Unable to sign in: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

[OliUK]

Storage Explorer Version

1.44.0

Regression From

No response

Architecture

arm64

Storage Explorer Build Number

20260626.6

Platform

macOS

OS Version

macOS 26.5.1 (25F80)

Bug Description

On attempting to login on a fresh install of Azure Storage Explorer, the login process does not work correctly when set to 'Authentication Broker' (the default on a new install) - after selecting any option in 'Select azure environment' errors with Unable to sign in: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Associated Log entries attached

1224aaee-AadAccountProviderService-13858-b0s3dngd-1.log

2026-07-01_075452_main_13319.log

Resource Types

No response

Authentication Method

Sign in

Connection Type

Sign in (subscription)

Steps to Reproduce

1. Click 'Sign in with Azure'
2. Window opens and immediately skips step 1 (Select Resource) and jumps to step 2 (Select Azure Environment)
3. Selecting 'Azure' as the environment errors with Unable to sign in: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Actual Experience

Unable to sign in: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. errors appears after trying to complete the sign in process.

Expected Experience

Prompted to login in and complete the login process

Additional Context

Workarounds tried:

• Choosing anything on the Select Azure Environment stage still produces the same issue
• Pressing back and selecting anything from the missing step 1 and proceeding produces the same issue
• Changing authentication method to Default Web Browser instead of Authentication Broker - succeeds and allowed log in

[pka-fr]

I confirm the bug. The only working workaround for me was to downgrade to 1.43.0.

[rabryst]

I was not able to get 1.43.0 to work either.

[lotsahelp]

Same. This was in my AadAccountProviderService log.

07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : Client supports UI? 'True'
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : Going to use interactive flow with authenticationFlowType 'WAM'
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : ADFS:False Brokered:True
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : GetPublicClient for authority: 'https://login.microsoftonline.com/organizations' ValidateAuthority: 'True'
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : Built public client
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : [MSAL.Extension][2026-07-01T18:31:59.9318960Z] Registering token cache with on disk storage
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : [MSAL.Extension][2026-07-01T18:31:59.9319400Z] Done initializing
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : Cache registered
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : Going to use WAM flow
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : [MSAL.Extension][2026-07-01T18:31:59.9350120Z] Registering token cache with on disk storage
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : [MSAL.Extension][2026-07-01T18:31:59.9350560Z] Done initializing
07/01/2026 13:31:59 Central Standard Time : Information : ExecuteWAMFlowAsync: About to call SynchronizationContextHelper.ExecuteAsync. SynchronizationContext is present (type: 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Threading.SingleThreadedSynchronizationContext'). IsMacPlatform: True
07/01/2026 13:32:00 Central Standard Time : Error : ******START MSAL DIAGNOSTICS******
True MSAL 4.83.1.0 MSAL.NetCore .NET 10.0.9 MacOS [2026-07-01 18:31:59Z - <guid>] Error in background GetTokenResponseAsync: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Platforms.Features.RuntimeBroker.RuntimeBroker..ctor(CoreUIParent uiParent, ApplicationConfiguration appConfig, ILoggerAdapter logger)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker.BrokerExtension.<>c.<AddRuntimeSupport>b__3_0(CoreUIParent uiParent, ApplicationConfiguration appConfig, ILoggerAdapter logger)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.PlatformsCommon.Shared.AbstractPlatformProxy.CreateBroker(ApplicationConfiguration appConfig, CoreUIParent uiParent)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.InteractiveRequest.FetchTokensFromBrokerAsync(String brokerInstallUrl, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.InteractiveRequest.GetTokenResponseAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.InteractiveRequest.<>c__DisplayClass9_0.<<ExecuteAsync>b__0>d.MoveNext()
True MSAL 4.83.1.0 MSAL.NetCore .NET 10.0.9 MacOS [2026-07-01 18:32:00Z - <guid>] System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Platforms.Features.RuntimeBroker.RuntimeBroker..ctor(CoreUIParent uiParent, ApplicationConfiguration appConfig, ILoggerAdapter logger)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Broker.BrokerExtension.<>c.<AddRuntimeSupport>b__3_0(CoreUIParent uiParent, ApplicationConfiguration appConfig, ILoggerAdapter logger)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.PlatformsCommon.Shared.AbstractPlatformProxy.CreateBroker(ApplicationConfiguration appConfig, CoreUIParent uiParent)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.InteractiveRequest.FetchTokensFromBrokerAsync(String brokerInstallUrl, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.InteractiveRequest.GetTokenResponseAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.InteractiveRequest.<>c__DisplayClass9_0.<<ExecuteAsync>b__0>d.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.InteractiveRequest.ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.RequestBase.<>c__DisplayClass11_1.<<RunAsync>b__1>d.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Utils.StopwatchService.MeasureCodeBlockAsync(Func`1 codeBlock)
   at Microsoft.Identity.Client.Internal.Requests.RequestBase.RunAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)

******END MSAL DIAGNOSTICS******

[eli-gc]

I wasn't able to get Authentication Broker to work either but I could sign in with Default Web Browser

[skogler]

Also affected by this. Makes the app completely unusable.

[robertkruk]

had issue with 1.44.0
Azure Storage Explorer 1.44.0 on macOS (Apple Silicon) continuously prompts for Keychain access during sign-in. Attempting Approving access does not resolve the issue and authentication fails.

Downgrading to 1.43.0 immediately restores normal sign-in functionality on the same machine and account.

[chautruonglong]

same

[MuhammedEkici]

FIXED!

Just deleted the new version, and reinstalled the earlier version (1.43.0 to be exact) from github:
https://github.com/microsoft/AzureStorageExplorer/releases#release-v1.43.0

Scroll down to Assets under the version yo uwant, and then download (Windows) --> StorageExplorer-windows-x64.exe

[skogler]

Same issue here, 1.44.0 is unusable on MacOS

[MuhammedEkici]

Same issue here, 1.44.0 is unusable on MacOS

The fix:
Just deleted the new version, and reinstalled the earlier version (1.43.0 to be exact) from github:
https://github.com/microsoft/AzureStorageExplorer/releases#release-v1.43.0

Scroll down to Assets under the version yo uwant, and then download (Windows/Mac) --> StorageExplorer-windows/mac-x64.exe

[rabryst]

Same issue here, 1.44.0 is unusable on MacOS

The fix:
Just deleted the new version, and reinstalled the earlier version (1.43.0 to be exact) from github:
https://github.com/microsoft/AzureStorageExplorer/releases#release-v1.43.0

Scroll down to Assets under the version yo uwant, and then download (Windows/Mac) --> StorageExplorer-windows/mac-x64.exe

Can you please stop suggesting this as a fix? It's not a fix, it's a workaround, and it doesn't work either.

[Djoels]

For me the workaround worked (aka downgrading as suggested by MuhammedEkici) on Mac OS