Reset Microsoft Account PW, now Phone Link works with extensive routine, but errors with reboot

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Reset Microsoft Account PW, now Phone Link works with extensive routine, but errors with reboot

Van 0

I reset my MSA PW, and everything went bad. Finally able to log back into PC, fixed PIN and other 365 Business issues, but Phone Link? After like 8 hrs with Gemini, got it to sync. Then, with every reboot, the same issue occurs. I have a transcript from Gemini with hrs of back-and-forth. Any ideas? I wish I could add the Gemini chat details here, but I doubt the Q&A would allow 6,403 words and 36,631characters (word count in Word, but that's only the most recent Gemini chat)! Thanks in advance!

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Answer 1

Hendrix-V 19,470 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Van,

Since the standard Phone Link troubleshooting steps have already been covered, you may want to focus on the saved account credentials instead. Please try these suggested next steps:

Open Credential Manager (Control Panel > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials).
Look for any entries related to Phone Link, MicrosoftAccount, or AAD/MSA sign-in.
Remove those entries, then restart the PC.
Open Phone Link and sign in again using the updated Microsoft account password.

You can also check whether the issue is tied to your Windows profile:

Create a temporary local Windows user account.
Sign in to that account and set up Phone Link.
Reboot and verify whether the connection persists.

If Phone Link remains connected under a different Windows profile, that would help narrow the issue to account-specific settings or cached credentials rather than the app itself.

Given the amount of troubleshooting you've already completed, documenting exactly what breaks after each reboot (for example, whether the device becomes unlinked, asks for sign-in again, or simply stops syncing) may help identify the specific component that is failing.

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.

Van 0 Reputation points

2026-09-27T03:33:14.85+00:00

Hey, Hendrix-V. Thanks for the reply. Tried cred mngr and updated MSA PW before posting, but it didn't work. Already tried a temp profile, and it worked wonderfully, even after reboot. So, still working thru the implications and next steps.
Hendrix-V 19,470 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-30T05:11:45.8766667+00:00
Hi Van,

Thank you for the update. The temporary profile test is actually a very useful finding. Since Phone Link continues to work normally there, including after a reboot, it suggests the Phone Link app itself and the Microsoft account credentials are functioning correctly. The remaining focus is likely on something specific within the original Windows profile rather than the device pairing process itself.

At this point, I would avoid making broad system changes and instead concentrate on isolating profile-specific settings. One practical step is to compare the Microsoft account-related entries under Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts and Access work or school between the working profile and the affected profile. If you find any outdated, duplicate, or disconnected account entries in the original profile, removing and re-adding them may help refresh the account state.

You may also want to monitor exactly what changes after a reboot. For example:

Does Phone Link show the phone as disconnected?

Does it require signing in again?

Does the device remain linked but stop syncing?

That detail can help narrow down whether the issue is related to account authentication, profile data, or synchronization settings.
Van 0 Reputation points

2026-09-30T12:17:35.38+00:00

Thanks again! There was a work MSA acct/email with which Phone Link didn't work (but had the same email and PW as a personal personal profile). I deleted the work MSA acct from Win 11, and could get everything working and synced with Phone Link/S22 with the personal email/MSA login. Then I just added that MSA work email back to 365 Buiness apps 1-by-1, with applying to "only" those individual apps, not all apps. On reboot, 1) phone disconnected, 2) required signing in/re-syncing. Tried several things recommended by Gemini; same on every reboot. In the meantime, I have just used Google msgs and photos + Samsung Flow to mimick the functionality of Phone Link. The only thing I don't get is the phone battery life, which I can live without. I'd like to get Phone Link to work again, but am currently satisfied with my setup.
Hendrix-V 19,470 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-01T00:01:05+00:00

Hi Van,

Thank you for the detailed update. The additional testing suggests that the issue is more likely related to how the original Windows profile is handling account authentication or profile-specific synchronization after startup, rather than a problem with the phone itself or the Phone Link app.

At this point, you've done a solid job isolating the behavior. Since you already have a reliable workaround using Google Messages, Google Photos, and Samsung Flow, it may be reasonable to continue with that setup while monitoring for future Windows or Phone Link updates that could affect account synchronization behavior.

If you decide to revisit Phone Link later, I would focus specifically on the Windows profile rather than continuing broad troubleshooting. Since the temporary profile survives reboots successfully, that comparison remains the strongest clue in the investigation.
Van E 0 Reputation points

2026-10-02T15:38:45.0366667+00:00

Thanks again! Yeah, I agree with following Phone Link and any sync updates, and staying with the same config for now. The only downside is the aforementioned battery indication on my PC and the fact that when I delete notifications from my phone, the Samsung Flow PC app doesn't remove them (but when I delete them from the PC app, it does remove them from the phone), so it's not quite as bidirectional as Phone Link.
Hendrix-V 19,470 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-03T06:56:56.0133333+00:00

Hi Van E,

Thank you for sharing the final outcome. It sounds like you've done an excellent job methodically narrowing the issue down and finding a setup that works reliably for your needs.

Since you've already identified a stable alternative workflow, continuing with your current configuration while keeping an eye on future Phone Link and Windows updates seems like a practical approach. That said, you've successfully preserved the features that matter most, such as messaging, photos, and cross-device access, without needing to repeat the reauthentication and re-sync process after every reboot.

Thank you for taking the time to document your findings and testing results.