"New device" problem

Question

Although I've been using my laptop for more than a year, recently all my regular sites require me to log in afresh and say I'm using a "new device"? How can I fix this?

Answer 1

Many services treat a device as “new” when something about how it connects or identifies itself changes. Common causes include using a different browser profile, clearing cookies, changing security settings, or signing in from a different network or location.

To reduce “new device” prompts and repeated sign-ins, try these steps:

1. Keep using the same browser profile

• Use the same browser and profile when signing in to sites.
• Avoid frequently using private/incognito mode, as it does not retain cookies or sign-in state.

2. Allow cookies and avoid clearing them too often

• Ensure the browser is not blocking cookies for Microsoft and other key sites.
• Do not clear cookies or site data unless necessary; doing so forces sites to treat the device as new.

3. Sign in from a usual/trusted location

• If signing in from a new country, network, or VPN, some services (including Microsoft) may flag this as unusual activity and require extra verification.
• When possible, sign in from a location and network normally used. If an account is blocked due to unusual activity, follow the on-screen instructions to receive and enter a security code to unlock the account.

4. Use a trusted device for Microsoft account

• For Microsoft accounts, signing in from a device that has been set as a trusted device reduces extra verification prompts. If locked out due to unusual sign-in, signing in from that trusted device can help regain access.

If still seeing frequent “new device” prompts even without changing browser, cookies, or location, review any security software, VPN, or privacy tools that might be rotating IP addresses or blocking cookies, as these can also cause services to re-verify the device.

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References:

• What happens if there's an unusual sign-in to your account

Answer 2

Hi Janet Sellwood,

This is often browser issue rather than Windows issue.

Does the problem occur on all of your browsers?

Please try with a fresh browser or create a new profile to see if the problem is gone.

If you have further information, please feel free to let me know.

Answer 3

Hi, I'm Rodrigo and I will help you.
This can be caused by several reasons, including the ones related by the Q&A Assist above.
Usually there is no fix for it, just log in to the websites again to store the new session tokens.
After you log in, do these websites request your login details again? Are you checking the option to not ask again?