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Outlook Keeps Prompting for Password First Steps

Creation date: 5/20/2026 2:33 PM    Updated: 7/27/2026 8:47 AM   credentials email login outlook password prompt
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Argus IT Help Desk · Email
Outlook Keeps Prompting for Password
Most password-prompt loops fix themselves in under five minutes — try these first.
ℹ
This walks you through quick fixes before submitting a ticket. Outlook repeatedly asking for your password is one of the most common issues at Argus, and it almost always has one of a handful of causes. Try the steps in order — the first three resolve about 80% of cases.
✅  Step 1: Test your password on the web
Before anything else, check whether your password actually works:
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.
✅ You sign in and see your mailbox
Your password is correct — the problem is on your computer. Continue to Step 2.
❌ "Incorrect password" or "Account locked"
Your password may have expired or your account is locked. Submit a ticket — skip the rest of these steps.
❌ Prompted for MFA but you don't have your Authenticator
See Setting Up Microsoft Authenticator on a New Phone.
🔄  Step 2: Close Outlook and restart your computer
Yes, really — this clears expired sign-in tokens, which cause a surprising number of these loops.
1
Save any open work.
2
Close Outlook completely (right-click its icon in the system tray and choose Quit if available).
3
Restart the computer: Start → Power → Restart — Restart specifically, not shut down and turn back on.
4
Open Outlook and let it prompt one time. Enter the password carefully.
💡 If Outlook behaves normally for five minutes after this, you're done.
🔁  Step 3: Make sure you're using the right Outlook
Argus computers may have two versions installed: Classic Outlook (the older, more capable one) and New Outlook (the streamlined one). They behave differently — if one keeps prompting, try the other:
1
Press the Windows key and type Outlook.
2
You may see both "Outlook" and "New Outlook" in the results.
3
Open the one you don't normally use.
💡 If the alternate version works cleanly, use it for now — and mention the switch in your ticket so we can clean up the broken installation.
🔧  Step 4: Check for Windows updates
Outdated systems can have sign-in issues. If you haven't restarted in over a week, updates are probably waiting:
1
Start → Settings → Windows Update.
2
Click Check for updates and install everything offered.
3
Restart when they finish, then try Outlook again.
🆘  When to submit a ticket
  • The web sign-in at www.outlook.com failed (Step 1).
  • You've done Steps 2–4 and Outlook still prompts repeatedly.
  • You get a specific error other than "password is incorrect."
  • You got a new phone and Microsoft Authenticator is no longer accessible.
  • The same thing is happening to several people at your property.
📝  What to include in your ticket
1
Which Outlook — Classic or New?
2
Does www.outlook.com work in a browser? Yes / no.
3
The exact error message (screenshot is ideal).
4
When it started — and what changed (new computer, password change, new phone…).
5
Which steps above you've already tried.
💡 The more of this you include upfront, the faster it gets fixed.
ArgusIT KB# 130008 · Tags: email · outlook · password · login · credentials · prompt
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