Office for Mac Issues

How to Remove a Previous Employer's Office Account from a Mac

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to completely remove an old organizational Microsoft Office license from their Mac in order to properly activate a new business account.

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Switching from a previous employer's Office 365 business account to a new business account on the same device.
Observed behavior: Office applications continue to display the previous employer's license and identity, and simply signing in with the new business account fails to overwrite or remove the old organization identity.

Before you start

Ensure you have the login credentials for your new business account ready, and save all your open documents before closing your Office applications.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Old License and Keychain Credentials

Use this method to completely scrub hidden Office license files and cached credentials from your Mac, allowing a fresh sign-in.

Simply signing out of Microsoft Office on a Mac often leaves cached license files and authentication tokens behind. To fully disconnect from a previous employer's account, you must use Microsoft's dedicated removal tool and clear associated macOS Keychain entries.

Sign out and quit Office apps

Open any Office application like Word or Excel, click on the application name in the top menu bar, and choose 'Sign Out'. Then, fully quit all Office applications.

Run the License Removal Tool

Download and run the official Microsoft Office License Removal Tool for Mac. Follow the on-screen prompts to strip the existing license files from your system directory.

Clear Keychain Access

Open the 'Keychain Access' app from your Mac's Utilities folder. Search for 'Microsoft Office' and 'ADAL', then delete any outdated identity credentials or application passwords linked to your old employer.

Restart and sign in

Restart your Mac to ensure all cached processes are cleared. Open Microsoft Word, click 'Sign In', and enter the credentials for your new business account to activate the new license.

Administrator Privileges Required: You will need the administrator password for your Mac to successfully run the License Removal Tool and delete items from Keychain Access.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Mac for a Hassle-Free Experience

Tired of dealing with complicated license removal tools and account conflicts? WPS Office offers a completely free, lightweight, and user-friendly alternative for Mac users. Manage all your documents without the headache of strict enterprise license caching.

1. Download the installer: Visit the WPS Office website and download the free macOS version.
2. Install and launch: Drag the WPS Office icon to your Applications folder, then launch the app.
3. Open your files: Directly open your existing Microsoft Office files to continue your work seamlessly without any activation errors.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats, including .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx.No complex license removal tools required—easy, straightforward account management.All-in-one lightweight suite that manages documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs in a single tabbed window.Free to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate user interface.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Mac still show my old employer's Office account after I signed out?

Office for Mac caches activation and license files deep in your system library. Simply signing out of the application interface does not delete these hidden files, which is why the old organization identity persists until you use the License Removal Tool.

Will running the License Removal Tool delete my local documents?

No, removing the license or clearing Keychain credentials only resets the software's account activation state. Your local files, documents, and spreadsheets remain completely safe and untouched on your hard drive.

Where can I find the Microsoft Office License Removal Tool?

You can download the License Removal Tool directly from the official Microsoft Support website by searching for 'How to remove Office license files on a Mac'. It is a free utility provided specifically for this issue.

What happens if I don't delete the old credentials from Keychain Access?

If you leave old credentials in Keychain Access, your Mac may automatically attempt to use them to authenticate in the background, causing sign-in loops or error messages when you try to connect your new business account.

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