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How to Fix “Account Error” in Office Applications

Troubleshoot the “account error” message in Microsoft Word, Excel, or other Office apps.

Updated today

If you’re seeing an “Account Error” message when opening a Microsoft Office application (like Word, Excel, Outlook or PowerPoint), don’t worry, this is a common issue that can usually be fixed in just a few minutes.


Option 1: Watch the step-by-step video

Prefer following along with a video? Click play above and follow the instructions.


Option 2: Follow the text instructions

Step 1: Close all Office applications

Make sure Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or any other Office programs are completely closed before starting.


Step 2: Open File Explorer

How to open File Explorer:

  • Press Windows + E

    OR

  • Click the folder icon in the taskbar

    OR

  • Click the Start menu and type File Explorer


Step 3: Go to your user folder

  1. In File Explorer, click “This PC”

  2. Open the C: drive

  3. Open the Users folder

  4. Open the folder with your username

Can’t find your username folder?

Click in the address bar (at the top of File Explorer) and type: C:\Users\

Then press Enter. From there, you should see your folder.


Step 4: Show hidden folders (if needed)

If you don’t see the AppData folder:

  1. At the top of File Explorer, click the View tab

  2. Click Show, then choose Hidden items

Now you should see the AppData folder.


Step 5: Delete cached Office account folders

  1. Open the following folders in this order:

    • AppData → LocalMicrosoft

  2. In the Microsoft folder, find and right-click → Delete the folder called:

    • IdentityCache

  3. In the same Microsoft folder, scroll down and open:

    • OneAuth

  4. Inside OneAuth, delete both of these folders:

    • Accounts

    • Blobs

If you can’t find these folders, that’s okay—they may not exist on all systems.


Step 6: Restart your computer

Once you’ve deleted the folders, restart your PC.


Step 7: Open Office and sign in

  • Open Word or Excel again

  • You should be prompted to sign in

  • Enter your email and password

This time, the account error should be gone and your Office apps will work as expected.

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