"We're unable to complete your request" after you accept an invite to a SharePoint Online resource

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    SharePoint Online

Problem

Consider the following scenario:

  • You share a Microsoft SharePoint Online resource with an external user. During this process, you select the Require sign-in and Send an email invitation options.

  • The external user receives the email invitation and then clicks the link to the shared resource.

  • On the Welcome to SharePoint Online page, the external user clicks the Create a Microsoft account, it's quick and easy! link.

  • The user finishes and submits the form to create a new Microsoft account.

In this scenario, the user receives the following error message:

We're unable to complete your request.

Microsoft account is experiencing technical problems. Please try again later.

Solution

To work around this issue, advise the user to use the new Microsoft account that's created to sign in to the site, as follows:

  1. View the email invitation for the SharePoint Online resource, and then click the link to the shared content.

  2. On the Welcome to SharePoint Online page, click the option to sign in with the Microsoft account.

  3. Use the account that you created earlier (during the process that triggered the error message) to sign in to the site, and then access the shared resource.

Note

Although the error occurs when you submit the form to create the new Microsoft account, the account is still created, and it can access the shared resource.

More information

This is a known issue that occurs when an external user accepts an invitation to a SharePoint Online resource and then selects the option to create a new Microsoft account.

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