01202 775566 Book SOS REMOTE SUPPORT

Outlook for Android

Outlook on Android keeps asking you to sign in?

When the Outlook app on Android keeps asking you to sign in - or spins in an endless sign-in loop - it's often a corrupted cache or an Android battery/permission cleanup killing the app's session in the background. The quickest fix is to clear the Outlook cache, stop Android from stripping its permissions, and if needed remove and re-add the account. Here's the full sequence - or we'll sort it for you remotely in minutes.

Call 01202 775566 Fix it with me
Rated 4.9 on GoogleFamily-run since 1995 · no fix, no fee

By the 365 Techies team · Reviewed 29 September 2026

Why it happens

Why Outlook keeps looping on Android

A sign-in loop means Outlook signs in, loses that session almost immediately, and asks you to sign in again - over and over. On Android it usually comes down to one of these:

  • A corrupted app cache. Damaged temporary files stop the app from holding onto a valid session, so it keeps kicking you back to the login screen.
  • Android quietly removing permissions. Android can strip permissions from apps it thinks you don't use, and battery-saver features can freeze Outlook in the background - both break the stored sign-in.
  • A wrong clock. Sign-in tokens are time-sensitive. If your phone's date and time are off, especially with two-factor authentication, the sign-in is rejected and you loop.
  • A blocked sign-in redirect. A VPN, firewall, or one flaky network can block the redirect to your provider's login page, so the sign-in never completes.

The good news: none of this means your account is broken. Working through the steps below usually clears the cause.

// ANDROID AND WINDOWS, NOT APPLE

We do not support Outlook on iPhones or iPads. Apple does not allow our remote-support tool to take control of them (an Apple restriction), so we cannot fix it for you from here. On an iPhone or iPad, Microsoft’s own Outlook help is the place to start.

// FIX IT WITH ME · STEP BY STEP

Fix it with me, one step at a time

The steps from this guide, one at a time, in the order that fixes the most cases fastest. Tell it what happened and it shows the next step. Nothing here leaves your device.Last reviewed 29 September 2026

Checking which Windows you have…STEP 1 OF 7
  1. 01Clear the Outlook cache

    Go to Settings, Apps, Outlook, Storage and tap Clear cache. This is the most effective fix and it does not remove your account.

    Is it working now?

// NEED THIS FIXED RIGHT NOW?

Skip the DIY — call 01202 775566 and we can be looking at your screen within minutes. You watch everything we do, and most problems on this page are fixed in one short remote session. (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm.)

Start SOS Remote Support Call 01202 775566

The fix

How to stop the Outlook sign-in loop on Android

Try these in order and test after each one - you'll often be back in before you reach the end.

  1. Clear the Outlook cache. Go to Settings, Apps, Outlook, Storage, and tap Clear cache. This is the single most effective fix and it doesn't remove your account. (Menu names vary slightly by phone - on Samsung it's under Storage as well.)
  2. Turn off Developer Options. If you've ever enabled Developer Options, turn them off - some of those settings interfere with background sign-ins. You'll find them in Settings, System, Developer options (if the menu isn't there, it's already off).
  3. Stop Android removing Outlook's permissions. Open Settings, Apps, Outlook, and turn off "Pause app activity if unused" (on some phones this is called "Remove permissions if app unused"). This stops Android quietly revoking the permissions Outlook needs to stay signed in.
  4. Set date and time to automatic. In Settings, System, Date & time, switch on "Set time automatically" and "Set time zone automatically". A clock that's even a few minutes out will break token-based sign-ins.
  5. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data. Turn Wi-Fi off and try over mobile data (or the other way round). If it signs in on one but not the other, a network or VPN is blocking the sign-in redirect - turn off any VPN and try again.
  6. Remove and re-add the account. In the Outlook app, go to Settings, tap the account, choose Delete account, then add it back fresh. This clears any stale saved session.
  7. Reinstall Outlook as a last resort. Uninstall the app and reinstall the latest version from the Play Store, then sign in again. Do this only if the steps above haven't worked.

// RELATED

See more on our Outlook problems hub, and if this is a work mailbox our Microsoft 365 support and remote IT support pages explain how we help across Dorset. Rather we take a look? Contact us.

FAMILY-RUN SINCE 1995 · ★ 4.9 ON GOOGLE · 200+ COMPUTERS UNDER OUR CARE · NO FIX, NO FEE · SAME-DAY REMOTE SUPPORT

// GOOD QUESTIONS

Frequently asked

Will clearing the cache delete my emails?

No. Clearing the cache only removes temporary files - your mail lives on the server and re-downloads automatically. Be careful not to confuse "Clear cache" with "Clear storage" or "Clear data", which removes the account from the app and means you'd sign in again from scratch. Clear cache first.

What's the difference between clearing cache and clearing data?

Clearing cache just wipes temporary files and is safe to do any time. Clearing data (sometimes labelled Clear storage) resets the app completely and removes your account setup, so you'd need to add the account again. For a sign-in loop, always try Clear cache first and only clear data if nothing else works.

Why does turning off 'Pause app activity if unused' help?

Android automatically strips permissions from apps it thinks are unused, and can freeze them to save battery. If it revokes Outlook's permissions, the app loses the access it needs to keep you signed in and the loop starts. Turning that option off for Outlook (it's sometimes labelled 'Remove permissions if app unused') stops Android interfering with its background session.

Could my phone's clock really cause a sign-in loop?

Yes - it's a common culprit. Sign-in tokens are time-stamped, so a clock that's even slightly wrong makes them look invalid, especially with two-factor authentication. Setting the date, time and time zone to automatic fixes this instantly.

I use my work email - could a company policy be causing this?

It can. Some organisations enforce mobile security policies (conditional access) that require the phone to meet certain conditions before Outlook will stay signed in. If the steps here don't help on a work account, your IT team may need to check the policy - or give us a call and we'll help you work out where the block is.

Can 365 Techies fix this on my phone remotely?

We can guide you through every step over the phone, and we support Outlook on both Windows and Android. We'll phone first, talk you through the exact taps for your handset, and stay on the line until you're back in - usually within minutes. Call 01202 775566 or text 07520 615332.

// Still stuck?

Loop still won't break? We'll fix it with you

Same-day help for Bournemouth & Dorset on your Windows PC and your Android phone. We phone first, guide you through it, and never take control without you watching. Most sign-in loops are cleared in minutes.

We’ll fix it with you

  • Checking the problem is free
  • Fixes from £20, agreed before we start
  • We phone first, and you watch every step
Fix my Outlook nowHow remote help works

Stop it happening again

  • A full service every six weeks, written up
  • Every program kept up to date
  • Unlimited remote help when you need it

Plans from £18.25 a month per computer · cancel any time

See plans & pricesOr get our free app

Mon–Fri 9–5 · family-run since 1995 · rated 4.9 on GoogleText us the problem →