iPhone keeps asking for Outlook password? How to fix it
If your iPhone keeps asking for your Outlook password, the account in the Mail app is almost always set up with an old sign-in method. Delete the account in Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts (Settings > Mail > Accounts on older iOS), then add it again and choose Outlook.com (or Microsoft Exchange for a work or school account). That switches Mail to Microsoft's modern sign-in, and the "Enter password for Outlook account" pop-up stops.
This guide explains why the prompt keeps popping up, how to fix it in Apple Mail step by step, what to try when re-adding the account is not enough, and when the cause is on Microsoft's side rather than your iPhone.
Why does my iPhone keep asking for my Outlook password?
The iPhone keeps asking for your Outlook password because Microsoft no longer accepts Basic Authentication (a plain username and password) for Outlook.com, Hotmail and Live accounts. According to Microsoft's support article on Modern Authentication, Basic Authentication stopped working for all Outlook accounts on September 16, 2024, and accounts still using it saw recurring password prompts before failing completely.
Apple Mail uses Modern Authentication (OAuth, the browser-style Microsoft sign-in) by default, but only when the account was added with the Outlook.com option. Accounts added through "Other" with manual IMAP or POP settings, or old setups carried over from earlier iPhones and backups, still send a plain password. Microsoft rejects it, and Mail asks again, which explains why typing the correct password changes nothing.
Other common triggers:
- You changed your Microsoft account password on another device, and Mail still stores the old one.
- Microsoft has an authentication problem that forces a fresh sign-in.
- A work or school account is governed by sign-in policies set by your organization.
How to fix the Outlook password prompt in iPhone Mail
The fix that Microsoft itself recommends is to delete the Outlook account from Mail and add it again with the Outlook.com option. Your mail stays on Microsoft's servers, so nothing is lost, but copy your email signature first because it is removed with the account.
- Open Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts. On iOS 17 and earlier, the path is Settings > Mail > Accounts.
- Tap the Outlook, Hotmail or Live account and tap Delete Account, then confirm.
- Go back to Mail Accounts and tap Add Account.
- Choose Outlook.com (not Other, and not a manual IMAP setup).
- Sign in on the Microsoft page that opens, approve the access request, and choose what to sync (Mail, Contacts, Calendars).
- Open Mail and check that new messages arrive without a prompt.
If you use a work or school account through Microsoft 365, choose Microsoft Exchange in step 4 and sign in with your work address. When the Exchange screen offers "Sign In", use it rather than "Configure Manually", so Mail uses the Microsoft sign-in page.
What to do if re-adding the account does not stop the prompt
If the Outlook password prompt returns after re-adding the account, clear the old sign-in data and restart before adding the account a second time. Microsoft lists this as the follow-up step for Apple Mail in its Basic authentication guidance for Outlook.com.
- Delete the account again in Mail Accounts.
- Clear Safari's history and website data (Settings > Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data; on iOS 17 and earlier, Settings > Safari). This removes the cached Microsoft sign-in session.
- Restart the iPhone.
- Add the account again with Outlook.com and sign in through the Microsoft page.
Before you do this, confirm the password itself works. Sign in at outlook.com in a browser on a computer. If the password is rejected there, reset it through Microsoft's password reset page first, then update the iPhone. If you only changed the password recently and the account type is already Outlook.com, Microsoft's iOS Mail troubleshooting article says to open the account in Mail Accounts, enter the correct password in the account settings and tap Done.
Which fix matches your Outlook account setup?
The right fix depends on the type of Outlook account and the app you use on the iPhone. Use this table to pick a starting point.
| Your setup | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook.com, Hotmail or Live added as "Other" or IMAP | Basic Authentication, no longer accepted | Delete and re-add with the Outlook.com option |
| Outlook.com account added as Outlook.com | Changed password or stale sign-in session | Update the password, or clear Safari data, restart and re-add |
| Work or school account (Microsoft 365) | Manual Exchange setup or company sign-in policy | Re-add with Microsoft Exchange and "Sign In", then ask your IT team |
| Outlook app for iOS | Expired session after a password change | Remove the account in the app and add it again |
Switching to manual IMAP is no longer a fix for Outlook.com accounts in Apple Mail. Older guides recommended it, but a manual IMAP account sends a plain password, which is exactly what Microsoft blocks.
When the problem is Microsoft, not your iPhone
A sudden wave of Outlook password prompts on many devices at once usually points to a Microsoft service problem, and no setting on the iPhone fixes it. Check the Microsoft service status page, look for Outlook.com under Microsoft consumer products, and wait for the incident to clear before deleting accounts.
During an outage, the Outlook app or outlook.com in Safari often keeps working while Apple Mail shows errors such as "Account not authenticated" or "Cannot Get Mail". If both fail, the outage is the likely cause.
If you prefer to stop depending on Apple Mail for Microsoft accounts, the official Microsoft Outlook app signs in with Microsoft's own authentication and supports Outlook.com and Microsoft 365 accounts. You can also block ads in the Outlook app for iOS if you switch.
FAQ
Will I lose my emails if I delete the Outlook account from my iPhone?
No. Outlook.com and Microsoft 365 mail is stored on Microsoft's servers, so it syncs back when you add the account again. Only local items such as your Mail signature need to be saved first.
Does the same fix work on iPad?
Yes. iPadOS uses the same Mail settings, so delete the account and add it again with the Outlook.com option on the iPad as well.
Why does the prompt keep coming back after an iOS update?
An update can require Mail to sign in again. If the prompt returns, check that the account was added as Outlook.com, then sign in again.
Can someone else's device cause the prompts?
Not directly, but a password change made on another device leaves the iPhone with an outdated password. If you did not change the password yourself, review recent activity in your Microsoft account and reset the password. To stop other people from changing accounts on a shared iPhone, you can block account changes with Screen Time.
Related: iPhone speaker not working fixes, email recall in Outlook for Mac, fixing email that stops working
Just had this experience myself with IOS Mail app asking for Outlook mail password. Seems like either its Apple or Microsoft who can’t get their shit together.