automatically logging in not working

Question

no matter what browser i use, i am no longer automatically signed into web sites that i use. I have been using Edge and I have Windows 11

Answer 1

Hi Page Wolfer,

You may want to give the AI Answer’s suggestions a try first, as it already covers the most common causes around cookies, profiles and Edge settings.

Besides that, since this issue is happening across multiple browsers, it’s worth checking a few system-level areas that can affect all browsers at once.

You can start by testing with a new Windows user account, which is a quick way to isolate the issue. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users > Add account, create a new local user, then sign in to that account and open Edge (or another browser). Try logging into a website and restart the browser. If it stays signed in there, the issue is likely limited to your original Windows profile rather than the browser itself.

It’s also helpful to review the Windows Credential Manager, since browsers rely on it to store authentication data. You can open it from Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager. Check both Web Credentials and Windows Credentials and look for duplicate or outdated entries related to affected websites or accounts. If you see any, remove them and then sign in to the site again so fresh credentials can be stored.

Since the behavior is consistent across browsers, it’s also worth looking for any background tools or security software that might be clearing data automatically. For example, some antivirus or cleanup utilities include privacy features that remove cookies or session data when the browser closes or on a schedule. You may want to temporarily disable those features (if present) and test again.

*Disclaimer: Temporarily turn off antivirus protection. However, keep in mind that if you do so, your device may be vulnerable to threats. So please turn it on immediately once issue fixed. 

If you have any browser extensions installed, try running the browser with extensions disabled. In Edge, you can go to edge://extensions and toggle them off or open a new profile without syncing. Some privacy-focused or “auto-clean” extensions can override normal browser settings and remove cookies even when the browser itself is configured correctly.

Please let me know how it goes, especially the result of testing with a new Windows user account. That’s usually the quickest way to narrow this down further.

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Answer 2

Automatic sign-in relies on cookies and saved credentials. If automatic login stopped working in Edge on Windows 11 (and other browsers), the most likely causes are:

1. Cookies or site data are being cleared
2. Browser sign-in or profile is corrupted
3. Policies or security settings are blocking cookies or authentication

Try these steps in Edge first:

1. Check that cookies are allowed and not cleared on exit
   1. Open Edge and go to edge://settings/privacy.
   2. Under Clear browsing data on close, make sure Cookies and other site data is off.
   3. Under Privacy, ensure tracking prevention or other privacy features aren’t set to block all cookies.
2. Clear stale cookies and cache once
   1. Go to edge://settings/privacy.
   2. Under Clear browsing data, select Choose what to clear.
   3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
   4. Set Time range to All time and select Clear now.
   5. Restart Edge and sign in again to your websites, making sure to select any Remember me options.
3. Check Edge sign-in and profile
   1. Go to edge://settings/profiles.
   2. Confirm the profile is signed in and syncing (favorites/passwords should sync).
   3. If sign-in issues appear (repeated prompts, sign-in fails), follow the sign-in troubleshooting steps:
      • Clear cached credentials and cookies (as above) and try signing in again.
      • Verify the Microsoft account password and any MFA requirements by signing in via the web.
      • If the profile seems corrupted, remove and recreate the profile:
        • In edge://settings/profiles, select the problematic profile → Remove.
        • Restart Edge and create a new profile, then sign in again.
      • Be aware removing a profile deletes local browsing data that isn’t synced.
4. Check policies and network if Edge sign-in itself fails
   • Go to edge://policy and verify BrowserSignin isn’t set to 0 (disabled). If it is, contact the administrator to change it.
   • Ensure access to authentication endpoints such as https://login.microsoftonline.com and https://login.live.com from the network and that any proxy/firewall isn’t blocking them.

If automatic sign-in still fails across all browsers after these steps, the issue is likely with system-level account, token, or security settings, and further investigation of Windows account integration and network configuration is required.

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References:

• Fix Microsoft Edge not saving cookies or sign-in sessions across startups
• Troubleshoot common sign-in problems
• Troubleshoot sign in issues for support.microsoft.com
• Microsoft Edge identity support and configuration