Outlook, Teams, or other Office apps show "Something went wrong" with error tag 4wbr5. This happens when the authentication token cache gets corrupted, often in shared environments like RDS or Azure Virtual Desktop.

Error 4wbr5 often appears alongside or is confused with other authentication errors:

Error Code Description
80090016 "Trusted Platform Module has malfunctioned" - indicates TPM hardware issues
CAA20003 Modern authentication failures in Outlook
0x8004010F Corrupted Outlook data file (different cause, similar symptoms)
AADSTS50058 Silent sign-in request failed

Tip: If you see error 80090016 along with 4wbr5, skip directly to the TPM troubleshooting section below.

The Fix

Close all Office apps (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Word, etc.), then clear the auth cache:

# Run in PowerShell
Stop-Process -Name "OUTLOOK","TEAMS","WINWORD","EXCEL","POWERPNT","ONENOTE" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Move cache folders (safer than delete)
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd-HHmmss"
Rename-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\OneAuth" "OneAuth-backup-$timestamp" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Rename-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\IdentityCache" "IdentityCache-backup-$timestamp" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Restart Click-to-Run service
Restart-Service -Name "ClickToRunSvc" -Force

Relaunch Outlook and sign in when prompted.

Verify

Office apps should prompt for fresh credentials and work normally after signing in.

If error persists, also clear Windows Credential Manager entries for Office:

Control Panel > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials
Delete entries starting with "MicrosoftOffice" or your email domain

Still not working?... crap.

The 4wbr5 error itself is an authentication cache problem, but sometimes it's a symptom of something deeper going wrong with device registration or TPM state. When your device's Entra ID registration is broken or the TPM can't validate credentials properly, Office 365 auth fails and you get 4wbr5 as the surface-level error. If you're also seeing error 80090016 ("Trusted Platform Module has malfunctioned"), that's your confirmation you're dealing with device-level issues, not just stale tokens.

If clearing credential caches doesn't resolve the 4wbr5 error, you may be dealing with a deeper issue involving the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) or device registration state.

Check Your Device Registration State

Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:

dsregcmd /status

Look at the Device State section. Note the values for:

  • AzureAdJoined
  • WorkplaceJoined
  • DomainJoined

If you see errors in DeviceAuthStatus or the device appears to be in a broken registration state, continue with the fixes below.

Fix 1: Clear the NGC Folder (Windows Hello Credentials)

The NGC folder stores Windows Hello PIN and biometric data. Corruption here can cause TPM authentication failures that cascade into Office 365 errors.

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to:
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft
  1. Right-click the Ngc folder and select Properties
  2. Go to the Security tab and click Advanced
  3. Click Change next to Owner
  4. Enter your admin username, click Check Names, then OK
  5. Check Replace owner on subcontainers and objects and click Apply
  6. Delete all contents inside the Ngc folder
  7. Restart the computer

Note: Users will need to re-setup their Windows Hello PIN after this.

Fix 2: Re-register the Device with Entra ID

If the device registration is corrupt, you may need to leave and rejoin:

  1. Open elevated Command Prompt
  2. Run:
dsregcmd /leave
  1. Restart the computer
  2. Go to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school
  3. Click Connect and sign in with the user's work account
  4. Run dsregcmd /status again to verify AzureAdJoined shows YES

Fix 3: Run Microsoft's Cleanup Scripts

Microsoft provides official scripts that automate the cleanup process:

  1. Download and run OLicenseCleanup.vbs (removes cached licenses and identity data)
  2. Download and run signoutofwamaccounts.ps1 (clears Web Account Manager tokens)
  3. If dsregcmd /status shows WorkplaceJoined as YES, also run WPJCleanUp.cmd

All three scripts are available from Microsoft's documentation on resetting Office 365 activation state.

Fix 4: Clear TPM (Nuclear Option)

Only use this if nothing else works. This will remove all TPM-stored keys and require re-setup of BitLocker, Windows Hello, and other TPM-dependent features.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Device Security
  2. Click Security processor details
  3. Click Security processor troubleshooting
  4. Click Clear TPM
  5. Restart and attempt to activate Office 365

Warning: If BitLocker is enabled, ensure you have the recovery key before clearing TPM.

#Error #4wbr5

Industry IT Solutions - RainCity Techworks
Specialized IT solutions for healthcare, law firms, construction, professional services, real estate, logistics, manufacturing, and nonprofits.
RainCity TechworksRainCity Techworks

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes error 4wbr5 in Office 365?
Error 4wbr5 is caused by corrupted authentication tokens in the OneAuth or IdentityCache folders. This commonly happens after Windows updates, network changes, or in shared computing environments like RDS and Azure Virtual Desktop.

Will clearing the cache delete my emails or files?
No. Clearing the authentication cache only removes stored login tokens. Your emails, OneDrive files, Teams messages, and all other data remain intact.

How long does it take to fix error 4wbr5?
The standard fix takes 5-10 minutes. Most users resolve the issue by clearing the authentication cache and signing back in. Advanced fixes may take 20-30 minutes.

Can I prevent error 4wbr5 from happening again?
In shared environments, configure separate user profiles. Keep Windows and Office 365 updated, and ensure TPM firmware is current. For Azure Virtual Desktop or RDS, consider FSLogix profile containers.

Does error 4wbr5 affect all Office apps?
Yes, error 4wbr5 typically affects all Office 365 apps simultaneously: Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneDrive because they share the same authentication token cache.

What's the difference between error 4wbr5 and 80090016?
Error 4wbr5 indicates authentication cache corruption. Error 80090016 indicates TPM hardware issues. If you see both errors together, start with TPM troubleshooting.

Need Help with Office 365 Errors in the Seattle Area?

If you're struggling with persistent Office 365 authentication errors or need assistance implementing these fixes across your organization, Rain City Techworks provides IT support throughout the Seattle, Tacoma, and Puget Sound region. We specialize in Office 365 troubleshooting for businesses in RDS and Azure Virtual Desktop environments.

Contact us for professional Office 365 support →