Sign-in & Login Problems

How to Fix Microsoft Office Error: We Cannot Get to Your Account Right Now

Maira Mehtab Sep 25, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user is unable to sign into Microsoft Office and receives an error stating the account cannot be accessed, despite having an active subscription.

How to Fix Office Error: We Cannot Get to Your Account Right Now

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Attempting to sign in to verify or use Microsoft Office apps after a subscription renewal.
Observed behavior: Office displays the 'We Cannot Get to Your Account Right Now' error, preventing the user from accessing their account to confirm their active subscription.

Before you start

Before proceeding with cache and registry modifications, ensure you have saved all open documents, closed all Office applications, and backed up your registry settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Microsoft Identity Caches and Reset Registry Keys

This is the most effective method for resolving persistent Office sign-in errors caused by corrupted account credentials.

Microsoft Office relies on local cache files and registry keys to verify your identity. When these files become corrupted, Office may fail to recognize your active subscription.

Open the Local App Data folder

Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Type %localappdata%\Microsoft and press Enter.

Delete identity caches

Locate the folders named 'OneAuth' and 'IdentityCache'. Copy them to your desktop as a backup, then delete both folders from the Microsoft directory.

Open Registry Editor

Press the Windows key + R again, type regedit, and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.

Delete the Office Identity key

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\Identity. Right-click the 'Identity' folder, export it as a backup, and then select Delete.

Restart and sign in

Restart your computer. Open any Office application, such as Word or Excel, and attempt to sign into your Microsoft account again.

Clear Microsoft Identity Caches and Reset Registry Keys

Registry Warning: Always create a backup before modifying the Windows Registry, as deleting the wrong keys can cause system instability.

Solution 2

Reinstall Office and Test a New Local Profile

Use this method if clearing the identity caches and registry keys does not resolve the sign-in error.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Office say it cannot get to my account when my subscription is active?

This usually happens when local cached credentials or identity tokens become corrupted. Your active subscription remains valid on Microsoft's servers, but the local software fails to authenticate it due to the bad cache data.

Will deleting the Identity cache delete my Office files?

No. Deleting the OneAuth and IdentityCache folders only resets your login tokens. Your local documents, spreadsheets, and presentations remain completely safe and untouched on your hard drive.

What should I do if the registry fix doesn't work?

If clearing the registry and identity caches fails, you should try running an offline reinstallation of Microsoft Office or test logging in from a newly created Windows local administrator profile to rule out systemic profile corruption.

Login & Account Issues