Unable to Add Third Account on Xbox Series X – Password Loop Issue

Leonardo Nascimento6 · May 18, 2025 at 6:02 PM

I’m experiencing an issue while trying to add a third account to my Xbox Series X. There are already two accounts on the console—mine and my sister’s—and I’m attempting to sign in with a third one.

The process begins normally:

1. The console asks for the email address.

2. It then requests verification, which I complete successfully.

3. After that, it prompts me to “add a password,” which seems unusual since the account already has an existing password.

4. It then asks me to repeat the new password.

5. Once I enter and confirm the password, the system loads for about a second and then returns to the “add a password” screen, starting the process all over again.

No matter what I try, I’m stuck in this loop and unable to sign in to the third account.

Could you please assist me with this issue or advise on how to proceed?

:)

SweetMonet

Hi, Leonardo! I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble adding a 3rd account on the Xbox console. No worries, I'm happy to assist you with this today.

Please try the following steps and see if they resolve the issue.

Make sure that you have an updated security email and phone number.

Also, ensure that the Passwordless account and Two-step verification are set to off.

https://account.live.com/proofs/manage/additional

Update your password here.

https://account.live.com/password/Change

Then sign in here using the new password before signing in on the console.

https://xbox.com/

Let me know if that resolves the issue.

Thank you!

Obsessive Power

Just some additional information you should be aware of:

The Xbox 360 and the Xbox 360 emulation software on the Xbox One and Series X is quite fussy with passwords. It may display an error with passwords that it has issues with, even if these passwords work fine on the main account of an Xbox One or Series X console.

Keep your password to less than 11 characters.
If your password has special characters (such as !"%@~#) these can cause issues. Also passwords with spaces can also have problems.

Bear in mind there is no such thing as an Xbox 360 account an Xbox One account or a Series X account. Your Microsoft/Xbox account will work on all Xbox Online services on different consoles and PCs.

XBox001

The third restart of the XBox Series X has fixed this issue. Working as normal aagin.

Lee.L - MSFT

Hello Dear User

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

I understand that you are having trouble on your newly bought console stuck in a password loop, and I understand your confusion.

It sounds frustrating to be stuck in a password loop on your brand-new Xbox Series X, especially when you're just trying to set it up. Let's walk through some steps to get you past the password issue.

Ensure You Have a Stable Internet Connection

Before diving into other solutions, make sure your Xbox Series X is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. A poor or unstable connection can sometimes cause issues when trying to sign in or add accounts.

Power cycle Your Xbox Series X

Since restarting didn't help, let’s try a more thorough power cycle:

Turn off your Xbox by holding the power button on the front of the console for 10 seconds until it fully shuts off.

Unplug the power cable from the back of the Xbox.

Wait about 5 minutes, then plug the power cable back in and turn the Xbox back on.

Try logging in again.

Try Signing In Using the Xbox App

If the password loop is still happening on the console, you can try using the Xbox mobile app to log in:

Download the Xbox app on your phone (available on iOS and Android).

Open the app and sign in using your Xbox account credentials.

Once you're logged in on the app, your console should automatically recognize your account when you try to sign in.

Check Your Microsoft Account Password

Double-check your Microsoft account password to make sure you're entering it correctly. If you've forgotten your password or suspect there might be an issue with it, you can reset it:

Go to the Microsoft account recovery page: Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password - Microsoft Support.

Follow the instructions to reset your password.

Once you’ve reset the password, try logging in again on your Xbox Series X.

Add Your Account via "Offline Account" (if urgent)

If the console keeps asking for your password but isn't allowing you to log in, you can try adding a local offline account temporarily and set up your Microsoft account later:

On the sign-in screen, choose Offline account (or select "Add new account" if available).

Create a temporary account to get into the Xbox interface.

After logging in, go to Settings > Account and try adding your Microsoft account again once you’re inside.

Factory Reset (If Still Stuck)

If none of the above methods work and you're still stuck in the password loop, you can perform a factory reset on your Xbox Series X:

On the sign-in screen, hold the power button and the eject button simultaneously until you hear a second power-up chime. This will boot the Xbox into the recovery mode.

Select Reset and remove everything to perform a full factory reset.

After the reset, you can attempt the setup process again.

(Note: This will remove all your data, so make sure you back up anything important if you can get to that step.)

If none of these solutions work, it might be worth reaching out to Xbox Support for further troubleshooting. They may be able to help you more directly with your account or console setup issues: Contact us | Xbox Support

Please feel free to let me know if you have any further updates, thanks. 

Best Regards.

Lee-MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Obsessive Power

The 'App password' for the Xbox 360 is a work-around for the two step verification system available for the Xbox One/Series X|S. As the Xbox 360 doesn't support 2 step, you need to use an 'App Password' on these consoles.

For the Xbox One and Series X|S consoles, you need to use your Microsoft account password.

Unable to Add Third Account on Xbox Series X – Password Loop Issue