cannot login to onedrive

Question

cannot login to onedrive

Timothy Arthur 5

Cannot login to one drive on my pc but can on a webbrowser

Bill Haggard 0 Reputation points

2026-08-06T02:12:33.3366667+00:00

I have tried all the above options and still have login issues. I can login to my MS account, and login to onedrive on the web. But when i try to login to the OneDrive client it gets stuck on the login screen and just gives me the message:

Please finish signing into your account

And just sits there.

Any suggestions?

2 answers

Your answer

Bill Haggard 0 Reputation points

2026-08-06T02:12:33.3366667+00:00

I have tried all the above options and still have login issues. I can login to my MS account, and login to onedrive on the web. But when i try to login to the OneDrive client it gets stuck on the login screen and just gives me the message:

Please finish signing into your account

And just sits there.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Cannot login to OneDrive (Works in browser but not on PC)

Possible Causes

Corrupted OneDrive cache

Stale Windows credentials

Outdated OneDrive client

Network, proxy, or firewall issues

Incorrect account configuration

Troubleshooting Steps

Verify you can sign in at https://onedrive.live.com (already confirmed).

Reset the OneDrive client:

Press Win + R and run:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /reset

If OneDrive doesn't restart automatically, launch it from the Start menu.

Remove cached credentials:

Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows Credentials

Delete Microsoft/OneDrive/Office credentials.

Sign out of OneDrive and sign in again.

Ensure OneDrive is updated to the latest version.

Check that the system date, time, and time zone are correct.

If the issue persists, uninstall and reinstall OneDrive.

Answer 2

John Jefferson Doyon 82,940 Independent Advisor

Hi, @Timothy Arthur

What happens when you try to sign in? Do you get an error message or code?

Please also confirm:

Are you using Windows 10 or Windows 11?
Is the OneDrive cloud icon visible near the clock?
Did this start after a Windows or OneDrive update?

For now, try resetting OneDrive:

Press Windows key + R.
Enter: %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /reset
Press Enter.
Wait a few minutes, then open OneDrive again from the Start menu and try signing in.

Let me know the exact error if it still fails.

Timothy Arthur 5 Reputation points

2026-07-15T12:27:05.02+00:00

I am using Windows 11. The one drive icon is grey with a line through it and the issue started several weeks ago but I am not sure if linked to an upgrade as they are automatic.

I have tried resetting but get an error saying There was a problem connecting to OneDrive

FYI I have only used 20% of my stoarage
Fazal Qureshi 5 Reputation points

2026-07-15T12:31:06.39+00:00

Since you've only used about 20% of your OneDrive storage, storage capacity is not causing the issue.

A grey OneDrive icon with a line through it usually indicates that the OneDrive sync client is disconnected, not signed in, or unable to connect to the OneDrive service.

Since resetting OneDrive results in "There was a problem connecting to OneDrive," please try the following:

Verify that your internet connection is working and that you're not using a VPN or proxy that could block Microsoft services.

Sign out of OneDrive (if possible) and sign back in with the correct Microsoft account.

Ensure Windows and the OneDrive client are fully up to date.

Temporarily disable any firewall or antivirus software to rule out connectivity issues.

If the problem started after a Windows update, install any pending updates or try reinstalling the latest OneDrive client.

If the issue persists, please let us know:

Is this a personal Microsoft account or a work/school account?

Can you sign in to OneDrive on the web successfully?

Do you receive any specific error code along with the connection error?
Timothy Arthur 5 Reputation points

2026-07-15T12:36:17.93+00:00

Error code 0x8004de40
Fazal Qureshi 5 Reputation points

2026-07-15T12:39:38.99+00:00

Error code 0x8004de40 indicates that the OneDrive sync client is unable to connect to the OneDrive service.

Please try the following:

Confirm you can sign in to OneDrive on the web using the same Microsoft account.

Restart your PC and ensure Windows 11 is fully up to date.

Disable any VPN, proxy, or third-party firewall/antivirus temporarily and try signing in again.

Reset OneDrive:

Press Win + R and run:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /reset

Then start OneDrive again from the Start menu.

If the issue persists, uninstall and reinstall the latest version of OneDrive.

Could you also confirm:

Is this a personal Microsoft account or a work/school account?

Can you access OneDrive on the web successfully with the same account?

Does the error appear immediately when opening OneDrive, or only after you attempt to sign in?

This information will help determine whether the issue is related to network connectivity, authentication, or the OneDrive client itself.
Timothy Arthur 5 Reputation points

2026-07-15T12:46:48.5933333+00:00

I have tried these steps. I can logon via a web browser and the error appears after I try to logon
Fazal Qureshi 5 Reputation points

2026-07-15T12:52:26.9433333+00:00

Please try the following additional steps:

Completely unlink OneDrive:

Open OneDrive > Settings > Account > Unlink this PC (if available).

Clear the OneDrive authentication cache:

Close OneDrive.

Delete the contents of:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive

%localappdata%\Microsoft\IdentityCache

Restart your PC and try signing in again.

Check Windows Credential Manager:

Remove any saved MicrosoftOffice, OneDrive, or ADAL credentials.

Verify TLS settings:

Open Internet Options > Advanced and ensure TLS 1.2 is enabled.

If the problem still occurs, please collect the OneDrive logs by running:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /log

Then share the log details or any additional error messages.

Also, could you confirm:

What OneDrive version is installed?

Is this a personal Microsoft account or a Microsoft 365 work/school account?

Are you able to sign in from another Windows user profile on the same PC?
John Jefferson Doyon 82,940 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-15T13:47:24.38+00:00

Could you please provide me with your current Windows OS build using the winver command? Thanks!
Timothy Arthur 5 Reputation points

2026-07-15T16:38:28.72+00:00

Version 25H2 OS Build 26200.8875
John Jefferson Doyon 82,940 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-15T16:41:43.5333333+00:00

You have the updated build.

Do you happened to have any VPN or DNS changing app or any third-party antivirus software that have any similar features?
Timothy Arthur 5 Reputation points

2026-07-15T16:42:42.37+00:00

A NordVPN and Kaspersky - I paused both without success
John Jefferson Doyon 82,940 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-15T16:45:34.5433333+00:00

Please uninstall them all. They cause issues like this, and some user here already reported it before.
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.