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How to Stop Excel for the Web Redirecting to an Old School Account
Question details
The user is unable to log into their desired Microsoft account because Excel for the Web forces a redirect to a previous organization's portal.
- Product
- Excel for the Web
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to access Excel for the Web using a personal or current work account.
- Observed behavior
- The browser automatically redirects to an old school account's sign-in page due to lingering cookies or active sessions.
Ensure you have the login credentials for your current Microsoft account ready, as managing cookies may sign you out of active sessions.
Sign Out and Clear Microsoft Site Cookies
Manually sign out of active sessions and remove cookies specifically for Microsoft sites to stop unwanted redirects without losing your other website data.
Web browsers save session tokens to keep you logged in. If an old school token is still active, Microsoft's authentication portal will detect it and redirect you to that specific portal. Deleting these specific cookies resolves the conflict.
Go to the Microsoft My Apps portal and explicitly sign out of the old school or organization account.
In Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot menu in the top right corner and select 'Settings'. Navigate to 'Cookies and site permissions' and click on 'Manage and delete cookies and site data'.
Select 'See all cookies and site data'. In the search bar at the top, type the relevant Microsoft website or your old school's portal URL.
Click the bin icon next to the relevant search results to delete those specific cookies. Open Excel for the Web directly and sign in with your current account.
Use InPrivate Browsing or an Alternative Browser
Bypass existing cookies entirely by using a private browsing window or switching to a different web browser.
Try WPS Office as a Hassle-Free Desktop Alternative
Tired of dealing with web-based account redirects and browser cookie issues? WPS Office offers a powerful, lightweight desktop application that is free to use and doesn't rely on complex web browser sessions.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free desktop application for your operating system.
- 2. Install the Software: Run the installer and follow the simple on-screen prompts to set up WPS Office on your computer.
- 3. Open Your Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open your .xlsx files locally, completely bypassing web browser sign-in conflicts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel for the Web keep logging me into my old school account?
Your web browser stores session tokens and cookies from previous logins. If these are not fully cleared, Microsoft's authentication portal automatically detects the old token and redirects you to that specific account's login portal.
Will clearing Microsoft cookies sign me out of my personal Outlook email?
Yes. If you clear all cookies related to Microsoft domains (like live.com or microsoft.com), it will sign you out of all Microsoft services in that browser, and you will need to log in again with your personal credentials.
How can I manage a personal and a school account on the same computer?
You can manage multiple accounts effortlessly by using different web browsers for each account, utilizing browser profiles (such as Edge or Chrome profiles), or opening one account in a standard window and the other in a private/incognito window.
