How to Fix SharePoint Error Access Request Failed

Encountering the Access Request Failed error in SharePoint indicates that an attempt to access a site, document library, or file was rejected because your account permissions are insufficient. Additionally, the system was unable to submit or process your access request to the site owners.

This guide outlines why this error happens and provides step-by-step procedures to resolve it on both Windows and macOS.

Understand the Root Causes of Access Request Failed

This error is typically triggered by one of the following issues:

1. Account Session Mismatch: Your browser is signed in with a personal or cached work account that differs from the one granted access.
2. Access Requests Disabled: The SharePoint Site Collection has the “Allow Access Requests” option disabled, preventing visitors from sending requests to administrators.
3. Stale Authentication Tokens: Cached Office credentials or expired SharePoint cookies are blocking the authentication handshake.
4. Missing Mail Configuration: For SharePoint On-Premises, the SMTP outgoing mail server is misconfigured, causing the request submission to fail.

Resolving SharePoint Access Request Failed

Follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue:

Step 1: Use an Incognito Session to Isolate the Account

Often, browser profiles cache multiple Microsoft accounts, causing SharePoint to automatically authenticate with the incorrect profile.

1. Right-click the SharePoint URL and select Copy Link.
2. Open a new Incognito / Private Window (Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows, or Cmd + Shift + N on macOS).
3. Paste the URL into the address bar.
4. Log in using your corporate credentials (e.g., username@domain.com).
5. If the site loads, you need to sign out of the incorrect account in your main browser or clear your cookies.

Step 2: Configure Site Access Request Settings (Administrators Only)

If you are the SharePoint Site Owner or Administrator, ensure that the site is configured to accept access requests.

1. Navigate to the SharePoint site where the error occurs.
2. Click the Gear (Settings) icon in the top right corner and select Site permissions.
3. Under Access Requests Settings, verify that Allow access requests is turned on.
4. Enter the email address of the administrator who should receive these requests.
5. Click Save.

Step 3: Clear Stale Office Credentials and File Cache

If the error occurs inside Microsoft Office applications (such as Word or Excel) or the OneDrive/SharePoint sync app, clear the credential cache.

:: Kill active Office sync and OneDrive processes
taskkill /f /im msosync.exe
taskkill /f /im onedrive.exe

:: Remove Office File Cache directory
rmdir /s /q "%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache"

:: Clear SharePoint cached site settings
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\Identity\Identities" /f

# Force quit Office cache and OneDrive sync daemons
killall "Microsoft OSF Provider" 2>/dev/null
killall "OneDrive" 2>/dev/null

# Remove Office File Cache and SharePoint local support files
rm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.SharePoint-mac/Data/Library/Caches/*
rm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac/Data/Library/Caches/*
rm -rf ~/Library/Group\ Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/OfficeFileCache-*

Summary Checklist

• Open the SharePoint URL in an Incognito/Private window to rule out account conflicts.
• Ask the SharePoint Admin to verify that “Allow Access Requests” is enabled.
• Confirm your account is assigned to the correct SharePoint security group.
• Clean local credential registries and Office File Cache folders using the scripts above.