Microsoft Exchange on my iPhone keeps asking for a password

Deleting the account from my iPad and adding the account back choosing "Outlook" fixed the issue.

As explained in Microsoft's document, the issue arises from the old "Basic Authentication" method being retired. Full details are in the Microsoft document.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/outlook-and-other-apps-are-unable-to-connect-to-outlook-com-when-using-basic-authentication-f4202ebf-89c6-4a8a-bec3-3d60cf7deaef

If you are using the Outlook app you will have to get support from Microsoft.

If you are using the built-in mail app and you have 2 factor authentication for your Exchange account (not for your Apple ID) you will need to create an app-specific password. You can also create a passkey; log in to your MS-365 account on your computer to set that up.

I had a similar problem.

My fix was that I deleted the 'account', then used the same credentials to add back the same account, BUT adding as outlook.com, NOT Microsoft Exchange as it had been set up.

Like this:

On iPhone, select 'Settings' > 'Mail" > 'Accounts' > select desired account and click 'Delete Account'.

Reboot phone (not sure it's necessary.)

Then, select 'Settings' > 'Mail" > 'Accounts' > 'Add Account' > from the list, select 'Outlook.com' and follow the prompts to 'add' the same account you already had.

I did the same thing on my iPad and it worked there as well.

Hope this helps - the problem was driving me nuts.

Microsoft changed login security standards at the end of January, so whatever problem you had since the iPhone 4S was a different problem from the current one. The new standard for MS Exchange is OAUTH, and the easiest way to update to it is to delete the account, restart your phone and add it back.

If it’s OK using the Outlook app, then the first step is to go to Settings/Mail/Accounts, tap on the MS account and delete it. Next restart your phone. Then add the account back. If that doesn’t fix it Microsoft has changed the requirements for 3rd party mail apps (other than Outlook); they no longer support simple passwords, and you may need to set up the account differently. So the place to go is Microsoft’s support site.

The fix for me was settings>Calendar>Accounts>Exchange and then re-entering my outlook password.

It's frustrating that the notification doesn't bring you right to there when you press "edit settings". My exchange account keeps logging out (I believe it's a security measure) and I wasn't able to find where to put my password back in.

Stephen_TX wrote:

I've been having the same password issues with Microsoft Exchange on both an iPhone 13 and iPad 10. After repeated Delete Account, forced shutdown and re-boot, and reload MExchange, it usually works, but then stops synching or again asks for Password or Incorrect Password. However, I've discovered what appears to be the issue - the "Automatic Reply" setting in the Exchange Account details (Mail, Contacts, etc.) keeps hanging up with "Loading..." vs. "On" or "Off". Once that's stable (i.e. either On or Off), everything else loads, and the Password messages stop. I too am wondering if it's a Microsoft issue or iOS 17.3, which is when the problem began. My wife's iPad Gen 4 has not experienced the problem, and it's running 17.2..

Well, you could read the post right above yours, which answers your question: it IS a Microsoft issue.

This is what MS said about the issue on 26th: https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/outlook-and-other-apps-are-unable-to-connect-to-outlook-com-f4202ebf-89c6-4a8a-bec3-3d60cf7deaef

Last Updated: January 26, 2024

ISSUE

Outlook and other apps are unable to connect to Outlook.com.  

Some users have reported that signing in with an App Password works to connect but later goes back into a disconnected state. 

Since starting around 1/23/24 users have reported issues connecting with Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, Outlook for Microsoft 365, Thunderbird, and mobile email apps when connecting with POP, IMAP, and Exchange connections.

Related discussions are in this Answers thread.

STATUS: INVESTIGATING

What fixed it for me is going to settings, then calendar, then accounts, then click on the exchange account and re enter the password.

I've been having the same password issues with Microsoft Exchange on both an iPhone 13 and iPad 10. After repeated Delete Account, forced shutdown and re-boot, and reload MExchange, it usually works, but then stops synching or again asks for Password or Incorrect Password. However, I've discovered what appears to be the issue - the "Automatic Reply" setting in the Exchange Account details (Mail, Contacts, etc.) keeps hanging up with "Loading..." vs. "On" or "Off". Once that's stable (i.e. either On or Off), everything else loads, and the Password messages stop. I too am wondering if it's a Microsoft issue or iOS 17.3, which is when the problem began. My wife's iPad Gen 4 has not experienced the problem, and it's running 17.2..

I have now sorted out the problem.

Although, I had deleted the Apple Mail app long time ago, it was still asking for password!

When I re/installed the app, the pop up came up when I opened the MAIL app.

After entering the correct password, the pop up still kept coming.

I noticed that MAIL APP did not have up to date emails and it was checking but not loading new emails.

So I checked setting again and deleted the hotmail LIVE account as it had OUTLOOK email account for my hotmail email.

Hey presto, problem went away.

It seems that Apple do not support hotmail live.com account anymore.

Thanks Alison819 for the solution. I tested her solution for about a week on another iphone and ipad before finally implemented it on my main iphone 12 Pro today. No more annoying password pop-up - I have hotmail account.

A reboot was not necessary. Just delete the account and add the account as per solution.

Anybody who's reading the above post, ^^ this is the solution. I picked Outlook on my iPad 9 and the messages stopped, at least for now. Delate your Hotmail account and re-do it as an Outlook acct, not Microsoft Exchange.

I’m having same issue with iPhone XS and it started few days ago. I’m able to fix the issue for few hours by generating an application password in my Microsoft account settings. The problem is that after few hours I get the same error again. It’s really frustrating to have to do this few times every day. I wonder if the problem has something to do with the iOS update 17.3?

Well, finally got around to f about with this . . .

Deleted my MS account from ipad.

Went to set up new Outlook account . . . no go after various stabs and angles . . . what a frustrating mess that was.

Shifted to setting up through a new MS Exchange account. Only got so far then asked to 're-enter' password with no typeable field . . . over and over and over . . .

So then set up generic account with Outlook credentials. It worked.

What a f mess. I seem to recall doing some dancing around like this 5 or 10 years back as well.