Fix Office for Mac Repeatedly Asking for Keychain Access

Fix Office for Mac Repeatedly Asking for Keychain Access

Fix Office for Mac Repeatedly Asking for Keychain Access

Overview

If Outlook, Word, or another Office app on your Mac keeps popping up a keychain password prompt, the saved credentials in macOS Keychain are out of sync with your work account. Clearing the old entries and signing in fresh almost always fixes it.

Before You Begin

  • You are on macOS Sequoia or Tahoe.
  • You know your current Mac login password.
  • You know your current work email and password.
  • Close all Office apps before you start (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).

Steps

  1. Quit all Office apps. Right-click each in the Dock and choose Quit, or press Cmd + Q in each one.
  2. Open Keychain Access from Spotlight (press Cmd + Space and type Keychain Access).
  3. In Keychain Access, click login in the sidebar.
  4. In the search bar (top right), type office.
  5. Look for items named Microsoft Office Credentials, Microsoft Office Identities Cache, Microsoft Office Ticket Cache, and MicrosoftOfficeRMSCredential.
  6. Right-click each one and choose Delete. Enter your Mac password if asked.
  7. Search for ADAL and delete every ADAL cache entry that appears.
  8. Search for com.microsoft and delete any other Office-related items.
  9. Close Keychain Access.
  10. Open Outlook. When prompted, sign in with your work email and password. Approve the MFA prompt on your phone.

Troubleshooting

  • If the prompts keep returning: restart the Mac, then repeat the keychain cleanup. Sometimes a process holds a stale credential until reboot.
  • If you cannot delete a keychain item: unlock the login keychain first. In Keychain Access, click File → Lock Keychain "login" then click it again to unlock. Enter your Mac password.
  • If Outlook signs in but Word still asks: in Word, click Word → Sign Out, then sign back in with the same work email.
  • If you see "Keychain cannot be found": repair the keychain with Keychain Access → Keychain Access menu → Keychain First Aid (older macOS) or contact support.
  • If macOS Tahoe handles credentials differently: the steps above still work, but the Keychain Access app may now be inside Utilities → Passwords.

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Need More Help?

Submit a ticket at support.bostonmit.com or email support@bostonmit.com.

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