New outlook app in windows is not allowing me to add my imap account.

Question

When I log in, it let's me sign in and after that it signs me out and asks me to enter the password again. And after that the process keeps going on.

Answer 1

Hi Manan Pathak

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand that the new Outlook app on Windows keeps signing you out in a loop when you try to add your IMAP email account.

Please make sure you already tried the Q&A Assist steps. In addition, please try the following:

1, Fully sign out of the new Outlook app, then close it and restart Windows before adding the account again.

2, Temporarily disable any third‑party antivirus or email security software, then test adding the IMAP account again.

3, Check that the IMAP and SMTP ports, encryption type, and server names exactly match the provider’s current IMAP documentation.

4, Make sure the Windows date, time, and time zone are set correctly and synced, as incorrect system time can cause repeated authentication loops.

5, Open the new Outlook app and add the IMAP account via Settings > Accounts > Add account.

If the sign‑in loop persists after these steps and affects multiple IMAP accounts, contacting Microsoft Support may be required to review the authentication logs for your device and account:

• Go to Contact - Microsoft Support
• Type a brief description of your issue in the search box.    
• Click "Get Help", then scroll to the bottom and select "Contact Support”.
• Choose the appropriate Products & Services/ Category.
• Look for and select "Chat with a support agent in your web browser" (during business hours) or a similar callback option (if available). Explain your situation clearly.

Please feel free to let me know how it goes. I truly appreciate your time and understanding.

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Answer 2

The repeated sign-in loop when adding an IMAP account in the new Outlook for Windows is typically caused by either:

• The provider requiring an app password instead of the normal password, or
• A problem with how the account was added the first time.

Use these steps to resolve it:

1. Remove the problematic IMAP account from new Outlook (Settings → Accounts → remove that account).
2. Check whether the provider requires an app password for IMAP access:
   • Many IMAP providers (AOL, some others) require an app password instead of the regular password.
   • Follow the provider’s instructions to generate an app password. For example, AOL documents this in “Create and manage 3rd-party app passwords.”
3. Add the account again in new Outlook:
   • In new Outlook, go to Settings → Accounts → Add account.
   • Enter the email address and, when prompted for the password, use the app password generated from the provider instead of the normal password.
4. If the provider does not use app passwords but the loop persists, test the account in classic Outlook:
   • In classic Outlook, use File → Add Account, enter the same IMAP account, and complete setup.
   • If classic Outlook also fails, follow the provider’s IMAP setup guidance or set up the account manually as IMAP in classic Outlook using the provider’s server settings.

If the IMAP provider is Yahoo-backed (for example, some AT&T/Frontier/Rogers/Sky addresses), and the desktop client build supports Yahoo OAuth, use the normal password (not an app password) when prompted and ensure two-step verification is correctly configured on the provider side.

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References:

• Add an email account to Outlook for Windows
• I can't send or receive messages in Outlook
• Troubleshoot Outlook email setup
• How to add a Yahoo IMAP account to Outlook Desktop without an App Password