Microsoft 365 Apps activation error “There’s a problem with your account”

• Applies to:

  Microsoft 365

When you try to activate Microsoft 365 Apps, you might encounter the error "We are unable to connect right now", followed by one of the following error codes:

There's a problem with your account, please try again later.

Account error There is a problem with your account. To fix this, sign in again to resolve the issue.

Try the following troubleshooting methods to solve the problem.

Note Some of these troubleshooting methods can only be performed by a Microsoft 365 admin. If you aren’t an admin, see How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin?

Troubleshooting activation on a Mac:

Remove Office license files on a Mac

See How to remove Office license files on a Mac.

Troubleshooting activation on Windows:

Make sure you have the correct Office installed

Go to https://portal.office.com/account to check which Office version and edition you have available.

If no Office version is shown, you don’t have an Office license assigned to the account you are signed in with. If you are signed in with your Work or School account, and don’t have a license assigned, contact your Microsoft 365 Administrator to get a license assigned. How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin?

If you have Microsoft 365 for Business Basic, you won’t have any Office applications to install. You can use Office Online apps at https://office.com.

Make sure that the version listed (32-bit or 64-bit) matches your version of Windows. To check what version of Windows you have installed, go to Start > Settings (gear icon) > System > About, and check the System type.

If you have a different edition or version installed on your device, run the SaRA package to uninstall Office. Restart the device, and install from https://portal.office.com/account to get the correct version.

Reset Microsoft 365 activation state

Download and run Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant to reset the Microsoft 365 activation state.

Download the Assistant

For manual steps or more information, see Reset Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise activation state.

Run the SaRA activation troubleshooter

Run the SaRA activation troubleshooter, and select the Office option. When prompted, select the option that best describes your situation.

Sign out of Office and sign back in

1. Open an Office app, such as Word.
2. Select your name and profile picture or icon at the top.
3. Select Sign out.
4. Select Sign in.
5. Make sure you are signed in with your Work or School account, not your personal Microsoft account.
6. Try activating Microsoft 365 again.
   
   

Make sure user licenses are assigned

1. In the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, go to the Users > Active users page.
2. Select the row of the user that you want to assign a license to.
3. In the right pane, select Licenses and Apps.
4. Expand the Licenses section, select the boxes for the licenses that you want to assign, then select Save changes.
5. If the license is already assigned, uncheck it, select Save changes, then check it again and select Save changes again.
   
   

Remove unused devices

Go to https://myaccount.microsoft.com/device-list and sign in with the same account you’re using to activate Microsoft 365 Apps. Remove any unused devices.

With a single license, you can install Microsoft 365 Apps on up to 5 devices. For more information about licensing, see Overview of licensing and activation in Microsoft 365 Apps.