The Windows 11 March 2026 update was causing sign-in problems, but Microsoft has now fixed it

Microsoft breaks sign-ins on Windows 11, but this quick fix gets you back in instantly.

And here we go again. The software giant has confirmed a new issue affecting Microsoft account sign-ins on Windows 11 after installing the March 2026 update.

According to the company, devices running the latest cumulative update released on March 10, 2026, including KB5079473 (build 26100.8037), may fail to sign in to several apps and services that rely on Microsoft accounts.

Microsoft account sign-ins may fail after installing KB5079473

The issue impacts devices running Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. After installing the update, users may encounter an incorrect error message when trying to sign in.

Instead of authenticating successfully, apps display the "You'll need the Internet for this. It doesn't look like you're connected to the Internet" message.

This happens even when the device is properly connected. Microsoft says the problem is tied to a specific network connectivity state triggered after installing the update.

The bug affects multiple apps and services that depend on Microsoft account authentication, including Teams (free), OneDrive, Edge, Excel, Word, and Microsoft 365 Copilot.

However, enterprise users are not impacted. Systems using Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) for authentication continue to work normally.

Fix now available through update

Microsoft has now resolved the issue with the release of the out-of-band update KB5085516.

To apply the fix, open Settings > Windows Update, click the "Check for updates" button, and install the latest available update. After restarting your computer, Microsoft account sign-ins should work normally again.

A workaround is available to mitigate the issue

Before the fix was released, Microsoft provided a temporary workaround that resolved the problem in most cases.

To fix the issue, restart the computer while it remains connected to the internet. This action resets the computer's connectivity state and restores proper sign-in functionality.

There is one important caveat. If the device restarts without an active internet connection, the issue may reappear.

Microsoft has now resolved the issue with an emergency update, and users are recommended to install the latest patch as soon as possible to avoid sign-in problems.

Have you experienced this problem after installing KB5079473 on your PC? Let me know in the comments.

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Posted Tuesday 24 March 2026 at 6:22 am AEST (my time).

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