New outlook refusing one of my email accounts

Question

New outlook refusing one of my email accounts

Keven Hearn 0

I have 3 accounts in New Outlook on my PC windows 11. Today on opening Outlook insisted that I put passwords in to access all the accounts. Two of them were fine but Outlook continually refuses one of the passwords (which I have checked and is correct). I would appreciate your assistance please.

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Keven Hearn 0

Hello Victor,

Thank you for your message and for all your previous support.

I am pleased to hear that new outlook IS designed for multiple accounts (although Microsoft technical chat support assured me that this was NOT the case…….hence their change, on my behalf, back to the classic version) and I will (when I am feeling more confident!) have a go at running the two versions side by side…….there is much to be commended about New Outlook and I used it very comfortably.

Even when they had changed me back to classic outlook, it would still not work and I finally found the solution by trawling Apple and Orange(fr) who all offered a similar solution (in different languages!). This is the Apple one:

The error message "We couldn't log on to the incoming (IMAP) server" explicitly means that Outlook's connection to Apple is working, but Apple's security system is actively rejecting the password you entered.

Because Apple enforces Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Outlook cannot accept your primary Apple password. You must generate a single-use code to bypass this block.

The process is quite easy (even for dummies like me) and I hope that it may help any future sufferers and prevent the panic and loss of sleep that I went through……..Perhaps you could pass this on?

Thanks again for your help, support and morale boosting.

Kindest regards,

Keven

Victor1-V 13,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-11T14:23:01.19+00:00

Hi Keven,

I am pleased to hear that you identified the cause and restored the account using an Apple app-specific password. Your detailed findings may also assist others who encounter the same IMAP sign-in message.

I hope both Outlook versions continue to work reliably for you.

3 additional answers

Your answer

Victor1-V 13,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-11T14:23:01.19+00:00

Hi Keven,

I am pleased to hear that you identified the cause and restored the account using an Apple app-specific password. Your detailed findings may also assist others who encounter the same IMAP sign-in message.

I hope both Outlook versions continue to work reliably for you.

Answer 1

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Answer 2

Victor1-V 13,020 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Keven Hearn,

I understand that new Outlook accepts two accounts but repeatedly rejects the password for the third account.

Please note that this is a user-to-user forum, so contributors cannot access your account or view its sign-in details.

The Q&A Assist guidance is generally appropriate. Have you had a chance to try its new Outlook steps, particularly re-authenticating or removing and adding only the affected account?

I would also like to add one important check before resetting the app: please sign in to the affected account directly through the email provider’s website using the same password. If the website also rejects it or requests additional verification, the sign-in must be resolved with that provider first. If the website accepts it, please let me know:

The email provider, such as Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, or another provider.
The exact message shown by new Outlook, with any personal information removed.
Whether two-step verification is enabled.

An app password is necessary only when the provider requires one or Outlook specifically asks for it. New Outlook supports Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and other IMAP or POP accounts, but not on-premises Exchange accounts.

Please share those details so the next steps can be matched to the affected account without repeating unnecessary troubleshooting.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Victor1-V 13,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-08T13:41:23.0833333+00:00

I hope you are doing well, Keven!

I'm following up to check if you've had a chance to look over my reply.

Please feel free let me know if you need any further assistance. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Keven Hearn 0 Reputation points

2026-08-08T16:11:01.2833333+00:00

Hello Victor!

Thanks very much for your kind assistance to my problem.

The Microsoft support team chatted and worked remotely on my pc and, basically, after a fairly rigorous examination of my pc, came to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong with Microsoft New Outlook and that I should check with my ISP/internet provider who did extensive tests and confirmed that my email system was fully in order. (It has worked fine on all three accounts on my iPhone and out iPads during this whole debacle with New Outlook…….thank goodness!). They suggested that I should delete New Outlook and reinstall.

I was reluctant to do so without further advice. So I went back to Microsoft and passed on this information. Their fourth chat technician pointed out that I had New Outlook which was a free, inferior email service and was not designed to manage three accounts in this way. ( It had worked fine for a couple of years as part of my Microsoft 365 package until the other day I switched on the pc to discover that my New Outlook was empty and wanted my passwords to all my email accounts and, as you know, only accepted two of them.

I followed your advice up to point 5 (point 3 was particularly useful) and I would point out that I only “upgraded” to New Outlook following Microsoft’s urging (verging on on nagging) to do so……..how much better New Outlook is etc. etc.

So, I now have a virtually empty email system ( none of the previous information has uploaded) in the old Classic Outlook version and will have to consider the way ahead. I used to use both email systems in tandem quite successfully- using the stronger points of both systems but I have lost confidence in Microsoft Outlook (and inevitably in the company itself.) Thank God for the iOS email system or I would have been in real trouble.

Many thanks again for your interest and support.

Kindest regards,

<Signature has been removed>
Victor1-V 13,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-11T09:42:54.6533333+00:00

Hello Keven,

I am sorry this experience has left you without a practical desktop email setup and reduced your confidence in Outlook.

One point is worth clarifying: new Outlook is designed to support multiple accounts, including Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and other supported IMAP or POP accounts. Therefore, having three accounts should not by itself require changing to another Outlook product.

Since the accounts remain accessible on your Apple devices, your mailbox content should still be held by the email providers. Classic Outlook may need time to synchronize after the accounts are added, but locally stored or archived information may require the original Outlook data file.

For now, it is reasonable to continue using the working devices and avoid reinstalling new Outlook until you are comfortable proceeding. If you decide to revisit the desktop setup, new Outlook and classic Outlook can also be run side by side rather than replacing one immediately: Run new Outlook and classic Outlook side by side.

I hope you can restore a dependable desktop setup without any further disruption.
Keven Hearn 0 Reputation points

2026-08-13T05:55:34.1133333+00:00

Hello Victor,

I hope my return message has reached you……in case not, I have repeated it below. Have great day!

« Hello Victor,

Thank you for your message and for all your previous support.

I am pleased to hear that new outlook IS designed for multiple accounts (although Microsoft technical chat support assured me that this was NOT the case…….hence their change, on my behalf, back to the classic version) and I will (when I am feeling more confident!) have a go at running the two versions side by side…….there is much to be commended about New Outlook and I used it very comfortably.

Even when they had changed me back to classic outlook, it would still not work and I finally found the solution by trawling Apple and Orange(fr) who all offered a similar solution (in different languages!). This is the Apple one:

The error message "We couldn't log on to the incoming (IMAP) server" explicitly means that Outlook's connection to Apple is working, but Apple's security system is actively rejecting the password you entered.

Because Apple enforces Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Outlook cannot accept your primary Apple password. You must generate a single-use code to bypass this block.

The process is quite easy (even for dummies like me) and I hope that it may help any future sufferers and prevent the panic and loss of sleep that I went through……..Perhaps you could pass this on?

Thanks again for your help, support and morale boosting.

Kindest regards,«
Victor1-V 13,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-13T09:53:54.02+00:00

Hello Keven,

I have reviewed your latest update and recommended it as an answer.

Thank you for keeping me informed.

Answer 3

For the account that keeps failing, use this sequence:

Confirm which password that account should use.
- If it is an Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live, or Microsoft 365 account, use that account’s Microsoft password.
- If it is Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, or another provider, use that provider’s password.
If that password was changed recently on the provider’s website, update the sign-in in new Outlook.
- Select the icon next to the email account name.
- In the pop-up, select Continue.
- Follow the prompts and enter the new password.
If new Outlook shows a message like Please create an app password for Outlook on your email provider's site, generate an app password with that email provider and use that in Outlook instead of the normal password.
Check whether the account type is supported in new Outlook for Windows. Supported account types include:
- Microsoft 365 work and school accounts (Exchange Online)
- Outlook.com / Hotmail
- Gmail
- Yahoo
- iCloud
- Other accounts connecting via IMAP and POP On-premises Exchange accounts are not supported in new Outlook for Windows.
If the account still fails, remove and add that one account again in new Outlook.
- Go to Settings > Accounts > Your accounts.
- Manage the affected account, remove it, then add it again.
If the problem started after Outlook asked for passwords again and it still loops, repair the app.
- Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Outlook (new) > Advanced options.
- Try Repair first.
- If needed, use Reset, then open new Outlook and add the account again.
If Outlook never gives a password prompt for an IMAP account in classic Outlook, Microsoft’s workaround is to add it through Control Panel > Mail > Email Accounts > New and make sure Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) is unchecked. This applies to classic Outlook, not new Outlook, but it helps if the same account is being tested there.

If the failing account is a third-party mailbox and Outlook specifically reports You may need to make an app password, that issue in new Outlook for Windows is listed as fixed. If it still appears, re-adding the account is the next supported step.

References: