When you try to activate Microsoft Office through Microsoft 365, you might see this error message:

“Sorry, we can’t connect to your account. Please try again later.”

This is a common activation error for MS Office. In this guide, we’ll show you how to solve this issue on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer.

Why does the “can’t connect to your account” error occur?

There could be several reasons for this problem, including:

1. Missing system files like important DLL, EXE, or SYS files.
2. Being behind a proxy server.
3. Firewall blocking the connection.
4. Not having the appropriate Office license.
5. Having an old product key already in use.

How to Fix the “can’t connect to your account” Office Activation Error:

Below are several solutions to try. Follow each step and see if the problem is fixed.

Solution 1: Fix Windows issues:

There might be internal issues with your Windows files, such as missing DLL, EXE, or SYS files, outdated drivers, or corrupted system files, causing this problem.

To fix these Windows issues, try using the Outbyte PC Repair Tool.

3 Steps to Fix this Error

Step 1. Download Outbyte PC Repair Tool [File Size: 16.4 MB]
Step 2. SCAN your Windows PC
Step 3. Click Fix button to Repair Error

System Requirements       Features      Awards      Windows 11/10/8/7 Comaptible

Solution 2: Use Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant.

Microsoft offers various troubleshooting tools to resolve issues with its products. You can use the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool to fix the Office activation error.

Step 1: Visit the following page to download the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool:

https://support.microsoft.com/office/about-the-microsoft-support-and-recovery-assistant-e90bb691-c2a7-4697-a94f-88836856c72f

Step 2: Scroll down and find the download button. Download and install the tool. This may take a few minutes to complete.

Step 3: Agree to Microsoft’s terms and conditions.

Step 4: Select the app you’re experiencing issues with and click the “Next” button.

Step 5: Choose the problem you’re encountering and click “Next.”

Step 6: Follow the instructions provided by the Support and Recovery Assistant tool to complete the process.

Solution 3: Turn off the Proxy server.

If you’re using a Proxy server, turning it off might help. Proxy servers can sometimes cause problems when activating software online.

Step 1: Click on the Start button and search for “proxy,” then open “Proxy settings.”

Step 2: Make sure both automatic and manual proxy settings are turned off.

Solution 4: Firewall may block the connections.

Your firewall might be blocking connections to Microsoft servers. Configure your firewall to allow access to the following links:

Different providers have different procedures for adding links to trusted profiles. Refer to your vendor documentation for instructions on how to do this.

Alternatively, you can temporarily disable the Firewall while activating MS Office.

Solution 5: Check your License.

Ensure you have the correct and activated license key for Microsoft products. If the key is invalid, expired, or already used, you may encounter an activation issue. Follow these steps to validate the license key:

1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 portal.
2. Click on Settings and then Office 365 settings.
3. Check the Assigned licenses area.
4. If you see “The latest desktop version of Office,” your Office subscription is correctly assigned.

Solution 6: Remove the existing Office 2013 key.

If you previously activated an Office 2013 program on your computer, try removing the existing product key:

Step 1: Open the command prompt as Administrator.

Step 2: Execute the following code step by step.

For 64 bit:

cscript.exe "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Office\Office15\ospp.vbs" /dstatus

For 32 bit:

cscript.exe "%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\Office15\ospp.vbs" /dstatus

Step 3: Examine the output. Look for and locate the last five characters of the installed product key. To remove a product key, type the following command and then press Enter:

cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey: <Last five characters of product key>

Example:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15"

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15>cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus

Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.



does not match the product key for the license.

Last 5 characters of installed product key: HGWT8

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Fix can’t connect to your account – Office Activation Error

In this troubleshooting guide, I’ve explained various solutions to address difficulties in connecting to your Office account. Activation-related problems can often be resolved by optimizing your PC, using the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool, removing old product keys, temporarily disabling the firewall, and more.