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SharePoint Online Troubleshooting: We're sorry, but [username] can't be found in the [tenant URL] directory

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Issue

Sometimes, a user who has a valid organizational network account or is a guest user who has received a sharing invitation connects to a SharePoint Online site and then experiences this message:

That didn't work

We're sorry, but [username] can't be found inA the [tenant directory URL] directory.

Please try again later, while we try to automatically fix this for you...

Solution

The approach you can take to resolve this involves the following steps:

  1. Remove the user from the site using the SharePoint Hidden User list: [site URL]/_layouts/15/people.aspx?MembershipGroupId=0
  2. Connect to the O365 Admin Center, and then go: Show All > SharePoint > User Profiles > People > Manage User Profiles > [search for the user, and then delete the user profile].
  3. At the O365 Admin Center, expand users, select Active users, search for the user, and then delete the user.
  4. Have the user try connecting to the site again.

The steps above resolve 95% of all such issues.  If they don't, and the user is a known member of the organization, check with the AD team to verify the user has a valid account. 

O365 ticket

Otherwise, open an O365 support ticket.

References