Persistent login issues

Question

I use outlook live to login to hotmail account. I am constantly logged in on my laptop

However, when I try to login using another device, I am thrown out at the first attempt with a message "Too many incorrect attempts to login'. This was the very first time I tried logging in. So I am not sure what is going on with my account. This is a premium account.

I am unable to find the email address of support team. So, posting a question here hoping to find a remedy.

Please help what to do next.

Best regards.

Answer 1

Hello CJo

Thank you for explaining the situation, I understand how confusing it is when you can stay signed in on your laptop, but new devices are blocked immediately.

Just to avoid repeating the steps with Q&A Assist, could you tell me whether you've tried those steps yet? To help narrow this down correctly, could you please also confirm:

• When you try from another device, does the message appear immediately before any verification options, or
• Do you get a chance to enter a code and then it fails?

Since you are still signed in on your laptop, please check and update your security info:

• Sign in with your personal email at https://account.microsoft.com/security
• Go to "Manage how I sign in"
• Make sure you have at least one additional verification method active (such as Microsoft Authenticator or an alternate email)

Also, when trying again on another device:

• Delete browser cookies and cache
• Use a browser (not app) in a Private/incognito window
• Try from the same location/network as your laptop, if possible
• Attempt sign‑in once only, without retrying multiple times

Please feel free to let me know how it goes. Thank you for your time and understanding.

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Answer 2

The behavior indicates Outlook.com security systems are detecting unusual sign-in activity from the new device/location and temporarily blocking sign-in, even on the first visible attempt.

Take these steps in order:

1. Wait out the temporary lockout

• When the message "Too many incorrect attempts to login" appears, avoid further attempts on that device for at least 24 hours.
• During this time, continue using the account only on the already-signed-in laptop.

2. Use the official account troubleshooter

• After waiting, open a browser and go to the Microsoft account sign-in helper/troubleshooter:
  • From the documentation: use the sign-in troubleshooter / account troubleshooter linked from the Outlook.com sign-in help pages:
    • Start troubleshooter
    • or Open account troubleshooter
• Follow the prompts to check for sign-in issues or account blocks.

3. Check if the account is blocked

• If the account has been temporarily blocked due to suspicious activity, follow the guidance in Unblock my Outlook.com account (linked from the Hotmail/Outlook.com sign-in help article) to remove the block.

4. Add or adjust sign-in methods

• While still signed in on the laptop, go to the Microsoft account security settings (via the normal account portal) and:
  • Ensure multiple sign-in methods are configured (e.g., phone, alternate email, Microsoft Authenticator).
  • Consider adding Microsoft Authenticator as an additional method, then use it when signing in on the other device (similar to the moderator guidance where adding Authenticator resolved repeated “too many attempts” errors on mobile).

5. Try signing in again from the other device

• After the waiting period and any unblock steps:
  • Use a normal browser session first (not in-app) on the new device.
  • Sign in via the standard Outlook.com sign-in page using the existing password and, if prompted, the additional verification method just configured.

6. If problems persist, escalate via Outlook.com support

• Since sign-in is possible on the laptop, use in-product support:
  • In Outlook.com on the laptop, select Help on the top menu.
  • Enter the issue (for example, “Too many incorrect attempts on first login from new device”).
  • If self-help doesn’t resolve it, scroll to the bottom of the Help pane and under Still need help?, select Yes to contact support via email.
• If sign-in ever fails on all devices and the account cannot be accessed at all, use the Get help signing in link described in the Outlook.com support article to work through recovery.

These steps align with how Outlook.com handles unusual sign-in activity and with the recommended paths for both temporary lockouts and device-specific sign-in problems.

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References:

• How to sign in to Hotmail
• How to sign in to Outlook.com
• How to get support for Outlook.com
• Why can't I log in to my Outlook account? - Microsoft Q&A
• Problem with iphone and hotmail - Microsoft Q&A