Microsoft 365 keeps asking to sign in or apps will not open
What to do when Outlook, Teams or Word repeatedly ask you to sign in or show licence messages.
Reviewed 06 Nov 2026
Try these steps
- 1 Close all Office apps and Teams, then open just one app and sign in with your work email when asked.
- 2 Make sure the date and time on your computer are correct (Settings → Time & language). A wrong clock causes sign-in failures.
- 3 In a browser, sign in at office.com. If you cannot sign in there either, your account may need attention from IT.
- 4 In any Office app go to File → Account and check that it shows your work account and "Product Activated".
- 5 Restart the computer and try again.
- 6 Never share your password or the code from your authenticator app with anyone, including support staff.
Before you start
Work through the steps in order and stop as soon as the problem is fixed. Never share passwords or verification codes with anyone.
When to contact support
If sign-in fails in the browser too, or you see a message that your account is locked, open a ticket — IT will verify your identity and help.
Still not working?
Never share passwords or codes with anyone. Our team can take it from here.