Microsoft isn't giving me the option to delete old accounts

Linda Warden 0 Reputation points
2026-09-17T15:00:50.83+00:00

I am having issues syncing my files as MS keeps trying to sync them to old email accounts i no longer have access to.

In settings/my accounts they list them but not remove them, when i click manage account it asks me to sign in and i no longer have access to them to do so, my genuine current accounts are signed in fine and when view online they are all synced but if viewing on one drive/file explorer they have a red x showing not synced, it's driving me nuts as the laptop just keeps twirling noises as it's trying to sync to a file that no longer exists.

Task manager has been cleared too and it still does it

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows

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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-17T15:01:09.4433333+00:00

    This usually means old work or school accounts are still cached on the device, so Windows, Office, or OneDrive keeps trying to use them even though access is gone.

    Try this in order:

    1. Disconnect old accounts from Windows
      • Go to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school.
      • Look for the old email accounts.
      • If Disconnect is available, select it for each old account.
      • If only Manage appears, continue with the next steps.
    2. Clear saved credentials
      • Open Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager.
      • Select Windows Credentials.
      • Remove entries related to the old accounts, especially anything mentioning Microsoft 365, Office, Teams, or old business email addresses.
      • This removes old authentication tokens that can keep triggering sign-in and sync attempts.
    3. Remove old connected services from Office
      • Open Word or Excel.
      • Go to File > Account.
      • Under Connected Services, remove or disconnect the old accounts if they appear.
      • If an old account is shown as primary, sign out of all accounts in Office, then sign back in with only the current account.
    4. Reset OneDrive account connection
      • Select the OneDrive icon in the notification area.
      • Go to Settings > Account.
      • Select Unlink this PC.
      • Start OneDrive again and sign in with the current account.
      • If prompted for the OneDrive folder location, using the same location can merge folders from both accounts.
    5. Remove old accounts from the browser sign-in picker
      • Go to login.microsoftonline.com.
      • When the account list appears, use the menu next to the old account and select Forget or Forget this account.
    6. If the red X remains in File Explorer
      • The local OneDrive app may still be stuck on the old account connection.
      • Use Unlink this PC again, then sign in only with the current account.

    If the old accounts are personal Microsoft accounts with the same email address as a work or school account, the sign-in prompt can also happen because both account types exist for the same address. In that case, one supported fix is to rename the personal Microsoft account alias or contact the organization tied to the work or school account.

    For OneDrive technical issues that continue after these steps, personal account support is available through Contact Microsoft Support. For work or school accounts, the organization’s IT helpdesk or admin must assist.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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