Overview
This article explains how Office Timeline handles log-in across embedded and system-browser login methods, including how the app reacts when a login attempt fails during authentication. It covers the confirmation page shown after authentication, automatic fallback behavior, login settings, and what users may see during the login process. Guidance for IT Administrators can be found here:
Office Timeline cannot detect conditional access policies or browser restrictions before authentication starts. Login method selection and retry behavior are determined only after an authentication attempt succeeds or fails.
In this article:
A) Login Confirmation Page
B) Automatic Login Method Fallback
C) Waiting for Authentication Window
D) Login Settings Locked While Logged In
A) Login Confirmation Page
When Office Timeline opens a system browser for log-in, a confirmation page appears after authentication is complete. This page indicates that login was successful and that you can return to PowerPoint.
What to do next:
Simply close or leave the browser tab and return to PowerPoint. The add-in will finish activation automatically.
B) Automatic Login Method Fallback
Office Timeline can log you in using either embedded login (inside PowerPoint) or your system browser. To improve reliability, the application includes an automatic fallback mechanism only when embedded login is used.
How it works:
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For new users, Office Timeline uses the system browser as the default login method. Existing ABL users continue to use their previously saved login method.
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If embedded login is attempted and authentication fails during the flow, Office Timeline automatically retries the login using the system browser.
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If the system browser login succeeds, it becomes the preferred login method going forward.
If a login method is already saved:
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Office Timeline will try the saved method first.
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Fallback occurs only if the saved method is embedded login and authentication fails.
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System browser login does not fall back to embedded login.
This fallback behavior was designed specifically to address environments where embedded browser authentication is restricted. The system browser is considered the most compatible login method and does not require a fallback.
C) Waiting for Authentication Window
If you are logging in through a browser and haven’t yet completed authentication, PowerPoint may display a message indicating that Office Timeline is waiting for you to finish logging in.
If you see this message, check your browser window—there may be a page still waiting for you to enter your credentials or complete a security prompt.
D) Login Settings Locked While Logged In
Your login settings (embedded vs. system browser) can only be changed when you are logged out of Office Timeline. One login method is always selected.
When logged in, hovering over the setting will show:
“Editable only when logged out.”
To change your login method, log out from the Office Timeline Account menu, and the settings will become available.
