The Tool Desk
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What a Battle.net refresh loop looks like
A refresh loop means the login flow never settles into a signed-in state. Common examples include entering your email and being returned to the same screen, completing CAPTCHA only to be asked again, or authenticating in a browser while the desktop app continues to request sign-in. The Continue button may also cycle between active and inactive, or the app may reload without an explicit error. Blizzard has a support article for this specific symptom: Login to Battle.net Stuck in a Refresh Loop.
An incorrect password, a locked account, an authenticator redirect, and an Update Agent failure can look similar at first, but they are not necessarily the same problem. Blizzard lists separate support cases for these login situations.
First, determine whether it is the account, service, or desktop app
Try the account website
Sign in at the Battle.net account website using the same account. Type your email and password yourself rather than relying on autofill. Use only an official Blizzard domain for sign-in.
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- If the website also rejects the login: verify the email and password, then use Blizzard account recovery for a forgotten password, inaccessible email, authenticator issue, or locked account. Avoid submitting the same credentials or CAPTCHA repeatedly.
- If the website works but the app loops: your credentials work in that browser flow. Prioritize local Battle.net data, the browser-to-app handoff, network filtering, security software, or the Agent rather than changing your password as a first step.
Check for a service-side problem
Check Blizzard’s official support and news channels and the relevant game’s service information before deleting data. If multiple people or devices are affected at once, wait for official updates and retry later. A local login loop can resemble an outage, and a regional authentication problem may not affect every player; a third-party outage tracker is not definitive.
Try these low-risk fixes before changing files
- Exit Battle.net completely. Closing the window may leave the Agent or updater running.
- End remaining processes. On Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and end Battle.net, Blizzard Update Agent, Agent, and other Blizzard launcher processes that are still present. Names can vary by client version. On macOS, quit Battle.net and confirm it is no longer running before reopening it.
- Restart the computer, then open Battle.net and try signing in again. Restarting can clear a stale client or Agent session.
- Temporarily disconnect VPN or proxy software and retry. Do not install a VPN as a default fix; it can introduce a different CAPTCHA or authentication problem.
- Check date, time, and time zone. Set them to automatic and confirm they are correct, then retry.
Blizzard’s Agent and update-loop troubleshooting discussion also recommends checking that launcher and related processes have stopped before trying again.
Test whether your network is blocking the login flow
A browser and desktop client can behave differently on the same connection. To separate a PC problem from a network-path problem, connect the computer to a phone hotspot and attempt the login once. This is a diagnostic test, not necessarily a permanent solution.
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- Enable your phone’s hotspot and connect the computer to it.
- Open Battle.net and try to sign in.
- If it works, reconnect to your usual network and investigate its DNS, router filtering, VPN or proxy configuration, parental controls, security filtering, or ISP path.
A February 2026 Blizzard forum report describes a login completing on a phone hotspot after failing on home 5G Wi-Fi. That is a user-reported workaround, not an official Blizzard diagnosis or proof that the same cause applies to other players: forum report.
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Clear Battle.net local data on Windows
Stale or damaged launcher data can prevent a successful session from being saved. Resetting it may remove remembered login information and app settings. Rename folders first so you can restore them if needed, and do not remove folders where your games are installed.
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- Exit Battle.net and end remaining Battle.net and Blizzard processes using Task Manager.
- Press Win + R, enter
%ProgramData%, and press Enter. Look for folders named Battle.net or relevant Blizzard Entertainment folders. - Repeat with
%AppData%and%LocalAppData%, checking each location for those launcher-related folders. - Rename relevant folders—for example, add
.oldto the name—instead of deleting them immediately. Do not rename or delete game-install directories. - Restart Windows, open Battle.net, and sign in again. The client may recreate its local data.
The exact folder layout can differ by Windows installation and client build. The folder reset is a reported workaround, not a guarantee that every folder needs changing; community examples include this report and a similar login report.
macOS note
On macOS, quit Battle.net, then use Finder’s Go → Go to Folder to locate and back up or rename Battle.net-related application-support or cache data. Restart and reopen the app. Folder locations vary, and the available community report is not sufficient to establish a definitive path for every current macOS installation. Do not remove game-install folders; consult Blizzard’s current support instructions before changing specific paths. A user report involving Apple silicon is available here.
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If the desktop app opens a browser to sign in, the browser may complete authentication without successfully returning the session to the launcher. Try these targeted checks:
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- Use your default browser and update it to a currently supported version.
- Open a private or incognito window to test whether existing browser data is interfering.
- Temporarily disable extensions that block scripts, cookies, redirects, or CAPTCHA components.
- Allow cookies and JavaScript on Blizzard login pages.
- Complete sign-in in the same browser window launched by the app, then give the handoff time to finish before returning to Battle.net.
- Avoid opening several Battle.net login windows at once, and verify that the address is an official Blizzard domain before entering credentials.
These are diagnostic steps, not evidence that one particular browser setting or CAPTCHA provider causes every loop. If CAPTCHA keeps repeating, stop submitting challenges and test a clean browser session or another network instead.
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“Battle.net Update Agent went to sleep”
Fully exit the client and end any remaining Agent or launcher processes, restart the computer, and then try again. If the message persists, reset the launcher’s local data using the appropriate operating-system precautions above. A forum report describes a repeating Agent message alongside a login problem, but that does not establish one universal cause: reported case.
An authenticator prompt flashes, then login returns
Use Blizzard’s separate authenticator-redirect support results rather than casually removing or changing multi-factor authentication. If access to the authenticator or account is the blocker, use the official recovery route.
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The website works but the desktop app does not
Focus on the app’s local state, Agent, browser handoff, and whether a different network changes the result. Blizzard’s support search includes a separate case for logging in to the website but not the app.
Login appears successful, but the app remains offline
Fully quit and relaunch Battle.net, then check whether an Agent process is stuck or the network is interrupting the client after authentication. If the app still cannot update or write local files, try running Battle.net as administrator once on Windows after closing its processes. If that changes the result, investigate folder permissions or security software; do not disable User Account Control or make elevated permissions the default for every game. This is a permissions test, not a general authentication fix.
Reinstall Battle.net only after the other tests
- Uninstall the Battle.net desktop app.
- Restart the computer.
- Rename or remove residual launcher data, not game-install folders.
- Download the installer from Blizzard’s official Battle.net desktop app page and install it.
- Try signing in before changing other settings.
A standard uninstall may leave local profile data behind, while reinstalling cannot fix a blocked network path or service-side problem. Community reports describe repeated reinstalls failing before local-data or network changes, so use the earlier tests to narrow the cause first.
When to contact Blizzard Support
Contact Blizzard if account recovery does not restore access, the account is locked, email or authenticator access is the obstacle, or both the website and app fail while official service information shows no relevant incident. Support is also the next step if the loop persists across multiple networks after a local-data reset and clean client installation. Include your operating system, whether browser login works, whether a hotspot changes the outcome, and the exact message or point where the loop restarts.
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Choose the next step by symptom
| What you see | Most useful next step | Likely area to investigate |
|---|---|---|
| Website and app both fail | Check official service information and use account recovery | Account access, authentication, or service availability |
| Website works; app loops | End app processes, test another network, then reset launcher data | Client state, Agent, or app handoff |
| Hotspot works; usual network fails | Inspect DNS, router or network filtering, VPN/proxy, or ISP path | Network path or filtering |
| CAPTCHA repeats | Try a private browser session, allow cookies and scripts, and test another network | Browser handoff or filtered authentication traffic |
| Update Agent message repeats | End Agent processes, restart, and reset launcher data | Agent or updater state |
| Authenticator prompt flashes then redirects | Use Blizzard’s authenticator-redirect support path | Multi-factor authentication handoff |
| Login succeeds but the app stays offline | Quit and relaunch; check Agent and network; test permissions if needed | Client state, updater, or local permissions |
| Account is locked or email is inaccessible | Use Blizzard account recovery | Account access |
A refresh loop does not by itself show that an account was hacked, banned, or that a password is wrong. Avoid permanent antivirus or firewall disablement, random repair utilities, registry cleaners, deleting game folders, and unnecessary authenticator changes.
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