Classic outlook

Question

hello

I am trying to switch to classic outlook email, each time I entered my email, it asking passkey instead of password, can anyone help in that.

Note: classic outlook previously used with another user.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi @Saleh Maher,

Good day, and I appreciate the way you clearly presented your concern.  

I understand you’re trying to switch from the new Outlook experience back to Classic Outlook for Windows, but you’re being prompted to use a passkey instead of a password, especially since Classic Outlook was previously used by another user on this device.

Because Classic Outlook was previously configured and used by another user on this device, Outlook may still be referencing cached sign‑in information associated with that account. If the previous user had passwordless authentication enabled (such as passkeys or Windows Hello), Outlook will attempt to reuse the same modern authentication flow when a different user signs in.

As a result, when you try to sign in with your own account, Outlook prompts for a passkey instead of a password, which may be unexpected and can lead to a sign‑in conflict. This behavior is related to cached credentials and local device registration rather than an issue with your account itself.

To ensure a clean sign‑in experience, it’s important to clear the old credentials and cached identities and then sign in again using your account. This allows Classic Outlook to apply the correct authentication method for your user.

You can try the following steps to clear your credentials cache to ensure a clean reset:

• Sign out of your account from all Office apps and close all Office applications completely.
• Open File Explorer, paste the following path into the address bar and delete all files and folders in this location:

%localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin_cw5n1h2txyewy   

• In the Windows search bar, search for "Access Work or School".   

• Check whether your work/school account is listed:
  • If not listed, select Connect and add your business account
  • If listed, select the account > Disconnect
• After disconnecting, select Connect and sign in again to re‑register the device.  

Open the Control Panel on your PC.   

• Go to User Accounts > Credential Manager
• Under both Windows Credentials and Generic Credentials:
  • Remove any entries related to Microsoft 365, Office, or your work account

 

• Restart your computer
• Open an Office app and sign in again with your account

Optional (advanced): Fully reset Office activation:

• Download OLicenseCleanup.vbs and run it. In this way, you can use this package to remove the license, clear the stored identities in the registry, and remove the credentials. You can follow this: Reset activation state for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise - Microsoft 365 Apps | Microsoft Learn to reset activation state.
• Restart your device and sign in again.

 

If the issue persists, you can create a new Outlook profile:

A corrupted or reused Outlook profile is a common cause of authentication problems.

1. Close Outlook
2. Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles
3. Select Add and create a new profile
4. Sign in with your account
5. Set the new profile as the default and launch Outlook.

I hope this information helps. Please try the steps above and let me know whether they resolve the issue. If the problem persists, I’ll be happy to continue working with you to find the best solution.

As other users will also search for information in this community, your vote can significantly help those with similar inquiries quickly locate the most relevant resources. 

Thank you for your kindness and for contributing to the forum.  

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