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Fix Power BI Desktop Crashes After Repeated Microsoft Authenticator Sign-Ins
Question details
The user is experiencing repeated authentication prompts in Microsoft Authenticator, which ultimately lead to Power BI Desktop crashing.
- Product
- Power BI Desktop
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Signing into Power BI Desktop using Microsoft Authenticator for multifactor authentication.
- Observed behavior
- The application repeatedly asks for sign-in details and then crashes instead of completing the authentication process.
Ensure that you have installed the latest Windows updates and the most recent version of Power BI Desktop before troubleshooting authentication issues.
Clear Stale Credentials and Sign In Again
Use this solution to remove corrupted cached tokens that may be causing the sign-in loop.
Windows stores your sign-in tokens locally. If these tokens become corrupted, Power BI Desktop may fail to read them properly, resulting in repeated prompts and crashes.
If you are able to open Power BI Desktop without it immediately crashing, click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select 'Sign out'.
Open the Start menu, type 'Credential Manager', and open it. Click on 'Windows Credentials' and remove any stale Microsoft 365, Power BI, or Active Directory tokens.
Restart Power BI Desktop and enter your credentials to generate a fresh authentication token.
Re-register Multifactor Authentication
This solution requires a Microsoft Entra administrator to reset your MFA registration in the admin center.
Submit a Microsoft 365 Service Request
Use this if the issue persists after clearing credentials and resetting MFA.
Experience Hassle-Free Productivity with WPS Office
While you are waiting for your Microsoft Power BI and Entra MFA issues to be resolved, you can keep your daily data processing and document management running smoothly. WPS Office provides a lightweight, free, and robust alternative to Microsoft Office without complex login loops.
- 1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for your operating system.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the lightweight installer to quickly set up the suite on your computer without complicated account setups.
- 3. Open your files: Double-click any existing Microsoft Office files to start editing immediately with full format retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Power BI Desktop keep prompting me to authenticate?
This sign-in loop typically happens due to a corrupted sign-in token, a damaged Microsoft Entra MFA registration, or conflicting cached credentials on your local device.
How do I clear cached Microsoft 365 credentials on my PC?
Open the Windows Credential Manager, navigate to 'Windows Credentials', and remove any saved items that reference 'MicrosoftAccount', 'msteams', or 'PowerBI'.
Can I re-register my own Microsoft Authenticator app?
If your account is managed by a school or organization, you usually cannot do this yourself. A Microsoft Entra administrator must manually revoke your current MFA sessions before you are prompted to set it up again.
