How to Remove Old onmicrosoft.com Accounts from Microsoft 365 Sign-In Cache
Question details
The user needs to clear outdated onmicrosoft.com account suggestions that persistently appear during the Microsoft 365 or Teams sign-in process.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- The user has added a custom domain, but the old onmicrosoft.com addresses still show up in the account selection screen.
- Observed behavior
- Old and irrelevant Microsoft 365 account addresses continue to appear as sign-in suggestions in Teams and Office desktop applications.
Ensure you have completely exited all Microsoft Office applications and Microsoft Teams (including closing it from the system tray) before attempting to clear the cache files or modify the Windows Registry.
Clear the Microsoft Teams AppData Cache
Manually deleting the Teams cache files removes stored login tokens and outdated account suggestions.
Right-click the Microsoft Teams icon in the system tray at the bottom right of your screen and select 'Quit'.
Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type '%appdata%\Microsoft\teams' and press Enter to open the cache directory.
Select all files and folders within this directory and delete them. Once cleared, restart Teams to see if the old accounts are removed.
Reset Office Activation with Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant
Use the official Microsoft tool to automatically scan for and remove cached identities and reset the activation state.
Manually Clear Cached Identities in the Windows Registry
If clearing the AppData folder doesn't work, you can remove the specific registry keys that store Microsoft 365 account suggestions.
Switch to WPS Office for a Hassle-Free Experience
Managing Microsoft 365 activation states and clearing complex registry caches can be frustrating. WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and incredibly intuitive alternative that bypasses these heavy background account syncs while keeping you perfectly compatible with your files.
- 1. Download: Visit the WPS Office website to download the free installer.
- 2. Install: Run the lightweight installer to quickly set up the suite on your computer.
- 3. Open Files: Open your existing Microsoft Office documents with WPS Office seamlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do old onmicrosoft.com addresses keep appearing?
Microsoft 365 applications locally cache your sign-in tokens in the AppData folder and Windows Registry to speed up future logins. These caches do not automatically clear when you switch to a custom domain.
Will deleting the Teams cache remove my chat history?
No, clearing the Teams cache only removes local temporary files and sign-in tokens. Your chat history, channels, and files are safely stored in the cloud and will sync back once you log in again.
Is it safe to delete the Office Identity registry keys?
Yes, it is generally safe to delete the 'Identities' subkey under 'Common\Identity'. Office will simply recreate fresh registry keys the next time you sign in. However, you should always back up the registry before making any changes.
