If Outlook keeps asking for your password every time it opens, or the password box comes back even after you enter the correct password, the problem is not always the password itself.
Outlook may have an old password saved, the email provider may require you to sign in again, or the Outlook account on the computer may have stopped authenticating correctly. This can happen after changing your email password, installing an Office update, changing email providers, or simply after Outlook has been working normally for a long time.
Before changing too many settings, first work out whether the email account itself is working.
Give the update some time
If the percentage is still changing occasionally, leave the computer connected to power and let it continue.
Feature updates can take much longer than smaller security updates.
Avoid forcing the computer off while Windows is on a full-screen update message unless it has clearly remained frozen for a very long time.
If you are still inside Windows and the update is stuck in Settings > Windows Update, continue with the steps below.
Test your email in webmail
Open your email provider’s website and sign in to your mailbox there.
For example, use Outlook.com for a Microsoft address, Gmail for a Gmail address, or your provider’s normal webmail page.
If the password does not work in webmail either, reset the email password with the provider first. Outlook cannot connect until the account itself accepts the password.
If webmail works normally, the problem is probably limited to Outlook on the computer.
Restart Outlook and the computer
Close Outlook completely and restart the computer.
Open Outlook again and enter the password once if it asks.
Make sure you are entering the password for the email account, not your Windows PIN or computer login password.
If there is an option to remember the password or stay signed in, select it.
Think about whether the password was recently changed
If you recently changed the email password on your phone or provider’s website, Outlook may still be trying to use the old password.
Allow Outlook to prompt again and enter the new password carefully.
For accounts such as Gmail or Microsoft 365, Outlook may open a separate sign-in window. Complete that sign-in rather than closing it and repeatedly typing the password into Outlook.
Check for Office updates
Open Outlook and go to File > Office Account.
Choose Update Options > Update Now if that option is available.
An outdated Outlook installation can sometimes have sign-in problems, especially when an email provider changes its security or login method.
Restart Outlook after the update finishes.
Clear saved Outlook sign-in details
If Outlook keeps asking for the password but webmail works normally, Windows may still be holding an old sign-in for Outlook.
Close Outlook.
Open Control Panel > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials.
Look for saved entries that clearly mention Outlook, Microsoft Office, Microsoft 365, or the affected email account.
Remove those saved Outlook or Office credentials, then restart the computer.
Open Outlook again and sign in with the current email password.
Try a new Outlook profile
If the same password prompt continues, the Outlook profile itself may be damaged or holding old account information.
Close Outlook.
Open Control Panel, search for Mail, then choose Show Profiles.
Create a new profile and add your email account to it.
Open Outlook using the new profile and test sending and receiving mail.
If the new profile works normally, you can continue using it instead of the old one.
When Outlook keeps asking for a password on several devices at the same time, check with the email provider because the issue may be with the account rather than one Windows computer.
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