How to Sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely

When you need to switch accounts, prepare a device for a new user, or troubleshoot synchronization issues, sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely is essential. Simply clicking the sign-out button inside a Word document often leaves your credentials cached in your operating system or web browser, causing the software to log you right back in automatically. To ensure your account is entirely removed from the device and your privacy is protected, you must clear local application settings, disconnect system-level accounts, and wipe authentication managers.

Signing Out Through Desktop Applications

When determining sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely, the first step is to remove your active profile directly from the desktop applications. This action breaks the immediate connection between the software suite and your cloud storage.

1. Open any installed Office application, such as Microsoft Word or Excel.
2. Click on File in the top-left corner of the ribbon menu.
3. Select Account (or Office Account) located at the bottom of the left sidebar.
4. Under the User Information section on the left side of the screen, click the Sign Out button beneath your account name.
5. A confirmation prompt will appear warning you that you will lose access to connected services. Confirm by clicking Sign Out.

To verify this step worked, close the application entirely and reopen it. You should see a prompt asking you to sign in. However, your account might still be remembered by the computer, which requires moving to the system settings.

Disconnecting the Account from Windows Settings

If you want to know sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely, you cannot stop at the application level. Windows deeply integrates work, school, and personal accounts at the operating system level for Single Sign-On (SSO) convenience. You must sever this system link.

1. Click the Windows Start button and open Settings (the gear icon).
2. Navigate to the Accounts menu.
3. In the left navigation panel (or the main panel in Windows 11), select Access work or school.
4. Review the list for your Microsoft 365 account. Click on the specific account to expand the options, then click Disconnect.
5. Confirm the removal in the pop-up warning window.
6. Next, navigate to Email & accounts within the same Accounts menu.
7. If your Microsoft account is listed under the "Accounts used by other apps" section, select it, click Manage, and choose Remove account from this device.

Restart your computer to ensure these changes take effect. Open Microsoft Word again to confirm the system is no longer attempting to automatically authenticate your identity in the background.

Clearing Cached Tokens in Credential Manager

Sometimes, system background services keep your session alive even after you disconnect the account. To ensure you understand sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely, you must also clear hidden authentication tokens stored deep within Windows.

1. Click the Windows Search bar, type Credential Manager, and press Enter to launch the Control Panel applet.
2. Click on the Windows Credentials tab.
3. Scroll down to the Generic Credentials section.
4. Look for any saved entries starting with MicrosoftOffice16_Data, msteams_adalsso, or OneDrive Cached Credential.
5. Expand each relevant entry by clicking the drop-down arrow on the right side.
6. Click Remove and confirm the deletion in the prompt.

By destroying these cached tokens, you force the system to require a manual password entry for any future Microsoft 365 login attempts.

Removing Web Browser Access and Cookies

Figuring out sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely also extends to your online footprint. Your web browser will retain active session cookies for Office.com and Outlook on the web.

1. Navigate to office.com in your preferred web browser.
2. Click your profile picture or initials in the top-right corner of the dashboard.
3. Select Sign out from the drop-down menu and wait for the page to redirect to the generic login screen.
4. To prevent the browser from remembering your email address, clear your cookies. In Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the clearing menu.
5. Select Cookies and other site data, set the time range to All time, and click Clear data.

Verify this by closing the browser, reopening it, and navigating back to office.com. The site should require a fresh email and password entry without displaying your previous account name.

Continuing Your Work with WPS Office

After you learn sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely, you might find yourself without access to essential document editing tools. Because Microsoft restricts editing capabilities in their desktop applications when you are not actively logged in with a licensed account, you cannot make changes to your local files. While WPS Office cannot bypass Microsoft's account licensing requirements, it serves as a highly capable, independent alternative that allows you to achieve your underlying document goals without requiring a cloud subscription or system-wide login.

WPS Office provides native support for opening and editing standard formats like .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx directly on your local hard drive.

1. Download and install WPS Office from the official website.
2. Launch the application and select Open from the home screen.
3. Browse your local directories to select your existing documents, spreadsheets, or presentations.
4. Utilize the built-in offline tools to edit, format, and save your files locally.

WPS Office also features an integrated PDF toolkit, allowing you to convert your finished text documents into PDFs directly from the interface. Because it operates independently of Windows Single Sign-On, you can edit your work securely without worrying about lingering background accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does signing out of Microsoft 365 delete my local files?

No. Executing the steps for sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely only removes your access credentials and synchronization tokens from the device. Any files you have physically saved to your local hard drive remain entirely intact and safe. However, files stored exclusively in the cloud via OneDrive will not be visible or accessible from your local File Explorer until you authenticate again.

Why does Microsoft 365 keep logging me back in automatically?

This persistent login issue occurs because Windows stores your authentication token in the system settings to provide a seamless experience across all Microsoft apps. To stop this and learn sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely, you must go beyond the application's sign-out button. You must explicitly disconnect the account from Settings > Accounts > Access work or school and delete the legacy tokens inside the Windows Credential Manager.

Can I sign out of Microsoft 365 remotely if I lost my computer?

Yes. If you no longer have physical access to the device, you can revoke access remotely. Log into your Microsoft account dashboard on another secure device. Navigate to the Devices section, locate the missing computer, and select the option to sign out or unlink the device. For absolute security, immediately change your account password, which forces an authentication failure on the lost device the next time it connects to the internet.

How do I sign out of Microsoft 365 completely on a Mac?

On macOS, the process involves removing credentials from the Apple Keychain. First, open any Office application, click the application name (e.g., Word) in the top menu bar, and select Sign Out. To ensure you understand sign Out of Microsoft 365 Completely on a Mac, close all Office apps, open the Keychain Access utility from your Utilities folder, search for "Office" and "ADAL," and delete any matching keychain entry records.