Outlook not staying connected to my work email address

If Outlook stays connected for only a few minutes and then asks to sign in again, use this order of troubleshooting:

1. Confirm whether Outlook is offline or disconnected
   • In Outlook, check the status bar at the bottom.
   • If it shows Working Offline, go to Send/Receive and select Work Offline to reconnect.
   • If it shows Disconnected, Outlook is not connected to the mail server.
2. Check whether the account works in Outlook on the web
   • If the work email signs in and sends/receives mail in the browser, the mailbox and server are likely fine and the problem is with the Outlook client.
3. Clear stored Windows credentials
   • Close Outlook.
   • Open Credential Manager from the Start menu.
   • Select Windows Credentials.
   • Remove Outlook, Microsoft Office, Microsoft account, or Exchange-related saved credentials.
   • Reopen Outlook and sign in again.
   • This is one of the most common fixes for repeated sign-in prompts and disconnected status.
4. Turn off repeated logon prompting
   • In Outlook, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
   • Select the work account, then choose Change.
   • Open More Settings > Security.
   • Clear Always prompt for logon credentials.
   • Restart Outlook.
5. Create a new Outlook profile
   • Close Outlook.
   • Open Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
   • Select Show Profiles > Add.
   • Create a new profile and add the work account.
   • Set the new profile as the one to use, then start Outlook and sign in again.
   • This helps when the existing Outlook profile is corrupted.
6. Update Outlook
   • In Outlook, go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.
   • Restart Outlook after the update.
7. Use Microsoft’s automated repair tool
   • Run Support and Recovery Assistant for Microsoft 365 if the issue continues. It can diagnose and fix common Outlook connectivity problems.

If the account works in Outlook on the web but desktop Outlook still loops on sign-in after these steps, the issue is typically client-side authentication or profile related.

References:

• How to work offline in Outlook for Windows
• Fix Outlook connection problems for Microsoft 365 account
• Outlook work account keeps prompting for password or fails to connect - Microsoft Q&A
• Outlook Shows "Disconnected" in Status Bar But Internet is Working Perfectly - Microsoft Q&A