Unable to Permanently Remove Cached Microsoft Accounts from iPad M2 Account Picker

Shubh 0 Reputation points
2026-07-06T10:14:44.3333333+00:00

Hi,

I am using an iPad M2 and Microsoft Excel for iPad. When Excel prompts me to sign in, the Microsoft "Choose an account" picker still displays multiple old accounts, including accounts that have already been deleted from Microsoft Entra ID / Microsoft 365.

My goal is to keep only one Outlook account visible in the account picker and permanently remove all other cached accounts.

Current Problem

The following old accounts continue to appear in the Microsoft account picker:

  • Deleted Microsoft 365 / onmicrosoft.com account
  • Old work account
  • My Outlook account (this is the only account I want to keep)

There is no "Remove Account", "Forget Account", or Delete option available on the account picker screen.

Troubleshooting Already Completed

I have already performed all of the following:

  1. Signed out of all Microsoft apps.
  2. Removed accounts from:
    • Excel
      • Word
        • Outlook
          • OneDrive
            • Teams
            1. Used Delete Sign-In Credentials from iPad Settings for Microsoft apps.
            2. Uninstalled and reinstalled Microsoft apps.
            3. Removed Microsoft-related passwords from:
              • Settings → Passwords
              1. Cleared Safari website data for:
                • microsoft.com
                  • office.com
                    • outlook.com
                      • login.microsoftonline.com
                      1. Checked and removed Microsoft accounts from:
                        • Mail Accounts
                          • Calendar Accounts
                            • Contacts Accounts
                            1. Removed accounts from Microsoft Authenticator.
                            2. Checked VPN & Device Management profiles.
                            3. Restarted the iPad multiple times.
                            4. Tested Microsoft Edge edge://signin-internals.
                            5. The deleted account still appears even though the Microsoft 365 account itself no longer exists.

Request

Please provide the official Microsoft-supported procedure to:

  1. Remove stale identities from the Microsoft account picker on iPadOS.
  2. Clear any Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL), broker cache, or shared identity cache that is causing deleted accounts to remain visible.
  3. Confirm whether there is any hidden reset option, diagnostic profile, broker reset, or advanced cleanup process for iPadOS.
  4. Confirm whether this behavior is a known issue with Microsoft account caching on iPad.

If the only supported resolution is an iPad reset, please confirm that explicitly and explain whether restoring from iCloud backup will restore the cached identities again.

I would appreciate a detailed technical response because all standard troubleshooting steps have already been completed and the accounts continue to appear.

Thank you.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | iOS
0 comments

1 answer

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Jess-Q 12,705 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-07-06T12:12:19.25+00:00

    Hi @Shubh

    Regarding your issue, it looks like you've genuinely exhausted all the troubleshooting steps available on the user side signing out of every Microsoft app, clearing credentials and passwords, reinstalling, clearing Safari data, checking Authenticator and device profiles, and even running RemoveAllAccounts in Edge. Since the deleted account still persists after all of that, this has gone beyond what can be resolved through the standard steps. As you're using a business subscription, I'd recommend reaching out to your IT (Global) admin, who can raise a support ticket with Microsoft Support on your behalf to investigate this further and help resolve it for you.

    A technical support engineer can perform a remote session to investigate the situation, verify the backend configurations, and run any necessary synchronization tools to resolve the problem. If the issue requires further attention, they can escalate it to a specialized team for deeper analysis.

    Here’s what your Microsoft 365 Global Admin (IT Admin) should do next:

    • Submit a Service Request: The Global Admin should create a service request with Microsoft support to get advanced technical assistance and diagnostics. For detailed instructions on how to get support, please refer to Get support - Microsoft 365 admin.   
    • Find Your Microsoft 365 Admin: If you’re unsure who the Global Admin is within your organization, you can find guidance on locating them here: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin?
    • If your subscription is managed through a Microsoft partner or reseller, they can also assist with opening a support request and liaising with Microsoft on your behalf.

    Note: If you’re an end-user, please coordinate with your Office 365 Global Administrator to handle these steps. 

    When you reach out, it'll help to mention everything you've already tried so they can skip straight to the deeper investigation rather than repeating the basics.

    Before submitting the ticket, make sure the Support Assistant is turned Off as several customers have reported that when the Support Assistant is enabled, the Contact Support option may not appear.  

    As shown in the screenshot, simply switch Support Assistant > Off, then enter your issue description. Once disabled, the Contact Support button should appear, allowing you to submit the ticket normally.  

    User's image

    I apologize for redirecting you the related team support, as the moderators in this community don’t have access to the detailed system needed to troubleshoot this effectively due to privacy and security constraints. But Microsoft’s support team has elevated permissions and access to backend systems that we, as community moderators, do not. This ensures your issue is handled with the right tools and expertise and helps you get a faster resolution.

    Hopefully they will be able to help with your issue and if you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.