Unable to login to Microsoft outlook exchange account

Howard Barker 20 Reputation points
2026-09-02T16:15:39.7333333+00:00

A few weeks ago my hard drive on my desktop computer got corrupted somehow, after which I had to re-install some apps include my Office 2016 suite. For some bizarre reason I could not login to outlook, it just kept looping around asking for accounts & passwords.

I assume some data/apps/config had been corrupted so I wiped my drive & re-installed Windows 11, along with my apps & lastly Office 2016. After the failure I needed to access may mail so I installed Office 2016 on my laptop, everything is working fine on the laptop, it is running Windows 11 & the setup was straight forward & worked 1st time.

When it came to install Office back on my desktop, everything went ok, except for Outlook. I entered by info on the auto account setup, but when I select [Next], I get the 'Searching for you mail server settings' I get a variety of error messages.

I have tried a pop3 account and or my exchange account, the same thing happens, I validate with my phone, but the screen keeps looping between entering my data & validating.

When I try to add my profile via the control panel/Mail option, I enter my name, mail account & password, the form pops up saving that 'An encrypted connection for your email server is not available', sometimes i get 'We are having trouble connecting to your account......etc'

I can access my account when using the web based outlook app on this desktop, so I know my account details are valid.

[Error Messages]

Log onto Exchange ActiveSync mail server (EAS): The username or password you entered isn’t working. Please try typing them again.

Regards
Howard

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home
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Answer accepted by question author
Hendrix-V 18,525 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-09-03T04:05:18.8+00:00

Hi Howard Barker,

Based on the information shared, it appears the mailbox itself is accessible through Outlook on the web and works correctly on another Windows 11 device. This suggests the account credentials are likely valid, and the issue may be related to the Outlook profile, authentication components, or local connectivity on the affected desktop.

You may want to try the following:

1, Create a new Outlook profile:

  • Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles.
  • Select Add, create a new profile, and configure the account again.
  • Set the new profile as the default and test Outlook.

2, Clear stored Office credentials:

  • Open Credential Manager > Windows Credentials.
  • Remove any Outlook, Office, Exchange, or Microsoft 365 related entries.
  • Restart the PC and try adding the account again.

3, Verify connectivity and authentication:

  • Temporarily disable any third-party security software or web filtering tools.
  • Ensure the system date, time, and time zone are correct.
  • Test the account setup while connected to a different network if possible.

4, Repair Office:

  • Go to Settings > Apps > Microsoft Office 2016 > Modify.
  • Run a Quick Repair first, then an Online Repair if needed.

Since the same account works successfully on another device and through Outlook on the web, comparing the desktop's Outlook configuration and security settings with the working laptop may help identify the difference more quickly.

I hope this helps point you in the right direction. Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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