KB5079473, the March 2026 cumulative update for Windows 11, blocks sign‑ins for consumer Microsoft account holders. Users see a "no internet" error even when their Wi‑Fi or Ethernet is active, locking them out of Teams, OneDrive, Edge, Word, Excel, and Copilot.
What's new: Microsoft confirmed the authentication failure affects only personal Microsoft accounts. Enterprise users on Entra ID credentials remain unaffected because those accounts route through a separate backend. The error message falsely claims, "You'll need internet for this. It looks like you're not connected to the internet."
Why it matters: The bug interrupts remote work, collaborative document editing, real‑time chat, and file sync, forcing users to search for fixes while productivity stalls. The issue affects Microsoft Teams (Free version), OneDrive, Edge, Excel, Word, and Microsoft 365 Copilot across Windows 11 installations.
What to do: Restart your PC while keeping Wi‑Fi or Ethernet connected. The online reboot forces Windows to re‑validate credentials against Microsoft's servers, clearing the false "no internet" state. If you restart offline, the bug reappears. To confirm KB5079473 is installed, open Settings, navigate to Windows Update, select Update history, and look for KB5079473. Apply the online restart each time the error surfaces.
What's next: Microsoft is developing a permanent patch but has not announced a release date. Users should monitor the Windows Release Health blog for updates and continue using the online‑restart workaround until the official fix ships.
