Fix the MSFS 2020 Xbox sign-in loop on PC or console by refreshing account tokens, matching accounts, repairing Gaming Services and testing the network.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 usually gets stuck in an Xbox sign-in loop because its authentication token is stale, the Xbox app and Microsoft Store hold conflicting account credentials, Gaming Services is damaged, or a network filter blocks the login request. On Xbox consoles, Quick Resume and a stale profile are common causes.
What causes the MSFS 2020 Xbox login loop?
The point at which the sign-in fails usually reveals the cause. A true authentication loop returns to the Xbox login screen without loading the selected gamertag; a purchase or licence message after login is more likely an entitlement problem.
| What happens | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| The login window closes and immediately returns | Expired account token, incorrect system time or a damaged Xbox identity component |
| The Xbox app shows a different gamertag | Conflicting Microsoft accounts or cached credentials |
| MSFS asks for a purchase or game disc | The signed-in Store account does not hold the required licence or Game Pass entitlement |
| Other Xbox-enabled games also fail | Xbox account, Gaming Services, Windows or network problem rather than damaged MSFS content |
| Login works through a mobile hotspot | VPN, proxy, filtered DNS, router security or firewall interference |
How do I fix the Xbox sign-in loop on PC?
On PC, refresh the account session first, then repair the Xbox components before touching the large Microsoft Flight Simulator installation.
- Check the Xbox app. Confirm that it can sign in normally and displays the gamertag you intend to use. If the Xbox app itself loops or remains offline, MSFS cannot complete authentication.
- Refresh both account sessions. Close MSFS, sign out of the Xbox app and Microsoft Store, restart Windows, then sign back in. For a Microsoft Store or Game Pass installation, the Store account must provide the licence; using the same account in the Xbox app removes the most common mismatch. Our Game Pass entitlement and account checks cover cases where a subscription is not recognised. A Steam copy keeps its licence through Steam but still requires an Xbox profile inside MSFS.
- Synchronise the PC clock. Enable automatic date, time and time zone settings, then run the Windows time synchronisation option. Authentication tokens can be rejected when the clock is wrong by even a modest amount.
- Install pending updates. Update Windows and use the Microsoft Store library to update the Xbox app, Gaming Services and any Xbox identity component offered there. Restart after the updates rather than launching MSFS immediately.
- Repair the Xbox components. In Windows app settings, open the advanced options for the Xbox app and Gaming Services. Use Repair first; if the loop remains, use Reset and sign in again. Resetting these small components should not remove the simulator’s downloaded aircraft and scenery.
- Check Xbox services. Open the Windows Services manager and make sure Gaming Services and Xbox Live Auth Manager, where present, have not been disabled. Restart available Xbox authentication services, but do not change unrelated Windows services.
- Test the network path. Temporarily disconnect any VPN or proxy and bypass filtered DNS, advertising filters or HTTPS inspection. A brief test through a phone hotspot is useful: if login works there, repair the normal network configuration instead of reinstalling MSFS.
If the Xbox app signs in correctly but the simulator still refuses to open, continue with our wider MSFS 2020 PC launch checks, which cover hidden login windows, Gaming Services and security software.
How do I stop the loop on an Xbox console?
On Xbox Series X|S, fully ending the game session and refreshing the console profile usually clears the loop.
- Quit MSFS completely. Use the console guide to quit the game rather than returning to the dashboard. Remove it from Quick Resume if it appears there.
- Restart the console. Use a full console restart so the cached Xbox session is rebuilt.
- Verify the active profile. Confirm that the signed-in profile has access to the game. If only that profile is affected, sign out and back in; remove and re-add the profile only if a normal sign-out does not work.
- Apply system and game updates. An outdated game client can fail when the Xbox authentication service expects a newer component.
- Test the connection. Run the console network test and try another connection if possible. If several Xbox games fail to authenticate, the problem is outside MSFS.
For first-launch licence, profile and connection problems, follow our Xbox Series X|S setup checks. When playing through cloud streaming, end the cloud session completely and refresh the account in the hosting Xbox app; local Quick Resume and installation repairs do not apply.
Should I reinstall Microsoft Flight Simulator?
No—not until the Xbox app can sign in, Gaming Services has been repaired and another network has been tested. Xbox authentication data sits largely outside the simulator’s content packages, so reinstalling MSFS often produces a large download without clearing the account token that caused the loop.
Signing out, resetting the Xbox app or removing a console profile does not normally erase cloud-synchronised progress. Avoid deleting simulator data or choosing any option that removes saves everywhere merely to repair a login problem.
If authentication succeeds but the next screen hangs at “Checking for Updates”, the sign-in loop is fixed and the remaining fault is different. Use the targeted steps for an MSFS 2020 Checking for Updates loop rather than repeating account resets.