Windows 11 Out‑of‑Band Update Fixes Microsoft Account Sign‑In Issues
Microsoft rushes out an emergency fix after a faulty Windows 11 update disrupted sign-ins across multiple apps.
Key Takeaways:
- Microsoft issued an emergency patch to fix sign-in failures in Windows 11.
- The issue impacts apps using personal Microsoft accounts in Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2.
- A temporary workaround exists, but a full fix requires installing the update.
Microsoft has rolled out an out-of-band update to fix account sign-in issues in Windows 11 triggered by the March 2026 update. The emergency patch (KB5085516) is now available for devices running Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2.
According to Microsoft, users have reported that the March security update (KB5079473) inadvertently broke the sign-in mechanism for certain Microsoft apps. This bug affects apps that require a personal Microsoft account to sign into apps, including Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Microsoft 365 Copilot, the Xbox app, and the Microsoft Store. However, it doesn’t impact businesses using Microsoft Entra ID (previously known as Azure Active Directory) for application authentication.
After installing the update, users may encounter an incorrect error message when trying to sign in to these apps on Windows 11 PCs. This issue impacts devices running Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2.
“As a result of this issue, sign in attempts will display an error message with text similar to ‘You’ll need the Internet for this. It doesn’t look like you’re connected to the Internet’. This appears even if the device is connected to the internet,” Microsoft explained on the Windows release health dashboard.
How to fix Microsoft account sign in issues in Windows 11?
To address this issue, Microsoft has pushed out an emergency “out-of-band” update (KB5085516) for Windows 11 users on March 21. To apply this fix, users will need to head over to Windows Update settings and click the “Download and Install” button. For those who can’t get this update yet, Microsoft suggests restarting the computer and keeping it connected to the Internet during the reboot process.
Over the last few months, Microsoft’s monthly releases have not consistently lived up to the quality Windows 11 users expect. This emergency update follows closely after Microsoft shared its roadmap to enhance Windows 11’s stability and performance through 2026. As part of these changes, users will gain greater control, including the ability to pause updates for extended periods.
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Rabia has a master's degree in Software Engineering and she has years of experience writing professionally about Microsoft products and other technologies. Rabia has also written for OnMSFT.com as well as Windows Report. She is always up to date on t...
