Share via

Won't let me sign in!

Anonymous
2024-04-13T19:27:13+00:00

Hi. I bought Microsoft Office 365 for personal use. I have documents I absolutely NEED to get done on Word. But every time I try to sign onto my account, it won't let me. I open word, the pop up with "Sign in to get started with Word" opens. I select, sign in or create account.. I enter my email--the same one I used for this account, and it just kicks me back to the previous "sign in to get started with Word" box! I have tried everything at this point. I have tried signing in with a different email, in case that was somehow the issue. I have tried entering my phone number, zilch. No matter what I do, I just go in circles with those two sign in boxes. I cannot use word. I cannot access onedrive. I am totally stuck.

Do NOT refer me to that chat feature on here. It is 100% worthless. I have tried it, I have followed every suggestion it has made. I have NOT forgotten my log in info, it won't allow me in with the correct info. I haven't even made it far enough to enter a password, it won't let me through step 1! I have tried repairing the program, I have tried restarting my computer. Nothing that chat feature has suggested has had any effect whatsoever. I tried calling, no response, moment I said I was having log in info, the stupid robot told me go to the chat feature and automatically hung up.

Are there any actual human beings around with a working brain that can help me? I know I sound like a jerk on this post, and I'm sorry, but I've been going around in circles for days at this point, and I need to be able to access Office. Please and thank you!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Anonymous
    2024-09-25T06:14:47+00:00

    I had this same issue - tried everything suggested in this post - with no succes. However, after contacting Microsoft Support, I was able to find a solution:

    Log out of word (make sure it shows you are logged out in the top right corner (there should be a "sign in" button instead of your name). Close word.

    Open "File Explorer" --> In the bar above "Quick access" choose "View" and then select "Show" and then "Hidden Items" --> Find the (C:) drive (under "This PC") --> Users --> Then choose the folder corresponding with your username --> AppData --> Local --> Microsoft --> OneAuth --> In the OneAuth folder delete the folders "accounts" and "blobs" --> Navigate back to the "Microsoft" folder from earlier --> Delete the folder "Identity Cache" --> Restart word and try to log in.

    Hopefully this works - it helped me after everything mentioned here failed to solve the issue.

    20+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments

9 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2024-09-29T23:41:00+00:00

    @Simon - your solution works! I have been going round and round in circles for days. I've repaired, removed, reinstalled, signed in, signed out and all to no avail. Not sure how I stumbled on this page and I was about to give up. But this has done the trick it seems. Bizarrely, once I deleted the folders and re-opened Word I didn't actually have to sign in again. But so far, no dialogue saying "You've got Office", and no prompts to sign-in every time I open an app. Thanks so much for sharing the solution!

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2024-04-15T08:23:21+00:00

    Hi

    Since these steps did not help, let's try this option: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/repair-an-office-application-7821d4b6-7c1d-4205-aa0e-a6b40c5bb88b

    Scroll down to "Running Repair didn't help. Now what?" and click on Download and follow the steps.

    This will completely uninstall Microsoft 365 and then reinstall it.

    It fixed a similar issue for another person yesterday.

    If that does not work, let me know as you will then have to contact Microsoft Office support (I know you said you do not like to chat with them but it may still be worth your while).

    Regards

    Casper

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2024-04-13T20:56:03+00:00

    Tried all of that, still nothing. Cleared credentials, nada. Ran as administrator, nada. Same for all the others. Tried quick repair and online repair. Same as it has been.

    And I tried the web app version before I even asked this. As I said, it will not save to onedrive, so I can edit to my heart's content, but cannot actually do anything with it.

    Thanks for the suggestions, but none of these worked.

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2024-04-13T20:05:11+00:00

    Hello Jessica,

    * I am a Microsoft user like you, providing solutions to community members; I am NOT a Microsoft employee.

    I understand your frustration, getting locked out of important documents can be stressful. So, before I show you troubleshooting steps to try and fix the issue, if you urgently need to work on documents, consider using the web app versions of Word (https://www.office.com/launch/word) and OneDrive (https://onedrive.live.com/). You can access them using your Microsoft account login details.

    Now for the troubleshooting steps:

    1. Clear Office Credentials: Corrupted credentials stored on your computer can cause login issues. Here's how to clear them:

    Windows: Close all Office applications. Search for "Credential Manager" and open it. Under "Windows Credentials", find entries related to Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365 and remove them. Mac: Close all Office applications. Go to "Keychain Access" (Applications > Utilities). Search for entries containing "Office" or "Microsoft 365" and delete them.

    1. Run Office as Administrator: Right-click on the Word icon and select "Run as administrator." This can sometimes help bypass permission issues.
    2. Check Internet Connection: A stable internet connection is crucial for signing in. Verify your internet is working and try signing in again.
    3. Temporarily Disable Firewall/Antivirus: In rare cases, security software might interfere with Microsoft Office's sign-in process. Temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus and try signing in. Remember to re-enable them after troubleshooting.
    4. Consider Repairing Office Installation (As Last Resort): If none of the above solutions work, you can attempt to repair your Office installation. This might take some time, so only attempt this if other options are exhausted. Here's how to repair Office depending on your operating system:

    Windows: Open the Control Panel, go to "Programs and Features", find Microsoft 365, right-click and select "Change" > "Online Repair". Mac: Use the Microsoft Office uninstall tool available on the Microsoft website to remove Office, then reinstall it.

    Hope this helps.

    • Stephen N.
    0 comments