Sign-in & Login Problems

Fix SharePoint Designer 2013 Modern Authentication Sign-In Error

Muhammad Talha Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is unable to sign in to SharePoint Designer 2013 using Modern Authentication when trying to connect to a cloud environment.

How to Fix SharePoint Designer 2013 Modern Authentication Sign-In Errors

Product: SharePoint Designer 2013
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to connect SharePoint Designer 2013 to a cloud SharePoint environment using Modern Authentication (ADAL).
Observed behavior: Sign-in fails, preventing the user from accessing the cloud SharePoint environment through the desktop application.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator privileges on your computer to modify the Windows Registry and install required Microsoft Office updates.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable ADAL and Install Required Updates

This is the primary method to resolve Modern Authentication failures in SharePoint Designer 2013 by enabling ADAL in the registry and applying the necessary patch.

By default, SharePoint Designer 2013 may not have Modern Authentication enabled. You need to force the application to use the updated Active Directory Authentication Library (ADAL) protocols via a registry tweak and install a specific Microsoft patch.

Modify the Registry to Enable ADAL

Press Win + R, type 'regedit', and press Enter. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common\Identity. Find or create a DWORD value named 'EnableADAL' and set its value to 1.

Install Update KB3114721

Download and install the SharePoint Designer 2013 update KB3114721 from the official Microsoft Update Catalog, and confirm that the required DLL versions are updated on your system.

Establish an Internet Explorer Session

Open Internet Explorer, navigate to your cloud SharePoint site, sign in with your credentials, and ensure you keep the browser session active.

Restart and Reconnect

Restart your computer to apply the registry changes. Open Internet Explorer to sign in again, then launch SharePoint Designer 2013 and attempt to reconnect to your environment.

Enable ADAL and Install Required Updates

Session Tip: Keeping the Internet Explorer session active allows SharePoint Designer to piggyback on the established authentication token.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Management

While SharePoint Designer is specific to Microsoft server environments, WPS Office provides a lightweight, free, and highly compatible alternative for your everyday document, spreadsheet, and presentation tasks without complex authentication setups.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office installer for your operating system.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
3. Start Creating: Open WPS Office to instantly create or edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files with ease.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Lightweight installation with fast startup times.Familiar user interface requiring no learning curve.Built-in cloud sync for easy file access without complex server configurations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Modern Authentication in SharePoint?

Modern Authentication is an identity management framework that offers more secure user authentication and authorization, utilizing ADAL (Active Directory Authentication Library) to securely connect to cloud environments like Office 365.

Why does SharePoint Designer 2013 require a registry change to sign in?

Older Office 2013 applications do not have Modern Authentication enabled by default. Setting the EnableADAL registry key to 1 explicitly forces the application to use these updated authentication protocols.

What does update KB3114721 do for SharePoint Designer?

This specific Microsoft update resolves critical issues with Modern Authentication and ADAL, ensuring SharePoint Designer 2013 can properly process modern login prompts for Office 365 and cloud SharePoint environments.

Login & Account Issues