Outlook error "Something went wrong" 657rx (code 2148073494): how to fix it
Error tag 657rx with code 2148073494 is a generic Microsoft 365 sign-in failure in classic Outlook for Windows. It usually comes from a stale work or school account registration or damaged cached credentials. Disconnecting and reconnecting the account under Access work or school is the fix Microsoft's answers point to first.
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What it means
The full message is "Something went wrong", with the details "Error Tag: 657rx, Error Code: 2148073494". It appears when you add an account to Outlook or sign in with a work, school or Exchange account.
Microsoft has no standalone article for 657rx and documents no exact root cause. Its own answers say only that the login details saved in Outlook or Windows are outdated or corrupted.
Symptoms and causes
You are likely dealing with this problem if:
- A "Something went wrong" window with Error Tag 657rx when you add or sign in to an account in Outlook.
- The error can appear before the Microsoft sign-in page even loads.
- Other accounts, such as Gmail, still connect.
- Re-adding the account or reinstalling Office does not help.
The usual causes, most common first:
- Stale work or school account registration
- The entry under Access work or school in Windows is outdated or damaged. This is the explanation behind the accepted answers on Microsoft Q&A.
- Corrupted cached Office credentials or tokens
- Saved MicrosoftOffice16 entries in Credential Manager, or Token Broker data, no longer match what the sign-in needs.
- TPM or device key mismatch
- Two threads report the error after a motherboard replacement, which points to a key tied to the old hardware. This is anecdotal.
- Damaged Outlook profile
- The profile itself holds bad account data, so signing in fails even though the account is fine.
- Device registration problem in Microsoft Entra ID
- A device that is disabled, deleted or not properly registered (including hybrid join issues) can break token requests.
- Security software or network layer blocking sign-in
- An antivirus, proxy, firewall or VPN may block Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin, the Windows component that handles the sign-in.
How to fix it
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and move to deeper repairs; stop as soon as the problem is gone.
1.Disconnect and reconnect the work or school account
In one Microsoft Q&A thread, the original poster confirmed this worked.
Before you start: On a work-managed or Entra-joined PC, ask your IT admin before disconnecting. Disconnecting a work or school account can remove device management (such as Intune) and access to company resources, and a disconnected account may need IT to reconnect. On a personal PC with no work management, this is low risk.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Access work or school.
- If your account is listed, select it, choose Disconnect, then choose Connect and sign in again. If it is not listed, choose Connect and add it.
- Close and restart Outlook, then try adding the account again.
2.Remove cached Office credentials
Damaged saved credentials are a documented cause. Windows and Office will ask you to sign in again and store fresh ones.
Before you start: Removing the credentials themselves is low risk. The step that disconnects accounts under Access work or school is not: on a work-managed or Entra-joined PC, ask your IT admin first, because disconnecting can remove device management (such as Intune) and company access, and IT may need to reconnect the account. Skip that step on a managed PC.
- Close Outlook and all other Office apps.
- Open Credential Manager from the Start menu, then choose Windows Credentials.
- Remove every entry whose name contains
MicrosoftOffice16. - Back in Access work or school, disconnect any listed account that is not the one you use to sign in to Windows (personal PCs only, see the warning).
- Restart the PC and sign in to Outlook again.
3.Create a new Outlook profile
If the old profile is damaged, a clean one avoids the problem. The old profile stays untouched.
- Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles > Add.
- Give the profile a name and add your account when prompted. Microsoft also has a support guide titled "Create an Outlook profile" if the Mail dialog looks different on your setup.
- Choose the new profile as the one Outlook starts with, or select it when Outlook prompts for a profile.
4.Clear the Token Broker data and run the sign-in troubleshooter
This resets the stored sign-in tokens. The steps come from Microsoft's archived article on the same error code, so they are indirect for 657rx.
Before you start: You will be asked to sign in again to Microsoft apps. Delete only the files inside the Accounts folders, not the folders themselves.
- Close all Office apps.
- Press WinR, paste the first path, and delete all files inside the folder that opens.
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\TokenBroker\Accounts - Do the same for the second path.
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.CloudExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\TokenBroker\Accounts - Restart the PC, then run the Microsoft 365 sign-in troubleshooter from Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (aka.ms/SaRA-OfficeSignIn-sarahome).
5.Check whether security software or a VPN is blocking sign-in
Software that filters traffic can block the Windows broker component used for Microsoft sign-in.
Before you start: If you turn off a third-party antivirus, VPN or proxy only to test, turn it back on right after the test. On a work-managed PC, ask your IT admin instead of changing settings yourself.
- Turn off any VPN or proxy and try signing in to Outlook.
- If that changes nothing, briefly pause a third-party antivirus (not Windows Security), try again, and re-enable it immediately.
- If the sign-in works only while it is off, ask the vendor or your IT admin how to allow
Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin.
6.Check device registration and the TPM (last resort)
These steps target key and device registration problems, such as after a motherboard change. They come from Microsoft's archived article on the same code, and some need admin rights.
Before you start: Clearing the TPM can make BitLocker and Windows Hello keys unusable. Back up your BitLocker recovery key first and create a restore point before changing the registry. On a work PC, involve your IT admin.
- Open an elevated Command Prompt and check the device registration state. Look for hybrid join problems such as EventID 220 or error 0x801c001d.
dsregcmd /status - If the device is disabled or deleted in Microsoft Entra ID, have an admin re-enable or re-register it, then disconnect and rejoin the Entra ID connection on the PC.
- Turn on Memory integrity in Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation, if it is off.
- Update the BIOS and confirm the TPM is active.
- If the error is still there, clear the TPM under Windows Security > Device security > Security processor troubleshooting.
- As a further test, sign in with a new Windows user account to see whether the problem is tied to your profile.
Check that it worked
- Outlook adds or signs in to the account without the "Something went wrong" window.
- The account stays connected after you close and reopen Outlook.
If it still fails
- If this is a work or school PC, ask your admin to check that the device is enabled and registered in Microsoft Entra ID, and that your account and licence are in order.
- Post the exact error tag and code on Microsoft Q&A or contact Microsoft support, mentioning any recent hardware change such as a new motherboard.
Questions
Should I repair or reinstall Office?
Reports say reinstalling Office did not help, and the sources I found give no official support for repair as a fix for 657rx. Try the account and credential steps first.
Sources
- ERROR 657 RX (Microsoft Q&A)Official · Microsoft Learn Q&A
- Error Tag 657rx / Connecting some microsoft exchange account to Outlook (Microsoft Q&A)Official · Microsoft Learn Q&A
- Microsoft 365 Apps activation error: Trusted Platform Module malfunctioned (archived)Official · Microsoft Learn