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Problem guide · 11 fix-it guides · Last reviewed · By Harry
Sign-in, password and MFA problems
Locked out of Microsoft 365, Okta, AWS or Azure? Tell an identity outage from MFA, password, device and Conditional Access faults, then pick the right fix.
In a support queue, "I can't log in" is the most common ticket and the least specific. Behind it sit at least five different faults: the identity provider genuinely having an incident, a push or text code that never arrives, a password that expired or was reset, a device that Conditional Access no longer trusts, or a browser holding a stale token that bounces the user round in a loop.
Real identity outages do happen. Microsoft Entra ID and Okta both post incidents, but those hit many organisations at the same moment and normally appear on the vendor's status page within minutes. One user who cannot get in while colleagues can is almost never an outage. Run the three checks below, then pick the guide that matches what is actually on the screen.
Which guide fits your symptom?
MFA prompt or code not arriving
- Microsoft Authenticator not getting notifications: fixesThe Microsoft Authenticator push never appears on the phone when signing in to Microsoft 365.
- Authenticator number matching: approve sign-in not showingSign-in shows a number to enter, but the phone shows no approve prompt.
- Okta Verify push not arriving or stuck in an MFA loopOkta Verify pushes do not arrive, or Okta keeps asking for MFA in a loop.
- MFA SMS code not arriving (text message verification)The text-message verification code for Microsoft, Okta or Google never turns up.
- Lost phone or new phone: Microsoft Authenticator recoveryThe phone with the authenticator app is lost, wiped or replaced, so there is nothing to approve on.
Password, loop or SSO problems
- Microsoft 365 sign-in loop or 'More information required'The browser bounces between Microsoft sign-in pages, or says 'More information required'.
- Entra ID / Azure AD password reset email or code not arrivingThe self-service password reset email or SMS from Entra ID (Azure AD) never arrives.
- Okta SSO not working: outage, MFA, or account lockout?The Okta dashboard will not load, or one app fails after a successful Okta sign-in.
Blocked by policy or device
Cloud console sign-in
Also worth a look
These guides live under another problem type but often turn up with this symptom.
- Outlook keeps asking for a password: how to stop the promptsOutlook desktop keeps prompting for a password while webmail works.
- Salesforce login issues, MFA loops, or blank Lightning pageSalesforce login fails or sticks in an MFA loop through SSO.
Related status pages
Live vendor status, checked every five minutes. If the vendor has posted an incident, the guides above become a waiting game rather than a fix.
- Microsoft Entra ID status
- Microsoft 365 status
- Okta status
- Google Workspace / Gmail status
- Amazon Web Services status
- Microsoft Azure status
FAQ
- How do I know if Microsoft or Okta sign-in is actually down?
- Check whether colleagues in other locations can sign in, then the vendor status page: Entra ID or Microsoft 365 for Microsoft, status.okta.com for your Okta cell. A real outage affects many users and organisations at once; one person locked out is an account, MFA or device issue.
- Why does MFA work for my colleagues but not for me?
- MFA delivery depends on your registered methods and your phone: notification settings, battery saving, a new handset or a changed number. The identity service is answering, so start with the guide for your method rather than waiting for an outage to clear.
- Should I keep retrying my password?
- No. Repeated failures can trigger lockout and make things worse. Stop after two or three attempts, try a private window, and contact your IT team or administrator with a screenshot of the error.
- What should admins check first?
- The sign-in log for that user (Entra ID sign-in logs or the Okta System Log). The failure reason and Conditional Access result there usually name the cause within a minute.