Password & Account Recovery

Fix Microsoft 365 Work Password Rejected During Another Change

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user successfully signs in with a newly reset work password, but the system rejects both the new and previous passwords when immediately prompting for another password change.

Product: Microsoft 365 / Work Account
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Changing a work account password after a forced reset by the organization.
Observed behavior: The new password works for initial sign-in but is incorrectly rejected as the current password when the system forces a secondary password change.

Before you start

Ensure you are connected to a stable internet network and have your organization's IT support contact information ready before proceeding.

Solution 1Recommended

Contact Your IT Administrator via Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Since standard users cannot override enterprise password loops, you must contact your organization's IT administrator to resolve the policy conflict.

This issue typically occurs due to a synchronization delay between the cloud and your organization's local directory, or because a forced password reset policy is stuck in a loop. Standard user accounts do not have the permissions to bypass this.

Identify your account privileges

Confirm that you are using a standard user account rather than an administrator account for your organization.

Contact your IT support desk

Reach out to your company's IT department, network administrator, or the person who issued your Microsoft 365 work account.

Request a manual password reset

Ask the administrator to log into the Microsoft 365 admin center and manually reset your password, unchecking the 'Require this user to change their password when they first sign in' option.

Verify enterprise password policies

Have the administrator check your account's password policy settings to ensure there are no conflicting expiration rules causing the reset loop.

Administrator Action Required: Only an administrator with access to the Microsoft 365 admin center can clear the forced-reset flag from your user profile.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my new work password being rejected as the current password?

This often happens due to a synchronization delay between your organization's local active directory and Microsoft 365 cloud servers, causing the system to temporarily lose track of the newly updated password.

Can I fix a Microsoft 365 password reset loop without an administrator?

Generally, no. If your account is a standard work or school account, enterprise security policies restrict you from bypassing forced password change loops yourself.

How long does it take for a password reset to sync in Microsoft 365?

It typically syncs within a few minutes, but in some hybrid network environments, it can take up to 30 minutes for a new password to be recognized across all Microsoft services.

What should an admin check if a user is stuck in a password loop?

The administrator should check the Microsoft 365 admin center for conflicting password expiration policies, temporarily disable the 'Require user to change password on next log on' setting, and assign a temporary password manually.

Login & Account Issues