0x800704cf with the message “You’ll need the internet for this” indicates Windows or an app (for example, Office, OneDrive, or Microsoft account sign-in) cannot reach required online services, even though the device appears connected.
Because there was a recent scam, treat this as both a connectivity and a security issue.
- Confirm actual internet connectivity
- On the Windows lock or sign-in screen, select Network and verify the Ethernet connection is active.
- If possible, temporarily connect the PC directly to the router/modem with a different Ethernet cable.
- Test the internet from another device on the same network to confirm the network itself is working.
If other devices work but this PC still cannot sign in or reach Microsoft services, continue.
- Test access to Microsoft online services
If the issue appears when signing into Office apps or a Microsoft account:
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Go to
https://login.microsoftonline.com.
- If this does not load or does not redirect to Office or the organization’s landing page, the problem is likely firewall, antivirus, VPN, or network configuration blocking Microsoft endpoints.
- Try Edge InPrivate mode and repeat the test.
If both normal and InPrivate fail, review or temporarily disable:
- Third-party firewall or security software.
- VPN or proxy settings.
- Check for OneDrive/Office-specific sign-in issues
If the error appears in OneDrive or Office apps:
- For OneDrive:
- Verify username and password by signing in to the Microsoft Account dashboard.
- Make sure the latest OneDrive client is installed.
- If sign-in still fails, the firewall, VPN, or internet provider may be blocking required endpoints. See Required URLs and ports for OneDrive and ensure they are allowed.
- For Office 2016 or later on Windows 10:
- If the message is “You’ll need the internet for this. We couldn’t connect to one of the services we needed to sign you in. 0xCAA70007” or similar, check the AAD event log as described in the context to see if XMLHTTPWebRequest errors match the pattern shown. If they do, the issue is again likely network, firewall, or antivirus blocking access to Microsoft sign-in endpoints.
- Address possible scam impact (security cleanup)
Because there was a scam incident, assume the device and account may have been tampered with:
- Uninstall any applications that scammers asked to install.
- Consider resetting Windows using the options in Recovery options in Windows if pop-ups or fake errors persist or the system behaves abnormally.
- Run a full scan with Windows Security to remove malware.
- Apply all pending Windows Updates.
- Change passwords for the Microsoft account and any accounts used on this PC.
- If the Microsoft account itself has sign-in issues
If sign-in to the Microsoft account fails or shows unusual behavior:
- Use the Sign-in Helper tool or the Sign-in helper to diagnose and recover access.
- If the account appears hacked, use the “Account hacked?” flow from the account help page and follow recovery guidance.
If, after confirming the network, cleaning up after the scam, and checking firewall/VPN/antivirus, the error persists for all Microsoft services, use another clean device to access the Microsoft account, secure it, and then consider a full reset of the affected PC as a last resort.
References:
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