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How to Sign Out of the Wrong Microsoft 365 Account in Outlook
Question details
The user needs to remove a mistakenly logged-in Microsoft 365 identity so that Outlook displays the email accounts and calendars of the correct account.
- Product
- Microsoft Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user signed into Microsoft 365 with the wrong credentials, causing Outlook to load and display the wrong email accounts and calendars.
- Observed behavior
- Outlook continues to show the incorrect email accounts and calendars even after attempting to change identities, until the Office identity is properly signed out.
Ensure you have the login credentials (email address and password) for your correct Microsoft 365 account on hand, and save any ongoing work in Word or Excel before proceeding.
Sign Out via Any Office Application and Restart
Use this method to sign out of the underlying Microsoft 365 Office identity completely, which clears the wrong account data across all apps including Outlook.
Signing out through an Office application signs out the global Office identity rather than merely removing a single email account. This is required when Outlook gets stuck on the wrong Microsoft 365 profile.
Launch any Microsoft Office application such as Word, Excel, or Outlook.
Select the application name in the top menu (or navigate to File > Account depending on your version) and choose 'Sign Out'.
Quit and completely close all Microsoft Office applications, making sure Outlook is no longer running in the background.
Reopen Outlook. You will be prompted to authenticate; sign in with the correct Microsoft 365 account credentials.
Looking for a simpler office suite? Try WPS Office
If you frequently encounter complex account management or login issues with Microsoft 365, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, free alternative with excellent format compatibility, allowing you to focus on your documents without wrestling with identity syncing.
- 1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
- 2. Install the software: Run the downloaded installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
- 3. Open your files instantly: Launch WPS Office and immediately start working on your existing Microsoft Office documents without complex account setups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Outlook still show the wrong emails after I signed out in Word?
If you sign out of the Office identity in Word but leave Outlook running in the background, the changes will not take effect immediately. You must completely close all Office applications, including Outlook, before reopening them to ensure the new identity loads properly.
Does signing out of Microsoft 365 remove my email accounts from the device?
Signing out removes the Microsoft 365 identity connection used for licensing and cloud services. However, if your email was added manually as a standalone IMAP/POP account, you may still need to remove it manually via File > Account Settings in Outlook.
How do I remove a single email account without signing out of my Microsoft 365 identity?
To remove just one email address while staying logged in, open Outlook, go to File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings. Select the specific email account you wish to remove from the list, and click the 'Remove' button.
