iCloud for Outlook Incorrect Username or Password

[mhollandsworth1977]

I have posted this in the Apple forums, but thought I would try this community as well.  I am on a Windows 11 computer, using Outlook 365. I am able to install iCloud successfully, and log into the client. When I try to set up iCloud for Outlook, so I can see my family calendar along side my work calendar, I get the following error:

"Your setup couldn't start because your username or password is incorrect. Go to iCloud for Windows, sign out, and sign back in"

I have nothing showing in my log files in regard to errors. I have researched online, and have tried everything I can find. I've uninstalled and re-installed, used an older version, removed all files from the AppData folder related to iCloud, etc. I have been able to set up the software successfully on one of my other computers, however, it is this one that is causing this issue.

My thought is there is a security setting within Windows 11 that is preventing this connectivity. Can you please help with possible solutions? Thank you!!

[#2]

Not sure relevant, but browsers sometimes save multiple credentials, and these incorrect or superseded passwords replace what you type such that you need to delete and/or edit those credentials as appropriate for icloud.

[#3]

Credentials settings did not work for me, nor did uninstalling and reinstalling, nor did clearing out %appdata% and %programdata%. 

Fortunately I've been successful with the following:

1. Run Outlook, go to File / Options / Add-ins / Manage COM Add-ins / Go...
2. Disable the iCloud Outlook addin, close Outlook
3. Run Outlook as administrator, disable iCloud addin as per 1&2 above
4. Close Outlook
5. (May need to reboot)
6. In the Start Menu, run iCloud as administrator, ignoring any errors
7. Continue with the setup and things should work
8. No need for addtional run-as admin in the future

[#4]

NEW UPDATE FOR AUGUST 2022

In July this above fix stopped working due to an update and the only way I found to fix it at the time was to completely uninstall and reinstall iCloud, starting with manually removing the iCloud outlook add-in. But that takes hours, removes all iCloud data from the system, and then re-syncs. And I had to do it three times. Way too much effort.

Then this past week iCloud forgot its password for outlook synchronizing again, and I wasn't willing to uninstall and reinstall again, so I kept fiddling around until a new set of steps revealed itself. This one is just five minutes, and hopefully it will work moving forward. That may sound overly optimistic, but looking at the steps in hindsight, they now make sense.

1. Run iCloud setup as the logged-in iCloud user
2. Un-check the "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option, apply and close.
3. Run Outlook, go to File / Options / Add-ins / Manage COM Add-ins / Go...
4. Disable the iCloud Outlook addin, close Outlook
5. Run Outlook as administrator, disable iCloud addin as per 3&4 above
6. Now /remove/ the iCloud addin, still as Administrator.
7. Close Outlook (may need to reboot -- feel free to try both ways)
8. Run iCloud setup as the logged-in iCloud user
9. Check the "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option, apply and close.
10. Run Outlook as administrator, go to File / Options / Add-ins / Manage COM Add-ins / Go...
11. Manually add the iCloud Outlook Add-in from the file in %ProgramData%, typically: C:\ProgramData\Apple Inc\iCloud\Outlook\aplzod32.dll
12. Close options.
13. The iCloud outlook add-in toolbar icon will say "wrong password" instead of "refresh". This is fine because Outlook was started as administrator and is using the wrong credential cache
14. Close outlook
15. Re-open Outlook as the logged-in user and it should now be happy and show "refresh"

@jmcrawf 

[#5]

@jmcrawf unfortunately I followed your latest instructions and reboot as well, and when trying to Pitchounette contacts & calendars, iCloud says: incorrect username and password :(((

[#6]

I wish I knew what to say. I just had to go through the process again this past week, likely because Apple changed something (had to re-sign-in to both my iPhone and iPad, then when I booted up the computer it had the good old password issue). Now I'm down to under three minutes...

If it were me, I'd try the above again, making sure that the add-in is first disabled from both the current user and from when starting Outlook as admin, and then removed as admin, and then reboot. And then do another install of iCloud as admin, then signing in when running iCloud as a normal user, before installing the add-in again.

Yes, I just completely repeated myself, but that's what I'd do (with the assumption that I missed something along the way). Since you've already done that, I don't know if you'd want to bother with doing it all again.

The other option is to completely get rid of iCloud, reboot, and then do a fresh install. That's a royal pain because it means deleting and then re-syncing all of your iCloud documents and photos. But it works.

After that the above steps should work again. Or at least they do for me and everyone I've explained it to at work.

[#7]

Thank you so much for your very quick reply Jmcrawf. I will try again in the next few days…as now here it is getting late, but FYI, I also remove completely iCloud and re-installed it. I must admit, this quite frustrating. I was all afternoon on this, and for the first time , think that I started to think of going with a mac, with all the problems I have had with Microsoft. Still at least all my phone, IPad and computer would be on the same platform. In any case, I will give another shot. Cheers, and many thanks again for very clear explanation you provided.

[#8]

You're welcome.

One more set of tips before you/we giveup:

a) Open an elevated command prompt (run-as administrator), then running the command "DISM /online /cleanup-image /restoreHealth" and then when that is done, "SFC /scannow". Then reboot. This will find and fix any operating system files that need to be udpated or are corrupted.
b) Do a full online repair for Microsoft Office. Then reboot.
c) And then remove/replace the outlook add-in as per the 15 steps above.

That will make sure all of your Windows and MSOffice files are up to date and properly configured before you remove and replace the Outlook add-in. It may fix the issue. Or, if it doesn't fix it, at least you'll know that the problem isn't Windows or Office.

It's definitely frustrating. Even moreso because it's just this one add-in / .dll for outlook that is losing its credentials -- everything else in iCloud for windows works fine for me without any intervention.

Personally, I like Windows more than OS X. But... I do look on with envy as my friend with a Mac has everything work seamlessly, including contacts, photos, iMessage chat, facetime, and even copy/paste between devices. It's astounding to watch.

Good luck.

[#9]

NEW UPDATE FOR OCTOBER 2022

A new Windows update, combined with an iCloud app update, confused the system again.  The solution required resurrecting the step where iCloud setup gets run "As Administrator".  It's still five minutes once you're used to bit, but yet, it's also a pain in the article.  It would be great if Apple could just fix the issue.

Full details:

1. Run iCloud setup as the logged-in iCloud user.
2. Un-check the "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option, apply and close.
3. Run Outlook, go to File / Options / Add-ins / Manage COM Add-ins / Go...
4. Disable the iCloud Outlook addin, close Outlook.
5. Run Outlook as administrator, disable iCloud addin as per 3&4 above.
6. Now /remove/ the iCloud addin, still as Administrator.
7. Close Outlook (may need to reboot -- feel free to try both ways).
8. Run iCloud setup as Administrator, enter password, confirm via 2fp
9. If iCloud will not run, then it needs to be updated as part of the Windows update, and requires a reboot.
10. In which case, reboot, and repeat step 8 above.
11. Check the "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option, apply and close.
12. Run iCloud setup as the logged-in iCloud user, enter password and confirm if needed.
13. Check the "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option, apply and close.
14. Run Outlook as administrator, go to File / Options / Add-ins / Manage COM Add-ins / Go...
15. Manually add the iCloud Outlook Add-in from the file in %ProgramData%, typically:
16. C:\ProgramData\Apple Inc\iCloud\Outlook\aplzod32.dll
17. Close options.
18. The iCloud outlook add-in toolbar icon will say "wrong password" instead of "refresh".
19. This is fine because Outlook was started as administrator and is using the wrong credential cache.
20. Close outlook.
21. Re-open Outlook as the logged-in user and it should now be happy and show "refresh".

@jmcrawf 

[#10]

Thank you so much for the fix. These steps worked on one laptop but not on another. When I log into iCloud as an Administrator, (steps 8-11) it will not allow me to select "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option. It will actually allow me to select this option but after I select Apply, this option is not applied and it unselects it. The main difference I think between the 2 systems is that on the system this fix worked on, iCloud kept asking for a new password every couple minutes. On the system, I can't save the option "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" iCloud isn't asking for a password but in Outlook it says "Wrong Password" instead of "Refresh". Any suggestions?

[#11]

You're welcome! It's a welcome gift when iCloud syncs everything up without having to pay any attention, and then a real pain in the article when it stops working.
One thing that might help is removing all outlook-related credentials from the Windows credential manager (either in control panel, or start->Type "credential"), including "virtual app/didlogical. Didlogical shouldn't matter, but it's worth trying if nothing works.
Other than that, the only other thought I can offer is the dreaded uninstall of iCloud and then a reinstall.

[#12]

@jmcrawf Thank you again for your reply! I gave up yesterday after hours of trying to figure out what the issue was. Initially, I didn't have permission to use iCloud as an Admin. After uninstalling/reinstalling iCloud, following the steps, I still couldn't get the fix to work on my 2nd laptop. Woke up this morning, and the issue resolved itself?!?! I simply hit "Wrong Password" in my Outlook and wouldn't you know it, it changed to "Refresh" and my calendars updated. I couldn't believe it. My fingers are crossed this will stay fixed. Your fix got my calendars syncing again across laptops AND stopped the annoying icloud password request over and over again. Thank you so much for your fix!!!

[#13]

Thanks for sharing with us
NEW UPDATE FOR OCTOBER 2022
Regards @wick

[#14]

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[#15]

New Update for February 2023

The latest Microsoft update broke iCloud again.  While the October 2022 update above still works, this update streamlines it slightly by cutting out most reboots (kill all iCloud processes before the old step 9).

The full list:

1. Run iCloud setup as the logged-in iCloud user.
2. Un-check the "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option, apply and close.
3. Run Outlook, go to File / Options / Add-ins / Manage COM Add-ins / Go...
4. Disable the iCloud Outlook addin, close Outlook.
5. Run Outlook with "Run as Administrator", disable iCloud addin as per 3&4 above.
6. Keeping Outlook open, /remove/ the iCloud addin, still as Administrator.
7. Close Outlook (may need to reboot; probably not -- feel free to try both ways).
8. Run Task Manager, close all iCloud processes if any are running (may need click "more details" and scroll down).
9. Run iCloud setup with "Run as Administrator", enter password, confirm via 2fp
10. If iCloud won't run, then it needs to be updated as part of the Windows update, and requires a reboot.
11. In which case, reboot, and repeat from step 8 above.
12. Check the "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option, apply and close.
13. Run iCloud setup as the logged-in iCloud user, enter password and confirm if needed.
14. Check the "Contacts and Calendars with Outlook" option, apply and close.
15. Run Outlook as administrator, go to File / Options / Add-ins / Manage COM Add-ins / Go...
16. Manually add the iCloud Outlook Add-in from the file in %ProgramData%, typically:
17. C:\ProgramData\Apple Inc\iCloud\Outlook\aplzod32.dll
18. Close options.
19. The iCloud outlook add-in toolbar icon will say "wrong password" instead of "refresh".
20. This is fine because Outlook was started as administrator and is using the wrong credential cache.
21. Close outlook.
22. Re-open Outlook as the logged-in user and it should now be happy and show "refresh".

[#16]

Started having the same issue a couple of days ago, after the latest Windows 11 update. Tried all previous fixes, none worked so far. Any suggestions?

[#17]

@Claudio_Lima 

Unfortunately, no.  I. Have not migrated to Window 11 and still cannot connect properly with iCloud with Outlook.  I am slowly giving up and thinking more and more to go toward a Mac as I am using an IPhone and IPad and I am tired to loose my time on this and stop using it.

[#18]

It still works on our Win11 pc's, so I can't offer any help.
The only advice would be to do a complete iCloud uninstall, remove all outlook/office/email credentials in the credential manager, reboot, download the latest iCloud installer, then reinstall iCloud. This is a very tedious solution because it's time-consuming and involves deleting all iCloud files and photos, then re-syncing, but it's the most reliable. And if this is a PC that was upgraded from Win10, this might be required at some point.

[#19]

Since my last post I have given up trying to get iCloud back to normal. I kept the iCloud Add-in in Outlook although it was not synchronizing. Today, to my surprise, without having done anything else, the iCloud sync icon reappeared on Outlook's bar and it resumed synchronizing and working normally. Weird. Has this happened to anyone else?

[#20]

great solution!!