excel error you are not signed in to office with an account that has permission to open this workbook. you may sign in a new account into office that has permission or request permission from the content owner.

Question

excel error you are not signed in to office with an account that has permission to open this workbook. you may sign in a new account into office that has permission or request permission from the content owner.

Xiong, Chong [External/TBD] 0

I have tried all these steps to fix the issue and still not able to help the end user get into the file. I have found a work around but only with the web version. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Quick Fixes (Try these first)

Verify Account: In Excel, go to File > Account. Confirm you're signed in with the Microsoft 365 account that owns or has been shared the file.
Sign Out & Back In: Sign out of all Microsoft accounts in Office apps, restart your computer, then sign back in with the correct account.
Clear Credentials:
- Open Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager.
  - Under "Windows Credentials," find and remove any generic or Office/Outlook entries.
    - Restart Excel and sign in again.
    1. Open Online: Try opening the file in a web browser via OneDrive or SharePoint (office.com).

If the File is Shared or Protected

Check File Permissions: If you created it, check the file's security tab in properties for your permissions.
Request Access: Open the file online, click the "Viewing" button, and select "Request more access" to ask the owner for edit rights.

If the Issue Persists

Open in Safe Mode: Hold Ctrl while opening Excel to launch it in Safe Mode (to bypass add-ins).
Repair File: Use Excel's "Open and Repair" feature if you suspect file corruption. Quick Fixes (Try these first)
1. Verify Account: In Excel, go to File > Account. Confirm you're signed in with the Microsoft 365 account that owns or has been shared the file.
2. Sign Out & Back In: Sign out of all Microsoft accounts in Office apps, restart your computer, then sign back in with the correct account.
3. Clear Credentials:
  - Open Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager.
  - Under "Windows Credentials," find and remove any generic or Office/Outlook entries.
  - Restart Excel and sign in again.
4. Open Online: Try opening the file in a web browser via OneDrive or SharePoint (office.com).
If the File is Shared or Protected
- Check File Permissions: If you created it, check the file's security tab in properties for your permissions.
- Request Access: Open the file online, click the "Viewing" button, and select "Request more access" to ask the owner for edit rights.
If the Issue Persists
- Open in Safe Mode: Hold Ctrl while opening Excel to launch it in Safe Mode (to bypass add-ins).
- Repair File: Use Excel's "Open and Repair" feature if you suspect file corruption.

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1 answer

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Answer 1

Hendrix-C 19,970 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @Xiong, Chong [External/TBD],

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Since you have tried all the steps you listed, could you provide me with more detailed information so I can understand the situation clearly and provide guidance. I greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Where is the file stored (OneDrive/SharePoint/Teams/local device)?
How was it shared? Which sharing link type is used (Specific people, People in your org, or Anyone with the link)? Is it shared View or Edit permission?
Who is the owner of this file? Are the owner and the user in the same tenant or one of them is external from the other one?
You said you "found a work around but only with the web version". If you open in Excel web app, do you see any banner like "This workbook contains a permissions policy" or a Sensitivity label?

In the meantime, you can check these articles to see if the issue falls into one of the situations listed there:

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I'm looking forward to your reply.

Xiong, Chong [External/TBD] 0 Reputation points

2026-01-06T16:13:01.6833333+00:00

Hendrix, the file is stored in the end users U drive. The file is only used by the end user himself, and he is the owner of the file. He does not see the "This workbook contains a permissions policy" or a Sensitivity label?
Hendrix-C 19,970 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-06T22:32:35.5833333+00:00

Hi @Xiong, Chong [External/TBD],

Thank you for your updates.

Based on your sharing, this specific message highly leads to the issue of Information Protection (IRM / Sensitivity label / RMS) protection embedded in the file. That protection travels with the file, even on local or network storage, and Excel must sign in and obtain a use license for the identity that the file allows. If the signed‑in account doesn’t match or the machine can’t reach the rights‑management service, the error message you saw will show up.

You can task that user to remove the protection by going to Excel > File > Info and check Protect Workbook. If Restrict Access is enabled, click Restricted Access > More Options > ensure your current UPN is granted Full Control (or Remove restrictions if appropriate). If a Sensitivity label (with encryption) is applied, change to a label without encryption, or remove if your organization policy allows.

If the issue still persists, you can submit a Support ticket directly to Microsoft Support for further investigation since IRM can be related Microsoft Purview Information Protection.

You can create a support ticket by sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center following steps from this link: Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn to raise a support ticket from admin center or calling the phone support to contact Microsoft Support: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support.

If you don't have admin rights, you can look for the way to find your admin through this link: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support.

Note: I appreciate your understanding regarding the scope of support available through this forum. As moderators, our role is to provide general guidance and assist with common troubleshooting steps. While we do not have access to internal systems or administrative tools required to resolve account-specific or backend-related issues, but I’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.

I hope this helps you move forward smoothly. If you have more questions or need further clarification, feel free to leave a comment here and I’ll be happy to continue supporting you.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and I look forward to assisting you further.
Hendrix-C 19,970 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-07T21:21:14.1+00:00

Good day @Xiong, Chong [External/TBD],

Hope things are running smoothly on your end.

Following up on the support thread we've been working on. If you need assistance with anything else, kindly respond to this post, and I will be happy to help.

We want to make sure everything is working as expected and that your experience remains uninterrupted.

Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout the troubleshooting process.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.