Outlook not working

Question

My iphone will not allow me to log in to Outlook. My password is not working and when I say forgot password...it tells me I need a two step verification. This has been going on for days and it is frustrating that I can't get to my email.

Answer 1

There has been a service issue since yesterday. This is the latest update Microsoft provides:

User impact: Users may experience intermittent issues signing in to Outlook.com.

Current status: We're performing some changes to optimize the outlook.com iOS sign-in experience and, once complete, we'll provide instructions to help users sign back into their accounts. In the interim as we develop this change, we recommend trying the following steps to sign in to your account:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on Mail.
3. Select Accounts under the Mail settings.
4. Tap on the email account for which you need to reenter the password.
5. Tap on Account Settings or directly on the Password field (depending on your iOS version).
6. Enter the updated or correct password in the Password field.
7. Tap Done to save the changes.
8. Open the Mail app to confirm that the account is syncing properly and emails are being sent/received.

Next update by: Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 11:00 PM UTC

Service Status link can be found here: https://status.cloud.microsoft/

Answer 2

Follow these steps in order:

1. Update or reinstall Outlook on iPhone

• Go to the App Store and make sure Outlook for iOS is updated to the latest version.
• If it is already updated and still failing, delete the Outlook app and reinstall it, then try signing in again.

2. Check what type of account is used

• If this is a Microsoft personal account (Outlook.com/Hotmail/Live):
  • Use the Microsoft sign-in helper tool to diagnose and fix sign-in issues: select the option to start, enter the email or phone number, and follow the guidance provided.
• If this is a work or school account (Microsoft 365 from an organization):
  • If self-service password reset is allowed, use the Reset password page to change the password, then sign in again in Outlook for iOS.
  • If self-service reset is not allowed or fails, contact the organization’s IT admin to reset the password or fix the account.
• If this is a non-Microsoft account (Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, etc.):
  • Password and 2-step verification issues must be fixed with that email provider directly (for example, via their web portal security settings). After fixing the password/2-step verification there, return to Outlook and sign in again.

3. If two-step verification is blocking sign-in

• For Microsoft accounts: complete the two-step verification using one of the registered methods (text, email, or authenticator). If none of the methods are available or working, use the account recovery and sign-in helper flows mentioned above until a working method is restored.
• For iCloud accounts used in Outlook for iOS: if two-step verification is enabled on the Apple ID, an app-specific password may be required:
  1. Go to the Apple ID page in a browser and sign in.
  2. Turn on two-step verification (if not already on).
  3. Under Password and Security, select Generate an App-Specific Password.
  4. In Outlook for iOS, remove the existing iCloud account if present, then add it again using this app-specific password instead of the normal iCloud password.

4. If Outlook still will not accept the password

• Confirm the password works by signing in to the same account in a web browser (for example, Outlook.com/OWA or the provider’s webmail).
• If web sign-in fails, the issue is with the account itself; use the provider’s password reset or recovery options again until web sign-in works.
• Once web sign-in works and two-step verification is correctly configured, return to Outlook for iOS and sign in with the same credentials (or app-specific password, if required).

If none of the above steps work and this is a work/school account, the next step is to contact the organization’s IT administrator. For a personal Microsoft account, use the Microsoft account support and recovery flows referenced in the documentation.

---

References:

• Can't sign in to the Outlook mobile app
• iCloud accounts: 2 step authentication/App-specific password troubleshooting