OneDrive on Android: Albums with blank images

Question

Using the Android app, My Albums that normally are fine have now been showing all my images as blank icons. If I click on any, it prompts me to download the image. Note: the album images exist and can be accessed via the web or my PC. It is the Android app. I used a Samsung S25.

Answer 1

It seems like you're experiencing an issue with the OneDrive app on your Android device where the images in your albums are showing as blank icons and prompting you to download them. This can happen for a few reasons, such as connectivity issues, app cache problems, or the app not syncing properly with your OneDrive account.

Here are some steps you can try to resolve the issue:

1. Check Your Internet Connection: Ensure that your device is connected to a stable internet connection, as this can affect the app's ability to display images.
2. Clear App Cache: Go to your device's settings, find the OneDrive app, and clear its cache. This can help refresh the app and resolve display issues.
3. Update the App: Make sure you are using the latest version of the OneDrive app. Check the Google Play Store for any available updates.
4. Reinstall the App: If the problem persists, consider uninstalling and then reinstalling the OneDrive app to ensure that you have a fresh installation.
5. Check Permissions: Ensure that the OneDrive app has the necessary permissions to access your photos and storage.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to check the OneDrive support page or community forums for more specific troubleshooting related to the Android app.

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References:

• This item might not exist error when accessing OneDrive

Answer 2

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your question. I understand how confusing it is when your OneDrive albums suddenly show only blank icons on Android even though the images load fine on the web and PC. That would make the app feel completely broken, and it’s great that you were able to identify what fixed it on your Samsung S25.

Microsoft’s guidance confirms that this issue can occur when the OneDrive app cache becomes corrupted or when a Samsung device uses the factory‑installed OneDrive system app, which can conflict with updates. Clearing the cache and resetting or restoring the factory‑installed OneDrive app is a known method for fixing missing thumbnails or blank images in the Android app. Samsung community troubleshooting also shows that reinstalling or resetting the bundled OneDrive component resolves thumbnail and sync display issues because it forces the device to rebuild its local OneDrive libraries and permissions.

It sounds like you successfully performed both steps clearing the app cache and restoring the factory version of OneDrive which aligns with Microsoft’s own OneDrive for Android troubleshooting recommendations that suggest clearing cache, resetting the app, or reinstalling it to fix display and sync problems.

If the issue returns, or if you see missing thumbnails again, feel free to reach out and I can help you check additional settings such as media permissions, power/background restrictions, or Samsung Cloud hand‑off settings. I'm glad you got it working again!

 

I hope this helps.

 

Best Regards,

Noel