How to fix my college email so that I can login to Microsoft Excel.

Question

How to fix my college email so that I can login to Microsoft Excel.

Tri Tran (student) 0

Hello,

I'm having trouble logging into the Microsoft Excel desktop app on my MacBook Air. When I enter my college email address, I receive the error shown in the attached screenshot. My professor has advised that students should have full access to Microsoft Office through our college email without needing a separate paid subscription. For context, I am able to log in successfully with my college email on both the Excel mobile app and the Excel web version, where I can create, edit, and save spreadsheets without issue. However, the web version is much less convenient for tasks like formatting tables and creating graphs, so I would prefer to use the desktop app instead. Additionally, when I save a file through the web version and then try to open it in the desktop app on my MacBook, it prompts me to log in again, and I run into the same error as before. Could you help me understand why the desktop app isn't accepting my login even though the web and mobile versions work fine? I would appreciate any troubleshooting steps or guidance to resolve this.

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Answer 1

Jade Ng 15,480 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Dear Tri Tran (student),

Based on your description, it appears that your college account is functioning correctly, as you are able to sign in and use Excel on both the web and mobile versions.

First, could you please verify whether your college account includes a Microsoft 365 license that allows use of the desktop Office applications?

Visit this link: https://portal.office.com/account/?ref=Harmony
Once signed in, navigate to the Subscriptions section
There, you should be able to view details related to your active Office 365 plan.

This page will show you information such as your subscription type, billing status, renewal date, and any linked licenses.

The error shown in your screenshot, AADSTS900561: "The endpoint only accepts POST requests. Received a GET request," is typically related to cached credentials, authentication tokens, or browser-related sign-in components on the Mac become corrupted.

Next, please try these troubleshooting steps below:

1.Completely sign out of all Microsoft apps

Open Excel, Word, or PowerPoint.
Click Sign Out
Quit all Office applications.
Restart your Mac.
Then try signing in again.

2.Clear Microsoft credentials from Keychain

Open Keychain Access.
In the search box, search for: Microsoft/Office/ADAL/OneAuth
Delete Microsoft Office-related identity and token entries.
Restart the Mac.
Launch Excel and sign in again.

3.Check Safari privacy settings

Open Safari.
Go to Settings > Privacy.
Temporarily disable: Prevent Cross-Site Tracking
Close Safari and retry signing in.

4.Try update both macOS and Office

5.Remove and reinstall Office

If cached authentication components are damaged, please:

Uninstall Microsoft 365 apps.
Restart the Mac.
Download the latest Microsoft 365 installer through your college portal.
Install and try again.

For reference, please visit:

Hope this helps. Welcome to share any updates when you have time if you need further help on this issue. Thank you very much for your valuable time and your cooperation.

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Jade Ng 15,480 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-07T00:32:24.1+00:00

Dear Tri Tran (student),

I hope this message finds you well!

I just wanted to check in and see if you have any updates or additional information you’d like to share regarding your situation. If there's anything new or if you need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Looking forward to your response!
Tri Tran (student) 0 Reputation points

2026-09-07T18:20:39.71+00:00

Hey there! I confirmed my license includes desktop Office access. Tried all troubleshooting: signed out/restarted, cleared Keychain entries, disabled Safari cross-site tracking, updated macOS/Office, reinstalled Office multiple times, but unfortunately I'm still getting AADSTS900561.
Jade Ng 15,480 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-08T04:30:06.29+00:00
Dear Tri Tran (student),

Thank you for your update!

Since the issue persists after signing out and back in, clearing Keychain entries, disabling Safari cross-site tracking, updating macOS and Office, and reinstalling Office, I'd like to further isolate whether this is specific to Safari/macOS or related to the account itself.

Next, could you please try the following:

Attempt the sign-in process using a different browser, such as Microsoft Edge instead of Safari.

If possible, try signing in to Office using the same account on a different device (for example, a Windows PC or another Mac).

Please don’t hesitate to get in contact if the above suggestions still didn't work. I will be more than happy to assist you further.
Tri Tran (student) 0 Reputation points

2026-09-08T18:56:20.4+00:00

Hey there! I tried signing into Microsoft Edge and it gave me the same error response. I don't have another computer nearby to try and use, but yeah whenever I download the app on my phone and sign in with my UTSA email it works.
Jade Ng 15,480 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-09T06:29:35.7+00:00

Dear Tri Tran (student),

Thank you for getting back to me!

As the next troubleshooting step, please create a new macOS user profile and test whether the same issue occurs under that profile. You can follow the guidance here: New user or group setup on Mac. If the issue does not occur in the new profile, this would indicate that the problem is likely related to settings or data within the original macOS user profile.

However, if the same issue occurs across multiple macOS user profiles while your account works normally on other devices, the next step would be to completely reset the Mac to its factory settings and then test again before restoring any applications or user data. Please refer to: Erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings

Disclaimer: This link is shared by community members for your convenience. It points to a third-party site that is not managed or verified by Microsoft. We can’t guarantee the quality, safety, or suitability of any content or software found there. Please review carefully and make sure you understand any potential risks before using it.

Thank you for your cooperation, and I look forward to your update.
Tri Tran (student) 0 Reputation points

2026-09-09T06:44:07.31+00:00

Hey there! Making a new macOS user profile did fix the problem for me thanks so much!
Jade Ng 15,480 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-09T06:57:19.3766667+00:00

Dear Tri Tran (student),

I'm glad I was able to assist you.

If you found my response helpful, please click "Yes" on the original answer and consider upvoting it using the account that posted this question.

Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. You are also welcome to create a new post, and our moderators will be happy to assist you.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation. I wish you all the best!