Sign-in & Login Problems

How to Switch Accounts in the Microsoft 365 Apps Admin Center

Rana Garcia Oct 13, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to switch from an automatically signed-in Azure AD account to a Global Administrator account to access the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center.

How to Switch Accounts in the Microsoft 365 Apps Admin Center

Product: Microsoft 365 Apps Admin Center
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Accessing the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center to perform administrative tasks.
Observed behavior: The admin center automatically signs in using a previously authenticated Azure AD account instead of prompting for the required Global Administrator account credentials.

Before you start

Make sure you have the exact email address and password for your required Global Administrator account ready before you begin the troubleshooting steps.

Solution 1Recommended

Sign Out and Re-authenticate Manually

This is the most direct way to switch accounts if the system has cached your previous Azure AD session.

Microsoft 365 services often keep you signed in to streamline your workflow. When you need to switch to an administrator role, you must actively terminate the current session.

Sign out of the current account

Click on your profile picture or initials in the top right corner of the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center, and select 'Sign out' from the drop-down menu.

Wait for the sign-out process to complete

Allow the browser to fully redirect you to the Microsoft sign-out confirmation page to ensure all session tokens are cleared.

Sign in with the Global Administrator account

Navigate back to the admin center login page and enter the credentials for your Global Administrator account.

Session Cleared: Successfully signing out ensures that no conflicting permissions from your standard user account will interfere with your administrative tasks.

Solution 2

Use Private Browsing or a Different Browser

Use this method if manually signing out fails or if you need to be logged into your standard account and admin account simultaneously.

Solution 3

Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

Perform this step if the incorrect account continues to load automatically even after you attempt to sign out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Microsoft 365 keep signing me into the wrong account?

Web browsers cache session tokens and login credentials to keep you signed in across Microsoft services. If you previously signed in with a standard Azure AD account, the browser uses those stored tokens to authenticate you automatically, bypassing the login screen.

What is a Global Administrator account in Microsoft 365?

A Global Administrator account is a specialized role that has unrestricted access to all administrative features in the Microsoft 365 suite, including Azure AD. It is required for managing enterprise subscriptions, security policies, and user settings.

How can I access two different Microsoft 365 accounts at the same time?

You can use built-in browser profiles to separate your sessions, use entirely different web browsers (e.g., Chrome for your standard account and Edge for your admin account), or open one account in a standard window and the other in a private/incognito window.

Login & Account Issues