Fix: Minecraft “You Need To Authenticate to Microsoft Services” Error

Minecraft is getting an overwhelming number of active players after having been in the market for more than a decade. It looks like that there are multiple issues or bugs are troubling a lot of players but the server connectivity error is a major problem right now. Plenty of Minecraft players are currently receiving the “You Need to Authenticate Microsoft Services” error message while trying to get into the game which prevents them to play their favorite game.

This specific error message started appearing to the unfortunate players in the year 2021 and still continues in 2023 whatsoever. Now, if you’re also encountering such an error then make sure to follow this troubleshooting guide to fix it easily. Now, the question will come why are you getting this error notice? Well, it’s because the Minecraft servers or Microsoft services are going through an outage that blocks players to access the game servers.

Fix: Minecraft “You Need To Authenticate to Microsoft Services” Error

If we take a quick look at the “You Need to authenticate to Microsoft Services” error in Minecraft, it looks like Microsoft has made it necessary for Minecraft players to have a valid Microsoft account to be able to get into the Minecraft game. That means your Microsoft account will be linked and synced to the Minecraft account before letting you in the game sessions. So, the Microsoft account will be your Xbox Live account or the Windows account.

This particular error occurs whenever your Microsoft account is having trouble connecting to the PC version. Another thing we should mention is that this kind of error might also happen due to some other possible reasons. Such as a poor or unstable internet connection, temporary glitches with the game account, an outdated game patch version, a temporary glitch with the game cache data, and so on.

Luckily, we’ve mentioned a couple of potential workarounds for you that should come in handy. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.

1. Set the Correct Date and Time

First of all, you should set the correct date and time on your PC by following the steps below to ensure there is no issue with the incorrect date & time or incorrect timezone configuration. Connecting to the Minecraft servers or Microsoft services will require a correct date and time on the specific device.

• Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
• Now, go to Time & Language > Navigate to Date & time.
• Turn ON the Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
• Once done, make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.

2. Sign Out of your Microsoft Account and Sign Back In

The second thing you should do is sign out of your Microsoft account and then sign back into the account to refresh any kind of temporary glitches. Make sure to retry the same sign-out and sign-in process multiple times then check if the problem has been fixed or not. You can follow the steps below to do it right from the Windows account settings.

• Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
• Click on the Profile tab > Go to Your Info.
• Now, click on Accounts > It’ll head over to the Microsoft account login page.
• Click on Sign Out of your Microsoft account. [If not signed in to the account, log in]
• Once you’re signed off your account, reboot the PC to apply changes.
• Finally, head over to the section again, and sign back into it.

3. Check for Minecraft Updates

You should also check for the Minecraft game updates directly from the Microsoft Store application on your computer to ensure there is no issue with the game version. An outdated game version may trigger multiple issues with the game launching or server connectivity whatsoever. To do so:

• Open the Microsoft Store App > Click on Library.
• Now, click on Get updates to install all the available app updates.
• Wait for the update all process as it may take some time. Ensure you have a working internet connection.
• Once done, reboot the PC to apply changes.

4. Check for Windows Updates

Last but not the least, you can try checking out Windows OS updates on the PC by following the steps below. It’s recommended to always be up-to-date with the Windows OS or build version to get improved performance and more stability.

• Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
• Click on Windows Updates from the left pane.
• Now, click on Check for updates > If an update is available, click on Download and Install.
• Wait for the update process to complete and then restart the system.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For additional queries, you can comment below.