Exchange Password Required on Mac

What is “Exchange password required” on Mac?

The “Exchange password required” notifications on macOS means that the Microsoft Exchange server is unable to authenticate your account, which prevents your Mac from sending and retrieving new emails. There can be many reasons why this error occurs, including Exchange server outages.

In my experience, until you fix the “Exchange password required” on Mac error, you may also encounter other issues with Exchange services. In addition to Mac Mail not working, you’re likely to find you’re unable to create or modify Exchange calendar events, sync notes, or save changes to contacts.

Common causes of “Exchange password required” notification on Mac

There are many reasons why you might see “Exchange password required” on Mac. It usually happens when your computer is unable to connect to Microsoft’s Exchange servers for authentication, which could be because of glitches with the Apple Mail app, an unstable internet connection, or corrupt system files.

A note from our experts: 

 

If you’ve tried troubleshooting this issue and you’re unable to get “Exchange password required” on Mac to turn off, I recommend you contact MacKeeper’s Premium Services from Clario Tech. Our experts can diagnose and fix almost any macOS issue using the best possible solution, and they can help you immediately, so you’re not stuck for days without email.

 

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How to fix “Exchange password required” on Mac?

One of the first steps I take to get rid of “Exchange password required” on Mac is to close the Mail app and restart my Mac. If this doesn’t solve the problem, I’ll check if my internet connection is stable, confirm my Exchange credentials in my browser, and then try removing and re-adding my Exchange account.

Here’s the complete list of solutions I would normally go through to stop “Exchange password required” on Mac:

1. Restart Mac and Mail app
2. Check your internet connection
3. Verify your credentials via webmail
4. Remove and re-add Exchange account in Internet Accounts
5. Create & use an app-specific password
6. Clear problematic keychain entries/delete duplicate tokens
7. Adjust server settings manually (internal/external URLs)
8. Check for macOS and Mail / Outlook updates
9. Update your Exchange password in Internet Accounts

1. Restart Mac and Mail app

To restart your MacBook and the Mail app, which usually fixes most app glitches, I follow these steps:

1. Right-click the Mail icon in your Dock, then choose Quit.
2. Open the Apple menu and select Restart.
3. Click Restart again to confirm.

When Mail won’t quit, which sometimes happens when it crashes, I force close it using Activity Monitor in the Utilities folder. If you want to know how to find Utilities on Mac, open the Applications folder in Finder.

2. Check your internet connection

Exchange issues are often caused by internet outages and unstable connections. Here’s how I check my internet is working properly:

1. Open System Settings > Wi-Fi.
2. Check that you’re connected to the right Wi-Fi network and that there are no error messages.
3. Go to speedtest.net in your browser and run a test to confirm your internet is working and stable.
4. If you detect internet issues, you’ll need to fix your connection or use another network.

3. Verify your credentials via webmail

I’ve previously encountered Exchange issues on MacBook after changing my password and then forgetting to update it within macOS. To verify your credentials, try this:

1. Open your browser and go to Outlook.com.
2. Try signing in using your Exchange email address and password.
3. If you’re unable to sign in, go to account.microsoft.com/security and click Can’t access your account?
4. Follow the steps to reset your password and regain access to your Exchange account.

4. Remove and re‑add Exchange account in Internet Accounts

You may need to remove and re-add your Exchange account on Mac, especially if you recently changed or reset your account password. Here’s how you can do that in the Internet Accounts menu:

1. Open System Settings > Internet Accounts and select your Exchange account.
2. Click Delete Account.
3. Choose OK to confirm.
4. Select Add Account, then enter your Exchange email address and click Continue.
5. When prompted, confirm your name and select Sign In.
6. Click Sign In again, then follow the steps to log into your Exchange account.

You’ll notice you have the option when signing in again to choose which features you want to sync—email, contacts, calendars, etc. OneDrive isn’t built into Mac, so if you want to know how to transfer files from one Mac to another, you’ll need to install the separate OneDrive app.

5. Create & use an app‑specific password

If you know you’re entering the correct Exchange credentials and you still can’t log in, you can try creating an app-specific password that’s exclusively for your Mac. First, remove your Exchange account from Mac using the steps above, then do this:

1. In your browser, go to account.microsoft.com and sign into your Exchange account.
2. Go to Account > Security, then select Additional security options.
3. Follow the steps to confirm your account details.
4. Scroll down to App passwords, then click Create a new app password.
5. Your new password will be displayed on the screen. Follow the steps above to re-add your Exchange account onto Mac and use this password to sign in.

6. Clear problematic Keychain entries / delete duplicate tokens

I’ve noticed that some Exchange login errors can be caused by problematic Keychain entries or duplicate tokens. Here’s how you can remove them:

1. Use Spotlight on your Mac to search for and open Keychain Access.
2. Search for “Exchange” then select and delete each item that’s tied to the account having issues.
3. Quit Keychain Access and then try signing into your Exchange account again.

7. Adjust server settings manually (internal/external URLs)

In some cases, I’ve encountered “Exchange password required” on Mac because automatic setup isn’t working as intended. To see if you have this issue, you can adjust your Exchange server settings manually, like so:

1. Go to System Settings > Internet Accounts and click Add Account.
2. Enter your Exchange email address and select Continue.
3. Confirm your name, then click Sign In.
4. Select Configure Manually.
5. When prompted, enter the server details. You can obtain these from the manager of your Exchange account.
6. Continue the setup process to sign in.

8. Check for macOS and Mail/Outlook updates

Another way I’ve had success when trying to fix “Exchange password required” on Mac is to update macOS and Mail (or Outlook if you use that instead), which can eliminate any bugs. Try this:

1. In System Settings, select General > Software Update.
2. If an update is available, click Update Now. Mail is baked into macOS, so this will automatically update as well.
3. To update Outlook, open the App Store, select Updates, then install the latest Outlook release if you don’t already have it.
4. If you downloaded Outlook directly from Microsoft, open the Outlook app, then click Help > Check for Updates in the menu bar to update it.

9. Update your Exchange password in Internet Accounts

Whenever you need to fix “Exchange password required” on Mac, you should be prompted to re-enter your password. However, I’ve found this doesn’t always happen, so here’s how to update it yourself:

1. Go to Internet Accounts in System Settings.
2. Select your Exchange profile, then click Delete Account.
3. Click OK to confirm.
4. Click the Add Account button, then sign into your Exchange account again.

Although some accounts on Mac allow you to update or re-enter your password without removing them, I’ve found that Exchange doesn’t—at least not in modern versions of macOS—so removing and then re-adding them is the only solution.

Conclusion

When you’re looking to stop “Exchange password required” on Mac notifications, I’ve found that there are several effective solutions you can explore, like restarting the system, updating macOS and the Mail app, removing and re-adding the account in System Preferences, and more.

If you’ve tried all of the methods we’ve outlined above and you can’t get “Exchange password required” on Mac to turn off, use MacKeeper’s Premium Services from Clario Tech to get in touch with a trained professional who can help you fix the issue. They’re quick to respond and great at solving Mac issues.