Outlook "Need password" and a blank popup in hybrid Exchange
Outlook 2016 shows a blank sign-in window and keeps asking for a password in a hybrid Exchange setup with Modern Authentication. The cause can be a missing autodiscover service principal name.
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Outlook 2016 shows a blank popup and a “Need password” message. This usually
happens with hybrid Exchange and Modern Authentication enabled, and it can persist
after you have tried the usual fixes,
such as setting ExcludeExplicitO365Endpoint under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover or
trying different values for EnableADAL.
Check the sign-in logs
Look at the user’s sign-ins in Azure Active Directory. Error code 500011 points to a missing autodiscover entry in the service principal names of Exchange Online.
The fix
Add your autodiscover URL to the Exchange Online service principal, as described in Microsoft’s documentation on configuring OAuth authentication between Exchange and Exchange Online. Read that page carefully before making the change.
$myvar = Get-MsolServicePrincipal -AppPrincipalId 00000002-0000-0ff1-ce00-000000000000
$myvar.ServicePrincipalnames.Add("https://autodiscover.mydomain.com/")
Set-MSOLServicePrincipal -AppPrincipalId 00000002-0000-0ff1-ce00-000000000000 -ServicePrincipalNames $myvar.ServicePrincipalNamesAfterwards
If you set EnableADAL or ExcludeExplicitO365Endpoint while troubleshooting, remove them again.
If the problem persists:
- Recreate the Outlook profile, or remove and re-add the account.
- Install the latest Office updates.
- Hold Ctrl, right-click the Outlook icon in the notification area, and use Connection Status… and Test Email AutoConfiguration…. Both often show where the connection fails.