Do you keep getting the 401 unauthorized error message when trying to log in to your Hotmail account? This problem is common as many people are experiencing this error while logging into their Hotmail accounts.
It can be frustrating because you can’t access your email. But don’t stress it! We can help you get back into your account in no time. All you need to do is follow the simple steps mentioned in this article.
Steps To Fix Hotmail Unauthorized 401 Error
- Check Your Username And Password
If you see a 401 error, the first thing you should do is to check your username and password. Make sure that you’re entering the correct credentials for your account, and if you think they’re correct, try resetting your password just to be sure.
- Clear Your Browser Cache
You may want to try clearing your browser’s cache. This can help resolve issues with old or corrupted data that may be causing the error.
- To clear your cache in most browsers, simply click the three dots menu in the top right corner and go to settings.
- Now, go to Privacy and security and select Clear browsing data.
- Select the options shown in the image below and click Clear data.
3. Check The Microsoft Server Status
If you’re still having trouble accessing your account, you may want to check the Microsoft server status online. This will give you an up-to-date overview of any known issues that might be affecting your account, so you can take the necessary steps to fix them. This is also a useful fix for Hotmail error 500.
4. Try Using Incognito Mode
You can also try using incognito mode in your browser. It will help ensure that any cookies or other cached data aren’t interfering with your account access, which might help resolve the issue.
5. Check For A Security Challenge In Account
Check your account’s security challenge in account.live.com/activity. It can help you recover access to your account if you’ve been locked out due to suspicious or unusual activity.
6. Update Your Browser
If you’re using an old and unsupported browser, it’s time to upgrade to a newer version that is better equipped to handle URLs. Since most people update their browsers, Hotmail and other services are also designed to work well in these browsers only. This lack of backward incompatibility can cause this error, hence consider updating your browser.
If you’re still having trouble accessing your account after trying all of the above, contact Microsoft support for further assistance. While Microsoft doesn’t offer a dedicated support option for Hotmail, you can still post a message in its community forum. Other users who have faced this issue can tell you how they debugged it.
What Does The Hotmail Unauthorized 401 Error Technically Mean?
Are you wondering what is a 401 unauthorized error? Well, the error appears to be as:
“401 – Unauthorized: Access is denied due to invalid credentials. You do not have permission to view this directory or page using the credentials you supplied.”
In simple terms, the request you’ve sent to access your account lacks valid authentication credentials. This can result from various issues, such as entering the wrong password or username, a lost connection with the server, etc.
What is the difference between 401 and 403 errors?
Error codes 401 and 403 are often used interchangeably, but in reality, they are completely different.Error 401 means that the credentials you entered are invalid and you’ll have to enter the correct information to log in. It can also mean that the credentials entered by the user are not valid to access that resource.
Error 403, on the other hand, means that the server refused to authorize a user’s credentials because they were insufficient to grant access. Even if the user re-renters the credentials, the result will be the same. The only fix is to request the website owner to grant access to that resource.
