Outlook Keeps Prompting for Password — First Steps

ℹ️ This article walks you through quick fixes BEFORE submitting a ticket. Most Outlook password-prompt issues can be resolved in under 5 minutes by following the steps below. If these steps don't work, the bottom of this article tells you what to include when you submit a ticket so we can resolve it quickly.

Outlook prompting repeatedly for your password is one of the most common issues at Argus. It almost always has one of a handful of causes, and most can be fixed without IT involvement. Try the steps below in order — the first three resolve about 80% of cases.

Quick Fixes — Try These First

Step 1: Test your password on the web

Before doing anything else, verify your password actually works by signing in directly on the web.

1. Open a web browser (Edge or Chrome).
2. Go to www.outlook.com.
3. Sign in with your full Argus email address and password.

What happens:

• ✅ You sign in successfully and see your mailbox → your password is correct. The issue is on your computer; continue to Step 2.
• ❌ You get "Incorrect password" or "Account locked" → your password may have expired or your account may be locked. Submit a ticket; you do not need to try the other steps below.
• ❌ You're prompted for MFA but don't have your Authenticator → see the related article on Microsoft Authenticator setup.

Step 2: Close Outlook and restart your computer

Yes, really. This resolves a surprising number of authentication issues caused by expired session tokens.

1. Save any open work.
2. Close Outlook completely (right-click the Outlook icon in the system tray and choose "Quit" if available).
3. Restart your computer (Start → Power → Restart — NOT shut down and turn back on).
4. After restart, open Outlook and let it prompt for your password ONE time. Enter it carefully.

If Outlook works normally for at least 5 minutes after this, you're done.

Step 3: Make sure you're using the right Outlook

Argus computers may have two versions of Outlook installed:

• Classic Outlook (the older, more capable version — desktop icon may say "Outlook" or "Outlook (Classic)")
• New Outlook (the newer streamlined version — icon may say "New Outlook" or simply "Outlook")

These behave differently. If you're getting password prompts in one, try the other:

1. Press the Windows key and type Outlook.
2. You may see both "Outlook" and "New Outlook" in the search results.
3. Try opening the one you don't normally use.

If the alternate version opens cleanly without password prompts, use that one for now and mention this in your ticket so we can clean up the broken installation.

Less Common Causes (Try These Next)

Step 4: Check that your computer is fully updated

Outdated systems can have authentication issues. If you haven't restarted in over a week, your computer likely has pending updates.

1. Click Start → Settings → Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates and install everything offered.
3. Restart after updates complete.
4. Try Outlook again.

When to Submit a Ticket

Submit a ticket if:

• The web sign-in at www.outlook.com failed (Step 1).
• You've gone through Steps 2–4 and Outlook still prompts repeatedly.
• You're getting a specific error message other than "password is incorrect."
• You recently got a new phone and Microsoft Authenticator is no longer accessible.
• The same issue is happening to multiple people at the same property (likely a broader problem).

What to Include in Your Ticket

To help us resolve this quickly, please tell us:

1. Which Outlook are you using — Classic Outlook or New Outlook?
2. Does www.outlook.com work for you in a browser? Yes / No.
3. What exact error message appears? (Screenshot is ideal.)
4. When did this start? Did anything change recently (new computer, password change, new phone, etc.)?
5. Which steps above have you already tried?

The more of this you can include upfront, the faster we can resolve the issue.

Related Articles

• Setting up Microsoft Authenticator on a New Phone
• New User Onboarding Request — What to Include
• Password Reset and Account Lockout — What to Do

KB-130008 | Created: May 20, 2026