'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Sign Out of a Previous Microsoft 365 Work Tenant on Mac
Question details
The user needs to completely remove a previous employer's Microsoft 365 work tenant credentials from their Mac to resolve persistent account authentication errors.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Switching from a previous employer's Microsoft account to a new personal or work account on a Mac device.
- Observed behavior
- Office applications continue using cached credentials or license information from an old employer's tenant, resulting in AADSTS90072 account and tenant errors.
Ensure you have the login credentials for your new or personal Microsoft 365 account ready before removing the old tenant information.
Sign Out and Remove Cached Credentials via Keychain Access
Manually signing out of all Office apps and deleting cached Microsoft credentials from the Mac Keychain is the most effective way to resolve tenant conflict errors.
macOS often stores login tokens in Keychain Access to keep you signed in. Even if you sign out within the app, lingering tokens from a previous employer can cause the system to attempt authentication with the old tenant.
Open Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on your Mac. Click on the application name (e.g., 'Word') in the top macOS menu bar, and select 'Sign Out'. Repeat this for all open Office applications, then quit them entirely.
Open 'Finder', navigate to 'Applications', open the 'Utilities' folder, and double-click on 'Keychain Access'.
In the Keychain Access search bar, type 'Microsoft', 'Office', or your previous employer's domain. Right-click on any related credential entries and select 'Delete' to permanently remove them.
Check for any available Office updates using Microsoft AutoUpdate. Afterward, restart your Mac and open an Office app to sign in with your correct, current Microsoft account.
Use the Microsoft Office License Removal Tool
If manual clearing does not work, use Microsoft's official troubleshooting tool to wipe all Office licenses from your Mac.
Switch to WPS Office for a Hassle-Free Mac Experience
Tired of dealing with complex Microsoft 365 tenant errors, cached credentials, and license conflicts on your Mac? WPS Office offers a lightweight, completely free, and highly compatible alternative that doesn't force complex enterprise credential management upon you.
- 1. Download WPS Office for Mac: Go to the WPS official website and download the free macOS installer.
- 2. Install the Application: Open the downloaded file and drag WPS Office into your Applications folder.
- 3. Open Office Files: Double-click any Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file to open it seamlessly in WPS Office without formatting loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I getting the AADSTS90072 error on my Mac?
This error occurs when your Office apps try to authenticate using a cached license or login token from a previous employer's Microsoft 365 tenant instead of your current active account.
Will deleting credentials from Keychain Access erase my documents?
No. Removing entries in Keychain Access only clears your saved passwords and login tokens. Your locally saved Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files will remain completely unaffected.
How do I update Microsoft Office on a Mac?
Open any Office application, click on 'Help' in the top menu bar, and select 'Check for Updates'. This opens the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool where you can install the latest software versions to help resolve login bugs.
