Are you staring at the error, Something went wrong: Error 500. Repeating redirects detected, when you tried to log into your web Outlook?
For starters, this is a common error, so don’t worry! Read on, as I tell you what this error is, its causes, and some solutions that can fix it.
What Does Error 500 Mean In Hotmail (Outlook)
Let’s start by understanding what does a 500 error status code mean in Hotmail (Outlook)?
Error 500 is a generic HTTP status code that denotes an error on the website’s server. However, this error code can mean many different issues, and there is no other specific information that points to the cause. As frustrating as it may sound, you’ll have to reach out to the website owner/admin to understand the cause. In the meantime, there are some steps you can take to try fixing the issue.
Let’s now look at the possible causes for the problem followed by the solution for the same.
What Usually Causes Error 500?
Most times, the Error 500 is a server-side error, which means, the problem lies with the website’s server. That said, sometimes, the problem can lie on the client-side too. This is when you take measures to fix the error.
While the message itself doesn’t specify if the error is on the server or client-side, you can still try to see if the problem is on your end, and take steps to fix the same. That’s exactly what we’ll see next.
Solutions To Fix Error 500 In Hotmail (Outlook)
The solutions mentioned below can fix error 500 provided the underlying cause is on your end. There is no guarantee that any of these solutions will fix, still, there’s no harm in trying them because most of them are simple.
These solutions are in no particular order, so you may have to try each to see if any of them fixes your error 500.
Use An Incognito Tab
Open an incognito tab and sign in to your Office 365 account.
The advantage of using an incognito tab is that it removes your plugins, cookies, and browser data. This option helps if your plugins or cookies impede the rendering of data from the website’s server. It may not work at all times, but it’s simple enough for you to try it out.
If the error is fixed, you can infer that it was probably a plugin that was causing the error for you. If there’s a repeated pattern, consider uninstalling your plugins. Open office365.com and if that works, it’s time to isolate the plugin that’s causing the problem.
To do this, install one plugin at a time, and open the website. When you get the Error 500 or the repeating redirects detected error, you can remove that plugin completely.
Reload The Page
Press F5, CTRL + R, or the refresh button on your browser to reload the page. Sometimes, temporary problems in communication can cause the browser to display the “repeated redirects detected” message. A simple reload can fix them for you.
A word of caution here. If you do a refresh during an e-commerce checkout, it may lead to multiple orders and payments.
Clear Your Cache
In all honesty, the cache has nothing to do with Error 500. But on a few occasions, the error was fixed when I cleared my cache. So, this is something you may want to try as it is simple and can be worth it if you’re lucky!
Delete Your Browser’s Cookies
Like cache, there are no known connections between Error 500 and your browser’s cookies. But, there’s a possibility that your browser can display the cached version of the web page that was later moved to a new location on the server. In any case, this is also a simple fix and can be worthwhile if it works for you. This is also an effective solution for Hotmail error 401 if you see this error appearing too.
Try A New Browser
If none of the above solutions work, consider trying a new browser. It can be Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and even Microsoft Edge. Log into office365.com and see if you can access it. Again, this is a temporary solution only as it doesn’t address the underlying cause of the problem.
Thus these are some of the browser-based fixes you can try to fix the repeated redirects detected error. All these are temporary only and may not work always. Next, let’s look at a possible permanent fix for this error.
Adjust The Date/Time Settings
If your date/time settings are not aligned with the UTC, it can cause discrepancies with the server. Depending on the server’s settings, a message from a client computer with misaligned date/time settings can be interpreted as a threat. This is why the server may not respond or can send the Error 500 code as its response.
Hence, fix the date/time settings on your computer. Here are the steps for the same.
- Go to Control Panel or Start > Settings
- Navigate to Time and Language
- In the dialog box, look for an option called Sync Clock and click it. This will automatically sync your computer’s time with the UTC clock.
- Alternatively, you can set the date and time manually too.
Restart your browser and see if this fixes the issue.
Finally, make sure to inform your website admin, even if your error 500 is fixed for the time being. This is important because error 500 is mostly a server-side error, and the client-side solutions mentioned above are temporary fixes. Unless the underlying cause is fixed, this error will repeat now and then.
