Conditional Access Problems

How to Fix Hourly Sign-In Prompts in Outlook and OneDrive Mobile

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users are experiencing repeated prompts to sign in every hour while using Outlook, Microsoft 365, and OneDrive mobile applications.

Product: Microsoft 365 Mobile Apps (Outlook, OneDrive)
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Accessing organization emails, files, and services through Microsoft 365 mobile applications on a daily basis.
Observed behavior: The mobile applications force the user to re-authenticate and sign in repeatedly on a strict hourly schedule, disrupting the workflow.

Before you start

Ensure you have the contact information for your organization's Microsoft 365 IT administrator, as resolving this authentication loop requires tenant-level administrative privileges.

Solution 1Recommended

Review Tenant Policies and Contact Microsoft Support

Because hourly sign-in prompts are governed by organizational security settings, your IT administrator must adjust the token lifetime or conditional access policies from the admin center.

This issue is almost always triggered by specific Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) configurations designed to enforce strict session timeouts or token renewals. End-users cannot bypass these policies directly from the mobile app settings.

Capture the error messages

Take clear screenshots of the exact sign-in prompt messages and the license information displayed on your mobile device.

Contact your IT Administrator

Reach out to your organization's Microsoft 365 administrator and provide them with the screenshots of the repeated prompts.

Review sign-in logs and policies

Instruct the administrator to review the Microsoft Entra ID sign-in logs, authentication-session controls, conditional-access policies, and token-lifetime settings to identify the restricting policy.

Open a support request

If the administrator confirms the policies are correct but the mobile apps continue to prompt hourly, have them open an official Microsoft support request for tenant-level analysis.

Support Documentation: Microsoft Support will specifically ask for screenshots of the mobile prompts and license details when investigating tenant-level authentication bugs affecting only mobile devices.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Outlook asking for my password every hour on mobile?

This behavior is typically caused by your organization's Microsoft 365 conditional access policies or strict token-lifetime settings. These security measures force frequent re-authentication to ensure the device remains compliant.

Can I fix the repeated sign-in issue myself from the app settings?

Generally, no. Because these security policies are enforced at the organization (tenant) level, you cannot bypass them locally. You must contact your Microsoft 365 IT administrator to adjust the session controls.

What specific logs does the administrator need to check?

Your IT administrator should review the Microsoft Entra ID sign-in logs and authentication-session controls to identify which specific conditional access policy is triggering the strict hourly token renewal.

Does this hourly authentication prompt affect desktop apps as well?

It depends on the policy setup. Some conditional access policies are configured to target specifically mobile devices or mobile application management (MAM), meaning your desktop applications might remain unaffected while mobile apps prompt continuously.

Microsoft Office Security Issues