Why Was I Blocked Signing In From a New Location or Device?

If you’ve ever tried to sign in while travelling, or from a new laptop, and hit an unexpected block or extra check — that’s usually a security feature called Conditional Access doing exactly what it’s meant to, not a fault.

What it’s actually checking

Conditional Access looks at the circumstances of a sign-in, not just whether the password is correct — things like: is this a recognised device, is this a country you’ve signed in from before, does this look like a normal pattern for you. Based on that, it can allow the sign-in normally, ask for an extra MFA check, or block it outright.

Note

This sits alongside MFA, not instead of it — MFA checks who you are, Conditional Access checks whether this situation looks normal before deciding how strictly to ask.

Why this is a good thing, not an inconvenience

A password being correct doesn’t tell you much on its own — a stolen password is, by definition, “correct.” A sign-in attempt from a country you’ve never been to, in the middle of the night, on a device nobody recognises, is exactly the kind of pattern that’s worth an extra check even though the password matched. Conditional Access is what catches that.

Common situations where you might see it

• Travelling abroad — signing in from an unfamiliar country can trigger an extra MFA prompt, or occasionally a temporary block until it’s verified.
• A new laptop or phone — a device that’s never signed in before is treated more cautiously than one you use every day.
• Using unfamiliar Wi-Fi, like a hotel or conference network.
• Signing in through a personal VPN app — see What Is a VPN? Work VPN vs Personal VPN — since it can make your sign-in appear to come from a different country than you’re actually in.

What to do if you’re blocked

1. Try the extra verification step first if one’s offered (an MFA prompt or code) — this resolves most cases immediately.
2. If travelling, let support know in advance where you’re going, if possible — this can avoid a block altogether rather than needing to resolve it after the fact.
3. If it’s genuinely stuck, contact support with roughly when and where you were trying to sign in — that’s usually enough for it to be sorted quickly.

Tip

If you’re using a personal VPN app and hit an unexpected block, try disconnecting it and signing in again — the mismatch between your real location and the VPN’s location is a common, easily fixed cause.