Microsoft Excel keeps asking for my password when you open a workbook, connect to a shared file, or sign in to an account-linked service. In most cases, the prompt is caused by a stale saved credential, a broken Office sign-in token, or a workbook connection that keeps failing in the background. This article shows you the fastest fix first, then walks through the exact settings that stop the repeated password prompts for good.
Quick fix
The most likely fix is to clear the saved Microsoft Office credentials and sign in again in Excel. If Excel has an old or corrupted login stored in Windows Credential Manager or in your Mac Keychain, it will keep asking for the password even after you enter it correctly. Removing the saved entry and signing in cleanly fixes the loop for most people.
Why this happens
Excel does not just remember your workbook password; it also stores sign-in tokens for Microsoft 365, SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook-linked services, and network file locations. When one of those saved credentials expires, gets out of sync, or points to the wrong account, Excel asks again and again even though the password itself is correct. A damaged workbook connection, a protected view issue, or an outdated Office sign-in session can trigger the same behavior.
How to fix it
-
Clear the saved Office credentials.
On Windows, close Excel, open Control Panel, and go to User Accounts > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials. Remove entries that mention MicrosoftOffice, Office, ADAL, OneDrive, SharePoint, or the name of the workbook location, then reopen Excel and sign in again. If the prompt stops, the problem was a stale saved login. -
Sign out of Office and sign back in.
In Excel, go to File > Account and select Sign out under the account you use for Microsoft 365. Close Excel completely, reopen it, and sign in with the same account once. This refreshes the authentication token Excel uses across Office apps and clears the loop when the login session itself was corrupted. -
Remove stored credentials on Mac.
Open Keychain Access, search for Microsoft, Office, ADAL, OneDrive, or the server name linked to the file, then delete the matching entries. Reopen Excel and sign in when prompted. If the password prompt was caused by a bad Keychain item, Excel will stop asking after the new sign-in is saved. -
Check the workbook connection or linked file.
Open the workbook, then go to Data > Queries & Connections or Data > Connections and inspect any connection that points to SharePoint, OneDrive, a database, or another workbook. Remove the broken connection, then reconnect with the correct account and password. If you are opening a file from a shared folder, save a local copy and test that copy first; a bad network path can keep forcing repeated authentication. -
Turn off Protected View for a trusted file.
If the file came from email, Downloads, or a browser, Excel can open it in Protected View and re-prompt for credentials when it tries to reach online content. Click Enable Editing in the yellow bar, then save the file to a normal working folder such as Documents and reopen it from there. If the prompt only happens with one downloaded file, the file location is part of the problem. -
Repair Office if the prompts continue across files.
On Windows, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office, choose Modify, and run Quick Repair first. If the issue remains, run Online Repair and then sign in again in Excel. If password prompts happen in multiple workbooks and even after credential cleanup, a damaged Office component is forcing the repeated sign-in.
Common error messages
“We couldn’t verify the password”
This means Excel reached the account or file source, but the saved sign-in token no longer matches the current credential.
“Your account has been signed out”
This appears when Office lost the authentication session and keeps trying to restore it with an expired sign-in.
“There is a problem with your account”
This points to a sync failure between Excel and the Microsoft account, commonly caused by stale cached credentials.
“Authentication failed”
This means Excel tried to open a protected connection or online workbook and the login data it stored is no longer valid.
When this means it’s a bigger problem
If Excel keeps asking for your password on a brand-new local workbook after you have cleared saved credentials, signed out and back in, and repaired Office, the issue is no longer a simple sign-in loop. That pattern points to a corrupted Office profile, a company-managed account policy, or a broken connection to Microsoft 365 or your file server, and you should stop troubleshooting at the app level and contact official support or your IT administrator.
Helpful answers
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for Excel to stop asking for my password after I clear the saved credentials?
The change takes effect as soon as you close and reopen Excel, then sign in again. If the saved credential was the cause, the prompt stops on the next workbook open. If Excel keeps asking after a fresh sign-in, the problem is tied to a workbook connection, account token, or Office installation instead.
Will clearing Microsoft Office credentials delete my workbooks or account data?
No. Clearing credentials removes stored sign-in tokens, not your workbook files, SharePoint content, OneDrive files, or Microsoft 365 data. You are only forcing Excel to authenticate again. The only immediate effect is that connected services and shared files ask you to sign in one more time.
What if Excel still asks for my password after I sign out and sign back in?
That points to a deeper issue in the file connection or Office installation, not the sign-in session itself. Check whether the problem happens in one workbook or every workbook, then move to connection cleanup or a repair flow. If you need the next step, use the workbook connection fix to isolate the source.
Can I undo this and restore the old saved password prompt behavior?
No. Excel does not provide a safe way to restore a stale credential loop. The correct fix is to let Excel store a fresh sign-in after you remove the broken entry. If you need to revert a file-specific change, reopen the workbook from its original location and reconnect the account from scratch.
What should I do on a Mac if Keychain cleanup does not fix the prompt?
If deleting the Microsoft and Office Keychain entries does not stop the prompts, the issue is beyond stored credentials. Check the workbook connection, then repair the Office sign-in session by signing out of Excel and back in. If the same file still fails, the next step is a Mac-specific repair path such as Excel Password Prompt on Mac