft.com and open Outlook from the app launcher", or "You cannot even sign in to account.microsoft.com and it loops there too, and what message (if any) you see".

Once I know where it fails, I can guide you to the next specific step without guessing.
Zac 0 Reputation points

2025-11-15T02:37:35.4666667+00:00

Hi,

I am still on the same loop, cant even log into Microsoft still, no new messages nothing has changed.
Francisco Montilla 30,700 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-11-16T01:51:43.56+00:00

Zac, since the loop happens on every device and even at the Microsoft Account page, the account itself is stuck in a blocked or partial-verification state. The fastest way to break that state is a clean password reset that falls back to* Microsoft Account Recovery* if codes do not arrive. Please follow these exact steps in order.

Open a private or incognito window on a device and network you have used to sign in before. In that window go to account.live.com/password/reset. Choose I forgot my password, enter your full Outlook address, complete the characters check, and continue. If you see working options to receive a code, use one and complete the reset. The moment the password is changed, stay in the same private window and go to account.microsoft.com, sign in with the new password, then use the app launcher in the top left to open Outlook. This path often bypasses the loop.

If the reset page shows old phones or emails you cannot use, or if codes never arrive, select I do not have any of these. That opens the Microsoft Account Recovery form automatically at account.live.com/acsr. Fill it as completely as you can. Use an email you can access today so Microsoft can contact you. Add details that only you would know for this mailbox, for example a few recent email subjects, folder names you created, contacts you email often, old passwords you remember, the city and country where you created the account, devices you sign in from, and if applicable your Xbox gamertag or OneDrive file names.

Submit the form and keep an eye on the contact email you provided. When Microsoft sends the result, follow their link to finish unlocking or resetting, then sign in again at account.microsoft.com and open Outlook from the app launcher.

After you get back in, go straight to account.microsoft.com/security and update your security info so this does not happen again. Remove any old phone or email, add a current phone and a second email, and then re-add the account in the Outlook app.

If any step above behaves differently, tell me the exact page you reach and any message or code shown, and I will adjust the next move for you.
Zac 0 Reputation points

2025-11-16T04:06:44.4233333+00:00

hey,

i am able to reset my password but I tried to do the recovery yesterday and havent gotten an email back
Francisco Montilla 30,700 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-11-17T00:19:07.0066667+00:00

Zac, good job getting the password reset done.

The next step is to clear a silent security block on the account using Microsoft's identity confirmation page.

On a device and network you have used before, open a private or incognito window with any VPN, proxy, or ad-blocker turned off. In that window go to account.live.com/identity/confirm and sign in with your new password. Complete the verification it offers. When it says your identity is confirmed or the account is unlocked, stay in the same window, go to account.microsoft.com, then open Outlook from the app launcher in the top left.

If that page does not let you finish because no verification option works, tell me exactly what the identity confirmation page shows after you enter your address, including any message or code on screen. That will tell me which recovery route to trigger next.
Samantha 0 Reputation points

2025-11-17T01:36:58.1066667+00:00

Hi,

I have the same issue as Zac, however, after I do all the steps you provided I keep getting an error message saying try again later, we cannot sign you in right now. Please try again later.

Also, I get an error message 401.

This is affecting my outlook on both my PC and phone.
Zac 0 Reputation points

2025-11-17T06:50:23.59+00:00

hey im not able to go to the identity confirm website it is temporarily unavailable
Francisco Montilla 30,700 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-11-18T06:37:00.4533333+00:00

Yes, I'm sorry, perhaps that's an old way to do it but I didn't properly check it. Try this.

Open a private or incognito window with any VPN, proxy, or content blocker turned off. Go to account.live.com/acsr. Use a contact email you can access right now that is different from the stuck account.

In the form, add as much proof as you can that only you would know for this mailbox. Include a few recent email subjects, folder names you created, frequent contacts, any old passwords you remember, where you created the account city and country, devices you usually sign in from Windows, iPhone, Android, OneDrive file names if you use it, and your Xbox gamertag if you have one. Submit the form.

When Microsoft replies to that contact email, follow their link to finish the reset or unlock, then in the same private window go to account.microsoft.com, sign in, and from the app launcher open Outlook.