classic outlook password issues

Question

I use classic outlook and after the last windows 11 update on 2/11/26 (2026-02 Security Update (KB5077181) (26200.7840)) a prompt comes up constantly for my password. Nothing else has changed except the last windows update. I have tried everything I can think of and nothing fixes it. This is causing the prompt for my password on my cell phone as well. In the past after windows updates, maybe once or twice a year the same thing happens and then it finally goes away. I am wondering if switching to the new version of outlook will fix it but I have heard there are other issues with the new outlook and its very hard to switch back and classic outlook will only be supported to 2029 so eventually I will have to switch anyhow. Or maybe if I don't switch after 2029 I won't have these password issues. It appears from what I've researched outlook is reading characters as question marks and there are characters in my password. Should I just try and wait this out or does anyone have suggestions or thoughts?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/fixes-or-workarounds-for-recent-issues-in-classic-outlook-for-windows-ecf61305-f84f-4e13-bb73-95a214ac1230

Answer 1

@Diane Simmons said

after KB5077181 a prompt comes up constantly for my password

Uninstall KB5077181

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-uninstall-a-windows-update-c77b8f9b-e4dc-4e9f-a803-fdec12e59fb0

Pause Windows Updates

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/pause-updates-in-windows-643e9ea7-3cf6-7da6-a25c-95d4f7f099fe

Monitor the KB5077181 Support Page for an update from Microsoft that any know issues have been corrected and it's safe to resume updates.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/february-10-2026-kb5077181-os-builds-26200-7840-and-26100-7840-f0fa9e54-a22a-4a06-96b6-bf5b2aded506