Outlook Keeps Asking for Password — 8 Fixes That Work

You enter your password, Outlook accepts it… then asks again a minute later. This password loop is one of the most reported Outlook problems, and it's especially common after a password change, a Windows update, or when enabling two-factor authentication. Here's how to stop it for good.

Why Does Outlook Keep Asking for Your Password?

Before fixing it, it helps to understand why it happens. The most common causes are:

• Your password was changed and Outlook's stored credential is outdated
• Two-factor authentication is enabled but you're using your regular password (not an App Password)
• The Windows Credential Manager has a corrupted or duplicate entry for your account
• Outlook's authentication token has expired and can't silently refresh
• A security policy (common in corporate environments) blocks Outlook from caching credentials
• Your SMTP/IMAP settings don't match what your server expects

Fix 1: Update Your Password in Outlook

If you recently changed your email password, Outlook still has the old one stored. The prompt is Outlook telling you authentication failed with the cached password.

1. When the password prompt appears, type your new password and click OK
2. Check the "Remember my credentials" box before clicking OK
3. If that doesn't stick, proceed to Fix 2 to clear the cached entry first

Fix 2: Clear Credentials from Windows Credential Manager

Windows Credential Manager stores all saved passwords. If there's a stale or corrupted entry for your email account, it overrides what you type in Outlook's prompt.

1. Open the Start menu and search for Credential Manager
2. Click Windows Credentials
3. Look for entries containing your email address, your mail server name, or "MicrosoftOffice"
4. Click each one and select Remove
5. Restart Outlook — it will ask for your password once, enter it and check "Remember my credentials"

Fix 3: Create a Gmail or Microsoft App Password (if 2FA is On)

This is the most common cause for Gmail and Microsoft accounts. When two-factor authentication is enabled, your regular password is blocked for third-party apps like Outlook. You need an App Password.

For Gmail:

1. Go to myaccount.google.com → Security → 2-Step Verification → App passwords
2. Create a new app password for "Mail" on "Windows Computer"
3. Copy the 16-character code
4. In Outlook: File → Account Settings → Change → enter the App Password

For Microsoft 365 / Outlook.com:

1. Go to account.microsoft.com → Security → Advanced security options → App passwords
2. Create a new app password, copy it
3. Use it in Outlook's password prompt

Fix 4: Uncheck "Always Prompt for Credentials"

1. In Outlook, go to File → Account Settings → Account Settings
2. Select your email account and click Change
3. Click More Settings → Security
4. Make sure "Always prompt for logon credentials" is unchecked
5. Click OK → Next → Finish

Fix 5: Re-add Your Email Account from Scratch

Corrupted account profiles cause persistent issues that no password fix can solve. Removing and re-adding the account resets everything.

1. File → Account Settings → Account Settings
2. Select your account and click Remove
3. Confirm the removal
4. Click New and add your account fresh, using the correct server settings

Important: Removing an IMAP account doesn't delete your emails — they remain on the server and re-sync automatically.

Fix 6: Recreate the Outlook Profile

The Outlook profile stores all your account and settings data. A corrupted profile causes all sorts of problems including password loops.

1. Close Outlook
2. Open Control Panel → Mail → Show Profiles
3. Click Add to create a new profile, give it a name
4. Set it as the default profile and add your account to it
5. Delete the old profile if the new one works correctly

Fix 7: Check for Windows / Office Updates

Microsoft has released patches for known authentication loop bugs in Outlook. Make sure you're on the latest version:

• In Outlook: File → Office Account → Update Options → Update Now
• In Windows: Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates

Fix 8: Disable Modern Authentication (Last Resort)

In some corporate or hybrid Microsoft 365 environments, "Modern Authentication" (OAuth2) can cause Outlook to loop. If none of the above worked and you're in a corporate environment, contact your IT department — they may need to adjust the authentication policy for your account.

Quick Summary