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Fix SharePoint External User Email Error with #EXT# Symbols
Question details
The user needs to resolve an invitation error in SharePoint where an external email address is incorrectly converted into a guest identifier containing #EXT# symbols.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Inviting an external user (such as a Gmail account) to access a SharePoint site collection.
- Observed behavior
- The external email address is converted into a guest identifier with #EXT# symbols, resulting in access failures and invitation errors for the user.
Ensure you have administrator privileges in your organization's Microsoft 365 Admin Center or Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) to manage and remove guest user accounts.
Remove Stale Guest Account and Re-invite the User
Clear out the corrupted or conflicting guest account in Microsoft Entra ID and send a fresh SharePoint invitation to the external user.
When an external user is invited to a SharePoint site, a guest account is created in the organization's directory. If this account becomes corrupted or stale, it can cause the #EXT# symbol error. Deleting and recreating the guest account is the most effective solution.
Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center or Microsoft Entra ID admin center as an administrator. Navigate to the 'Users' section and search for the problematic external Gmail address.
Select the stale guest account containing the #EXT# identifier and delete it. Ensure you also remove any lingering permissions for this user from the affected SharePoint site collection.
Allow some time for the directory changes to synchronize completely across all Microsoft 365 services.
Send a new invitation to the external user's email address directly from the SharePoint site.
Ask the external user to accept the new invitation while ensuring they are signed in with the exact invited account.
Submit a Ticket to Microsoft 365 Support
If removing and re-inviting the user does not resolve the #EXT# symbol error, escalate the issue to Microsoft support for deep diagnostic analysis.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the #EXT# symbol appear in external user emails in SharePoint?
The #EXT# symbol is automatically added by Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) to indicate that the account is an external guest user. Errors usually occur if this guest profile becomes out of sync, stale, or conflicts with another identity.
How long should I wait after deleting a guest user before re-inviting them to SharePoint?
It is generally recommended to wait a few minutes to an hour. This buffer allows the directory deletion to synchronize completely across all Microsoft 365 services, preventing conflicts with the new invitation.
Can non-administrators fix the #EXT# email error?
No, standard users cannot resolve this issue directly. You must contact your organization's IT administrator to remove the stale guest account from Microsoft Entra ID and issue a new invitation on your behalf.
