Authentication Errors

Question

I am setting up a new system, the second of two, so I am well within my MS 356 Personal Limit.

Please notice the error where my name should be, and notice the error when entering in my PIN. I have to enter in a long and complicated password because I am also receiving errors that it cannot send a Code to my Cell at this time.

Any idea why this is happening?

Thank you,

Answer 1

Hi Emma,

Good morning and thank you for getting back to me, I sincerely appreciate it.

(1) Yes. If your subscription is Microsoft 365 Personal, the installed apps may simply show "Microsoft 365". To verify, check https://account.microsoft.com/services and confirm that Microsoft 365 Personal is listed under your subscriptions. Yes, it does say MS 365 Personal. (2) The screenshot shows your Gmail address was receiving Microsoft security notifications at the time that password-change email was sent. To check or re-add it:

All set, thank you.

(2) The screenshot shows your Gmail address was receiving Microsoft security notifications at the time that password-change email was sent. To check or re-add it: There was no 'Advanced security' option, but I did find it under "Manage how I sign in":

What is interesting is that I am experiencing no authentication issues at all with Edge. I was using Chrome on the old system and when I put 365 Personal on this new system and using Chrome it was constantly rejecting my credentials. Go figure.

I want to thank you for not bailing on me but rather hanging in there until it was solved.

I am sending you a Private Message.
All the very best,

Moderator note: PII removed

Answer 2

Emma,

I desperately need your help. I received this from Stefan, Volunteer Moderator:

Sorry, I'm running out of ideas here. You will have to contact Microsoft support for further assistance. Go to https://support.microsoft.com/contactus and start a chat. Note that getting in touch with the correct support person may be a time-consuming task, unfortunately.

**MY REPLY at **Aug 17, 2026, 6:42 AM. Located here and below:

"Stefan,

"Sorry, I'm running out of ideas here. You will have to contact Microsoft support for further assistance. Go to https://support.microsoft.com/contactus and start a chat. Note that getting in touch with the correct support person may be a time-consuming task, unfortunately."

I cannot accept that. To address this in a Chat with the plethora of screen captures, issues, is well beyond the scope of a Chat.

If you are unable to solve this, please route it to a higher Tier. Starting at Square One with someone else is out of the question. I may as well just request a Refund (renewed last June) and if denied than have it charged back due to being sent to a Chat when a Moderator cannot arrive at a solution or route it to a higher Support Tier.

As I understand it, the 'New' Outlook is free to anyone and does not require a subscription, is that correct? If so, then I would continue to use the New Outlook and go to Open Office by Oracle.

I do not want to but you are tying my hands.

Please move this to a higher Support Tier. I do appreciate your help, make no mistake about that. But I am not moving to a Chat given the depth of these problems. It hasn't even been established that I have in fact MS 365 Personal, though that is the only option available to me:

Please advise and thank you,

Moderator note: PII removed"

We need to figure out what is going on. When I went to log into account.microsoft.com this morning my Passkey again returned this error:

It is not doing this on the old system. As I explained to Stefan, we are too deep into this with far too many screen captures and details to move this to a Chat. If you cannot help then this needs to go to a higher Support Tier.

All the best,

Moderator note: PII removed

Answer 3

Hi Emma,

I just sent a lengthy reply that can be found here. I did not get the Tech's name and in fact it may have been you.

The other Thread you may find interesting which may shed light is here. Tech is Stefan Blom, nice guy.

All the best and thank you for your help!

Moderator note: PII removed

Answer 4

• During setup, are both affected systems connected to the Internet when this prompt appears? 

Only the new download of Microsoft 365 to the new system is having issues.

SIDENOTE: Typically I log in with a Pin. It rejected it. I then tried a password that I just changed yesterday. It told that the password was incorrect.

• Open https://account.microsoft.com/security and confirm that your phone number and alternate email are still listed as verification methods. 

Name, phone number are correct but were found under Your Info ---> Account Info, not Security. I setup an alternate email, not seeing any field for that now. Where it went, I do not know. I have an email in my Gmail confirming it's use as recovery. This information is not working:

"Steps for Personal Microsoft Accounts

• Open a browser and go to your Microsoft Account Dashboard.
• Click Security on the top menu bar.
• Select Advanced security options.
• Click Add a new way to sign in or verify.
• Choose Email a code, enter your recovery email address, and type the security code sent to that address to confirm it."
• "If you have the Microsoft Authenticator app configured, try selecting Approve sign-in with a mobile app instead of SMS verification."
  No, I do not. SMS goes directly to my cell.
• • "On the affected PC, select Use your password and complete sign-in. After reaching the desktop, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and check whether your name appears correctly there." I signed out, attempted to Sign In. It requested my Passkey. This have NEVER happened:
  • 
  Then this when I cancelled: This time it accepted the password that it said was incorrect before. Note the information above "Sign In another Way".The above was with Chrome. I have switched to Edge. Login is not an issue and my PassKey is not kicking back.Lastly: "Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread." I take it the below will ensure delivery?
  

Thank you for your help. There is still an underlying issue when I have to change Browsers, though. Hence I have to mark this as still 'Open' if you will.

Any feedback on the above is greatly appreciated and again, thank you! -Moderator note: PII removed

Answer 5

Welcome LGLDSR73-6492,

Since this is a public forum, we will hide your personal identifiable information, and I have sent that image of yours containing your personal identifiable information in a private message so we can work together to resolve the issue.

Thank you for providing the screenshot. Based on the image, Windows is unable to use a previously registered sign-in method to verify your identity and is requiring the Microsoft account password instead. I also notice that your account name is not displaying normally and is instead showing what appears to be an internal identifier. 

Before suggesting more advanced troubleshooting, could you please confirm: 

• During setup, are both affected systems connected to the Internet when this prompt appears? 

In the meantime, please try these quick checks: 

• Sign in to https://account.microsoft.com from a web browser using the same account and verify that the account name displays correctly there. 
• Open https://account.microsoft.com/security and confirm that your phone number and alternate email are still listed as verification methods. 
• If you have the Microsoft Authenticator app configured, try selecting Approve sign-in with a mobile app instead of SMS verification. 
• On the affected PC, select Use your password and complete sign-in. After reaching the desktop, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and check whether your name appears correctly there. 

If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes". If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".   

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.