credentials needed

Mary Doel 0 Reputation points
2026-08-31T18:24:46.8266667+00:00

My email is saying credentials needed but when I get code or log in with my password it says password or account doesn't exist.

Any ideas how to fix this?

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator
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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-31T18:25:01.8533333+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Use the Microsoft account Sign-in Helper first. It checks the email address or phone number entered and identifies common sign-in problems: Sign-in helper.
    2. Verify the account name carefully:
      • Check the spelling of the email name.
      • Check the email domain such as .com vs .co.uk.
      • If the address is not recognized, try another alias or phone number that may be on the account.
    3. If the password is correct but sign-in still fails, use Recover your account and follow the code verification steps: Recover your account.
    4. If the sign-in page says “We couldn't find an account with that username” or “account doesn't exist”, use the Sign-in Helper again. If the username still is not found, contact support through the provided support option.
    5. If the issue is with verification methods and the phone number or email shown is unfamiliar, select “I don't have any of these” during sign-in and follow the prompts.
    6. If this is in the Outlook mobile app, recurring credentials needed prompts can also happen when the app is outdated. Update to the latest Outlook mobile app version.
    7. If the account has not been signed in to for more than two years, it may have been deleted and can no longer be reopened.

    Important:

    • If unrequested verification codes are arriving, do not respond to them.
    • If two-step verification is turned on and none of the alternate verification methods are accessible, support agents cannot reset the account or change account details.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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