Sign-in & Login Problems

How to Sign Out an Old School Account from Microsoft Office Apps

Maira Mehtab Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to completely remove an old school account's credentials and product activation data from Microsoft Office apps to allow a new account to sign in successfully.

How to Sign Out an Old School Account from Microsoft Office Apps

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Attempting to switch accounts or completely remove a previously used educational account from an Office installation.
Observed behavior: The old school account remains persistently connected because Windows caches the old credentials and product activation keys, preventing sign-in with the correct new account.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator access to your Windows computer, as you will need elevated privileges to use the Command Prompt and modify system credentials. Save and close all your active Office documents before proceeding.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Windows Credentials and Remove Office Product Key

This method completely clears the cached account data and activation state, allowing you to start fresh with a new account.

Windows stores your Office sign-in details in a built-in tool called Credential Manager. Alongside this, Office keeps activation tokens deeply embedded in the system. To fully disconnect an old account, both the credentials and the local product key need to be manually removed.

Sign out and close Office

Open any Office application (like Word or Excel), click on your profile picture or account name in the top right corner, and select 'Sign out'. Once signed out, completely close all running Office applications.

Remove Windows Credentials

Click the Windows Start menu, type 'Credential Manager', and press Enter. Click on 'Windows Credentials' and scroll down to locate any entries related to Microsoft Office or your old school account. Click on each one and select 'Remove'.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator

Search for 'cmd' or 'Command Prompt' in your Windows Start menu. Right-click the Command Prompt app and select 'Run as administrator'.

Locate the Office folder

In the Command Prompt window, type `cd C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16` or `cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16` (depending on your installation) and press Enter to navigate to the Office directory.

Find the installed product key

Type the command `cscript OSPP.VBS /dstatus` and press Enter. Look through the text output and note down the 5 characters listed next to 'Last 5 characters of installed product key'.

Uninstall the product key

Type the command `cscript OSPP.VBS /unpkey:XXXXX` (replace 'XXXXX' with the five characters you just found) and press Enter. Once complete, you can reopen an Office app and sign in cleanly with your correct school account.

Clear Windows Credentials and Remove Office Product Key

Caution with Activation Data: Avoid removing product keys or credentials if you have other active Microsoft Office installations on the same machine that you do not want to disconnect.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for a Hassle-Free Experience

Tired of dealing with complicated account activations and stubborn credential conflicts in Microsoft Office? Try WPS Office. It provides an incredibly lightweight, completely free, and highly compatible alternative for opening, editing, and creating Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files—without the headache of complex license management.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free installation package for your device.
2. Install the application: Run the installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to set up the software in minutes.
3. Open and edit your files: Seamlessly open your existing DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX files directly, without worrying about confusing account sign-in walls.

Highly compatible with all major Microsoft Office formats (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX)No complicated product key activations or persistent credential conflictsLightweight application that runs smoothly even on older Windows devicesAll-in-one software suite for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF editing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my old school account keep showing up in Microsoft Office?

Windows automatically caches your account login details in the Credential Manager and stores activation data locally on your hard drive. Even if you sign out from the app interface, these hidden cached files can automatically re-authenticate the old account.

What is OSPP.VBS and is it safe to use?

OSPP.VBS (Office Software Protection Platform) is an official Microsoft script used to manage Office licenses and activations. It is completely safe to use for troubleshooting purposes, provided you follow the correct commands to remove only the intended product keys.

Where can I find the Credential Manager in Windows?

You can quickly find it by pressing the Windows key and typing 'Credential Manager' into the search bar. Once open, click on the 'Windows Credentials' tab to view, edit, or remove your saved passwords and authentication tokens.

Login & Account Issues