Too many attempts to sign in

Corey Bryson 0 Reputation points
2026-04-18T20:53:47.7033333+00:00

Too many attempts to sign in, changed password 2-3 times, and still being told I have tried to sign in.

I have only tried to sign in once, and am still getting this message.

When I check my account activity I am only seeing my attempts and/or when I was able to get in to my mail after resetting the password.

What is going on?

Edit: Just now; I used my recovery email to get an single-use code, typed the code in WRONG, and the system let me in to the account without checking it again. Like seriously! None of this makes a bit of sense.

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  1. Chloe-V 14,125 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-19T06:38:11.79+00:00

    Hi Corey Bryson,

    Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

    The “Too many attempts to sign in” message usually appears when Microsoft’s protection systems temporarily limit sign-in or recovery after detecting unusual or repeated activity. This can happen even if you only tried once, because other devices or apps (for example, a phone mail app, Outlook, or an older device that still has an old password saved) may continue trying to sign in in the background.

    Regarding the part where you entered the single-use code incorrectly but still got into the account, this can sometimes occur if your browser or device already had an active sign-in session (saved cookie/token). In that case, the authentication flow may behave differently than expected. To test more accurately, try signing in using an InPrivate/Incognito window, or a different browser or network, to avoid any preserved session effects.

    Recommended steps:

    • Pause further sign-in attempts and avoid repeatedly resetting the password, since additional attempts can keep the temporary restriction in place longer.
    • If you can sign in, please go to your Security page to review Recent activity or Unusual activity, change your password once (strong and unique), and then update that new password on all devices and apps that use this account to prevent background retries.
    • If you are still blocked, use Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper to identify the account status and recovery options.

    Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas only.

    Thank you for your understanding. 

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-04-18T20:54:02.43+00:00

    Microsoft systems can temporarily block additional sign-in attempts when they detect unusual or repeated activity, even if the password is correct. This protection can be triggered by:

    • Multiple recent password resets or sign-in attempts (including from apps or devices still trying old credentials in the background).
    • Automated security checks that see “too many attempts” and rate-limit further sign-ins.

    What to do:

    1. Stop further sign-in attempts for a while
      • If there have been many attempts or resets, wait out the lockout period (typically up to about 24 hours) without trying to sign in again. Further attempts can extend the cooldown.
    2. Check for suspicious activity
      • Go to the Security basics page and select Review activity to open the Recent activity page.
      • If anything looks suspicious (multiple sign-in attempts or changes you didn’t make), select Secure your account on that item.
      • If you see an Unusual activity entry that wasn’t you, expand it and select This wasn’t me.
    3. Change and secure the password
      • From the Security basics page, select Change password and set a strong, unique password.
      • Make sure no apps or devices are still using the old password, as they can keep triggering failed sign-ins in the background.
    4. If you still can’t sign in after waiting
      • Use the guidance in When you can’t sign in to your Microsoft account (linked from the unusual sign-in article) and follow the recovery steps.
      • If prompted, choose options like I think someone else is using my Microsoft account and follow the instructions.

    If this is a work or school account, ask the organization’s IT admin to review Microsoft Entra sign-in logs, as repeated attempts or MFA issues can also cause temporary blocking.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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