Sign-in & Login Problems

Fix Student Microsoft Account Sign-In and Expired Cached Credentials in Word

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 870 views

Question details

Users are unable to sign into Word using their student Microsoft account to sync documents, due to errors stating the account does not exist or credentials have expired.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Attempting to upload or download document changes to a school OneDrive or SharePoint account.
Observed behavior: Word displays a sign-in error claiming the school account does not exist or that cached credentials have expired, actively preventing the synchronization of document changes.

Before you start

Always save a local copy of your current document to your computer's hard drive to prevent data loss before signing out or clearing your account credentials.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Windows Credentials and Office Cache

Remove outdated login tokens from the Windows Credential Manager and clear local Office cache folders to force a fresh authentication with your student account.

Microsoft Word relies on cached credentials to keep you signed in. When these tokens expire or become corrupted, they can conflict with new sign-in attempts, causing synchronization failures with your school's server.

Sign out of Office

Open Microsoft Word, navigate to the 'Account' section, and click 'Sign out' for your student account. Close all running Microsoft Office applications.

Remove stored Windows credentials

Open the Windows Start menu, search for 'Credential Manager', and select it. Click on 'Windows Credentials' and remove all entries related to Microsoft Office.

Clear the local cache folders

Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog. Navigate to your local AppData folder and clear the contents of the AAD BrokerPlugin, OneAuth, IdentityCache, and OfficeFileCache folders.

Reconnect your school account

Go to Windows Settings, select 'Accounts', and click on 'Access work or school'. Disconnect your current school account, then click 'Connect' to add it back.

Sign in to Word again

Relaunch Microsoft Word and sign in using your newly connected student Microsoft account credentials to resume syncing your documents.

Verify account status first: Before clearing your cache, try accessing your OneDrive or SharePoint via a private/incognito browser window to ensure your student account is still active and hasn't been disabled by your school's IT department.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Use WPS Office to Edit Your School Documents Seamlessly

If Microsoft Word continues to have sign-in or syncing issues, WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative. Enjoy a familiar UI and seamless migration to keep working on your assignments without dealing with complex account credential errors.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite on your computer.
2. Open your local document: Launch WPS Writer and select 'Open' to browse for the local copy of the school document you previously saved.
3. Edit and save: Continue editing your assignment with full formatting support, and save it directly to your local drive or your preferred cloud storage service.

Avoid Microsoft account login blocks and credential expiration errors entirely.Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats, including .doc and .docx.Free and lightweight, running smoothly on older or budget student laptops.Familiar user interface ensuring a zero-learning-curve transition for Microsoft Word users.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word say my cached credentials have expired?

This happens when the security authentication token issued by your school's server reaches its time limit or becomes corrupted. Word fails to refresh it automatically, requiring you to manually clear the old cache and sign in again.

Will I lose my unsaved work if I clear the Office cache?

Yes, if the document has not successfully synced to OneDrive or SharePoint. Always use 'Save As' to store a local copy of your file on your computer's desktop or documents folder before clearing credentials.

Where do I find the OfficeFileCache folder in Windows?

You can locate the OfficeFileCache folder by pressing Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog, typing '%localappdata%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache', and pressing Enter.

What if clearing the Credential Manager doesn't fix the Word sign-in issue?

If the issue persists, your school account may be temporarily locked or undergoing maintenance. Contact your school's IT helpdesk to verify the status of your account.

Login & Account Issues