Banking and government portals don’t “kind of work.” They either authenticate cleanly—or they bounce you forever.
If you keep getting redirected back to the login page, looping 2FA/CAPTCHA, or getting stuck on a generic “Something went wrong” screen, this is usually not a hack. In 2026, it is almost always a browser privacy/permission mismatch.
Common causes:
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Strict tracking + fingerprinting protection blocking the authentication handshake.
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Corrupted site data (cookies/session tokens) for that specific domain.
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Interference from extensions, VPN/DNS filters, or an out-of-sync device clock.
We’ll use a “surgical approach”—a precision fix that repairs the specific site without forcing you to turn off your security settings everywhere.
Step 0: Diagnosis (Jump to the right fix)
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Works in Private/Incognito: The issue is likely your extensions or strict privacy settings. Go to Step 1 → Step 4.
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Fails mainly on iPhone/iPad Safari: It’s likely Safari’s aggressive tracking protection. Go to Step 2.
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Only one site is broken on all browsers: Corrupted site-specific cookies. Go to Step 5.
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Multiple secure sites failing: This is a network or system-level issue. Go to Step 7.
Step 1: The Control Test (60 Seconds)
Open a private window and retry the login. This disables most extensions and starts with a clean session.
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Chrome: Menu (⋮) → New Incognito Window
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Edge: Menu (⋯) → New InPrivate Window
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Firefox: Menu (☰) → New Private Window
If it works here, your normal browser profile is blocking the session. Keep going.
Step 2: Safari (iPhone/iPad) — The Fastest High-Impact Fix
Safari is aggressive about privacy, which is great for security but can break the “identity handshake” used by SSO and payment frames.
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Go to Settings → Apps → Safari.
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Toggle Prevent Cross-Site Tracking → OFF (test only).
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Reload the page and sign in again.
If it works, turn it back on later and rely on the surgical resets (Step 4) instead.
Step 3: Drop “Strict” → “Standard/Balanced”
Major US banks (Chase, Wells Fargo, etc.) and IRS-style portals often fail under “Strict” anti-tracking and fingerprinting protection.
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Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection → Switch Strict to Standard.
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Edge: Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Tracking prevention → Switch Strict to Balanced.
Why this works: You aren’t disabling security; you are simply stopping the browser from blocking the required authentication signals.
Step 4: Use the Lock / Tune Icon for a Surgical Reset
Modern browsers now use a Tune/Controls icon near the address bar for site-level management.
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Open the broken site.
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Click the Lock / Tune (Controls) icon next to the URL.
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Open Site settings or Permissions.
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Click Reset permissions (or clear site data from here) and reload.
Pro-Tip for Banking: If the login “finishes” but you are never redirected to your dashboard, check Pop-ups and redirects under these settings and set them to Allow for this site only.
Step 5: Clear Site Cookies for That Domain Only
If session tokens are corrupted, the loop won’t stop until they are removed. Don’t wipe your entire history—just target the domain.
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Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Third-party cookies → See all site data and permissions. Search the domain and Delete.
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External Authority Link: [Official Google Chrome Help: Manage cookies and site data]
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Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data → See all cookies and site data. Search and Delete.
Step 6: Isolate Extension Conflicts
If Private mode works but normal mode doesn’t, suspect your ad blockers, VPN extensions, or “coupon” tools.
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Open your Extensions manager.
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Toggle OFF all extensions.
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Test the login.
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Turn them back ON one by one until it breaks.
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Fix: Add the site to that specific extension’s Allowlist.
👉 [Fix VPN/Teams/Outlook login loops by correcting Windows time]
Step 7: Fix Time Sync & Network Interference
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7A) Sync System Time: Incorrect time breaks security certificates. Go to Settings → Time & language → Date & time → Sync now.
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7B) Network Check: Temporarily disable your VPN, DNS filters (NextDNS/Pi-hole), or Antivirus “web protection” to see if they are stripping auth tokens.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Why does it work in Incognito but not normal mode? Private mode disables most extensions and starts with a cleaner session. If it works there, the issue is almost always strict privacy settings or a broken extension rule.
Q: Do I need to enable third-party cookies globally? No. Use the surgical approach: reset site permissions using the Lock/Tune icon and allow pop-ups only for that specific domain if required.
Q: Is a login loop a sign my account was hacked? Usually no. Most loops are session failures. However, if you see unknown device logins or “Account Locked” alerts, perform a full security audit.
👉 [Is it a security hack? Read our 9-step guide to suspicious login alerts]
Wrap-up Checklist
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Safari Users: Toggle Prevent Cross-Site Tracking first.
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Relax Protection: Switch from Strict to Standard/Balanced for bank/IRS portals.
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Surgical Reset: Use the Lock/Tune icon for per-site permission resets.
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Allow Pop-ups: Ensure the site can open new windows for 2FA or dashboards.
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Check Time: Sync your system clock to prevent certificate mismatches.