Sign-in & Login Problems

How to Remove an Old School Account from Microsoft Visio Sign-In

Tauseeq Magsi Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to remove a previous work or school account that continuously prompts for sign-in when launching Microsoft Visio or Microsoft Teams.

How to Remove an Old School Account from Microsoft Visio Sign-In

Product: Microsoft Visio, Microsoft Teams
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Attempting to use Microsoft Visio or Teams but being interrupted by login prompts for an old, unused school or work account.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Visio and Teams persistently request authentication for an old work or school account because cached Office credentials and Windows tenant connections remain active on the device.

Before you start

Before proceeding, ensure you have the login details for your current, active Microsoft account and completely close all running Microsoft Office applications, including Visio and Teams.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Cached Office Credentials in Windows

Use this solution to manually delete the saved login tokens that are forcing Microsoft Visio and Teams to request your old school account.

Windows stores login credentials for Microsoft applications in the Credential Manager. Removing the generic credentials associated with Office forces the applications to prompt for your new, correct account.

Open Credential Manager

Click the Start menu, type 'Control Panel', and press Enter. Navigate to 'User Accounts' and click on 'Credential Manager'.

Access Windows Credentials

In the Credential Manager window, click on the 'Windows Credentials' tab to view your saved authentication tokens.

Remove Office Credentials

Scroll down to the 'Generic Credentials' section. Look for entries starting with 'MicrosoftOffice16' or containing 'Teams'. Click the downward arrow next to each relevant entry and select 'Remove'.

Clear Cached Office Credentials in Windows

Restart Required: After removing the credentials, restart your computer to ensure the cached data is fully cleared from system memory.

Solution 2

Disconnect the Old Account in Windows Settings

Use this method to sever the connection between your Windows device and the old school or work tenant directory.

Solution 3

Use the Microsoft License Cleanup Tool

If standard credential removal fails, this tool will forcefully reset the Microsoft 365 activation state on your machine.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do old school accounts keep appearing in Microsoft Office prompts?

Office applications cache login tokens locally and tie them to your Windows 'Access work or school' directory. If the account isn't properly removed from both the Credential Manager and Windows Settings, apps like Visio and Teams will continually attempt to authenticate against the old organization.

Will removing Windows credentials delete my personal files or documents?

No. The Credential Manager only stores authentication tokens (usernames and passwords) used to log into apps and websites. Deleting these credentials will simply log you out of the application and force it to ask for your login details again; it does not delete your actual files.

What should I do if the 'Disconnect' button is missing in Windows Settings?

If you cannot disconnect the school account, you might not have administrator privileges on your PC, or your device may be managed via Mobile Device Management (MDM) by your school. You may need to log in as a local Administrator or contact the school's IT admin to unenroll your device from their Azure Active Directory.

Login & Account Issues