Troubleshooting Single Sign-On (SSO) Guide

This article covers the most common Single Sign-On (SSO) sign-in problems and the quick fixes that resolve them. It applies whether you sign in with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or SAML / AD FS. Most SSO issues come down to a stale browser session, so start with the steps below before reaching out — they resolve the majority of cases.

This article may help if you're experiencing any of the following:

  • You're caught in a sign-in loop that keeps returning you to the login page.
  • SSO sign-in fails with an error message.
  • You could sign in before, but SSO has suddenly stopped working.
  • A newly added user can't sign in with SSO.

Start with a fresh browser session

Hint: Most SSO sign-in problems are caused by a stale session or cached credentials. Starting clean resolves the majority of them.

  1. Close all open instances of your web browser — every window and tab, not just the current one.
  2. Open a new private / incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N in Chrome or Edge; Ctrl+Shift+P in Firefox).
  3. Go to https://app.protectedtrust.com and sign in again.

Why this works: a private / incognito window starts a clean session that ignores your existing cookies, so it bypasses the stale sign-in data causing the error. It doesn't clear your normal cookies — if signing in this way works, use the next step to clear the site data permanently.

Still not working? Clear the cached data for protectedtrust.com

Hint: This clears only the stored data for protectedtrust.com — your other sites and sign-ins aren't affected.

In Chrome or Edge:

  1. Open a tab and go to https://app.protectedtrust.com.
  2. Click the site-information icon (the padlock, or the small controls/tune icon) at the left end of the address bar.
  3. Select Cookies and site data (in some versions this is under Site settings).
  4. Choose Manage and delete cookies (or Delete data) and remove the entries for protectedtrust.com.
  5. Close every browser window, open a new private / incognito window, go to https://app.protectedtrust.com, and sign in again.

In Firefox:

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Manage Data.
  2. Search for protectedtrust, select it, and click Remove Selected, then Save Changes.
  3. Close every browser window, open a new private window, go to https://app.protectedtrust.com, and sign in again.
Note: These steps resolve most browser- and session-related SSO problems. If sign-in still fails afterward, the issue is likely with your organization's SSO configuration (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or AD FS) — contact your administrator or our support team for help.

Still need help?

If you're still having trouble, please contact our support team. Related guides: Microsoft 365 SSO, Google Workspace SSO, SAML 2.0 SSO (AD FS).