When Microsoft Outlook keeps asking for your password, it's usually due to issues with account settings, connectivity, or cached credentials. Here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve this:
Clear Cached Credentials:
On Windows, go to the Credential Manager (Control Panel → User Accounts → Credential Manager).
Look for any saved credentials related to your email account, Microsoft or Outlook, and remove them.
Restart Outlook and re-enter your password.
Check Account Settings:
Open Outlook, go to File → Account Settings → Manage Profiles.
Ensure that the username and password are entered correctly.
If you're using a third-party email provider, make sure the server settings (IMAP/POP and SMTP) are accurate.
Enable “Remember Password”:
While logging into your email account in Outlook, ensure the “Remember Password” option is checked.
Verify Connectivity:
Ensure you have a stable internet connection.
Test if your email account works on another device or through a browser to confirm it's not a server issue.
Update Outlook:
Check if you're running the latest version of Outlook. Updates can resolve bugs and improve compatibility.
Try New Outlook:
The new version of Outlook seems to resolve this issue, flick the switch in the top right corner to try the new version of Outlook.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):
If 2FA is enabled on your email account, you may need to generate an app password to use in Outlook. Check your email provider's website for instructions.
Outlook Profile Issues:
Create a new profile in Outlook:
Go to Control Panel → Mail → Show Profiles.
Add a new profile, set it as default, and configure your account again.
Repair Outlook Installation:
In Windows, go to Control Panel → Programs and Features.
Find Microsoft Office, select Change, and choose the Repair option.
Antivirus or Firewall Conflict:
Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall to see if it resolves the issue. Remember to enable it again afterward.
Active Directory Authentication Library (ADAL):
The EnableADAL registry setting in Windows is related to enabling or disabling Active Directory Authentication Library (ADAL) for applications like Microsoft Outlook and Office 365. ADAL is used to support modern authentication, which allows features such as multifactor authentication (MFA), Conditional Access, and Single Sign-On (SSO).
Location: The registry key can usually be found under:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\<version>\Common\Identity
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\<version>\Common\Identity Replace <version> with the Office version (e.g., 16.0 for Office 2016 or Office 365).
Values:
1 (Default): Enables ADAL (modern authentication).
0: Disables ADAL (falls back to basic authentication).
Purpose of the setting: If this setting is configured to 0, Outlook and other Office apps revert to basic authentication, which may lack the security and features of modern authentication. Setting it to 1 enables secure, modern authentication workflows.