Account Security Problems

How to Sign Out All Microsoft 365 Sessions After a Password Change

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

An organization updated the password for a shared email account and needs to revoke access for remote users who might still be logged in using the old credentials.

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Securing a shared front-desk email account after a routine or forced password update.
Observed behavior: Merely changing the password allows existing access tokens to remain valid temporarily, meaning remote devices can still access the account.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator privileges in Microsoft 365, as standard users cannot access the admin portal to force global sign-outs for other organization accounts.

Solution 1Recommended

Force Sign Out via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Revoke all active sessions and access tokens for a specific user to force immediate re-authentication.

When you change a password in Microsoft 365, devices already logged in may not be kicked out immediately. This happens because Microsoft uses access tokens for authentication, and existing tokens remain valid until they expire.

By manually triggering the 'Sign out of all sessions' command in the admin portal, you immediately invalidate those active tokens.

Log in to the Admin Center

Open a web browser and sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center using your administrator credentials.

Navigate to Active Users

From the left-hand navigation menu, click on 'Users' and then select 'Active users'.

Select the Target Account

Find and click on the specific user account (e.g., the shared front-desk email) to open their account properties panel on the right side of the screen.

Trigger the Global Sign-Out

Click on the 'Account' tab in the properties panel, scroll down if necessary, and click the 'Sign out of all sessions' link.

Session Termination Delay: Be aware that it can take up to 15 minutes for the sign-out command to propagate and log the user out across all connected devices and Microsoft services.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are users still logged into Microsoft 365 after I changed the password?

Microsoft 365 relies on access tokens rather than continuous password checks. When you change a password, it prevents new logins, but existing active sessions remain valid until their tokens expire. You must manually revoke sessions to force immediate logouts.

How long does it take for a forced sign-out to take effect in Microsoft 365?

After an administrator clicks 'Sign out of all sessions' in the admin center, it typically takes up to 15 minutes for the command to propagate across Microsoft's servers and disconnect all devices.

Can I sign out of all devices without administrator access?

Yes, if you want to sign yourself out of your own account, you can log into your Microsoft Account profile online, navigate to the 'Security' settings, and choose the option to sign out everywhere. However, you cannot do this for other users without admin rights.

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