error code,0x800704cf

Question

I am using windows 11on a PC and when I try to log into my Microsoft account I get the error code, even though I am already online. How do I sort this?

Answer 1

Hi all try this method works for me.

So, after working on this for a while - and NOT reinstalling Windows (that's insane) or Office (also insane) - I was able to get it to work again. This is what worked for me:

1. Hit Windows key + R
2. Type "services.msc" and press Enter
3. Find "Microsoft Account Sign-in Assistant" in the list. Right-click and select "Restart."
4. Find "Microsoft Cloud Identity Service" in the list. Right-click and select "Restart."
5. Open Word, Excel, PPT, or whatever and try to sign in again. Worked immediately for me.

Quick note to the Microsoft employees and advisors trying to "help" here: Please work to provide help, real assistance, rather than a simple-yet-insanely-un-fun solution like "Just reinstall the OS." That is not a solution.

Answer 2

Had the same problem and managed to find a workaround: Uninstall the 2026-03 Security Update (KB5079473) (26200.8037). This instantly resolves the sign-in errors for OneDrive, Office 365, and Feedback Hub. It looks like a buggy update.

I tested this on my two PCs that had the update, and it worked for both !!

Answer 3

Unfortunately none of these help. This is really frustrating. I've spent 5 hours trying to solve this. This must have been seen before the update was released.

MS send an update.

Answer 4

Hey! This error means Windows fails to reach Microsoft account services even when the PC shows internet access. It could be network connection issue. Try these steps.

• Open Settings, select Network and Internet, confirm the PC shows Connected.

• Restart the PC, then try the Microsoft account sign in again in Settings > Accounts.

• Open a web browser and sign in to your Microsoft account at https://account.microsoft.com to confirm the account works.

If the account signs in through the browser but Windows still shows error 0x800704cf, share the exact message and where the error appears. Thanks!

Answer 5

Error code 0x800704cf when signing in usually indicates a connectivity or account sign-in problem, even if the device appears to be online.

Try these steps in order:

1. Confirm Windows sign-in and account status
   • Make sure the device can sign in to Windows normally with the current profile.
   • If Windows shows messages like We can't sign in to your account or signs in with a temporary profile, follow the steps in the Windows sign-in troubleshooting articles to stabilize the local profile first, because a temporary or corrupted profile can interfere with Microsoft account sign-in.
2. Use Windows sign-in troubleshooting
   • Go through the guidance in Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows. Depending on what is seen (PIN issues, password issues, verification codes not arriving, etc.), use the relevant article:
     • Forgot your PIN
     • Change or reset your Windows password
     • Forgot your Microsoft account password
     • Not getting verification codes
   • If the Microsoft account itself cannot be signed into from a browser (for example at Outlook.com or account.microsoft.com), use the Sign-in helper mentioned in the article to detect and fix account-side issues.
3. Check for temporary profile issues
   • If Windows shows We can't sign in to your account or You’ve been signed in with a temporary profile, follow these steps:
     1. Restart the device in Safe mode and sign in with the original profile, then restart again in normal mode and test.
     2. If that fails, temporarily disable antivirus or other security software that might interfere with sign-in.
     3. As a deeper step, temporarily disable Microsoft Defender services as described in the article, then test sign-in again. Remember to set them back to Automatic after troubleshooting.
     4. If the original profile still does not work, create a new local administrator account and then follow Fix a corrupted user profile to move data to the new profile.
4. Test Microsoft account sign-in on the web
   • From a browser, try signing in to the Microsoft account. If sign-in fails there as well, use:
     • Forgot your Microsoft account password
     • Not getting verification codes
   • If the account is blocked or locked, follow the guidance in those articles and the Sign-in helper to unblock or recover it.

If, after stabilizing the Windows profile and confirming that the Microsoft account works in a browser, the error 0x800704cf still appears only when connecting the account in Windows, use the Windows account settings to remove the Microsoft account from the device (if present) and add it again after a restart.

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References:

• Troubleshoot Problems Signing In to Windows
• "We can't sign in to your account" error message

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