OneDrive will not backup or open Files after Upgrading my Subscription

Question

I upgraded my subscription for Microsoft 365 in order to get expanded space on OneDrive. I still cannot access any of my cloud files. You are still showing my old email address which is no longer active, [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed] in my account.

Answer 1

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Hello Richard Pierini

Thank you for providing details about this issue.

Since your current account already shows the 100 GB storage, the subscription upgrade appears to be active. The red X and old email address in the OneDrive desktop app suggest that the app is still connected to the previous account.

Here are what you can try:

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area.
2. Select Help & Settings > Settings > Account.
3. Select Unlink this PC, then confirm Unlink account.
4. Press Windows key + R, enter the following path, and select OK: %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\settings
5. Delete the file named PreSignInSettingsConfig.json.
6. Start OneDrive again and sign in with the current Microsoft account that shows the 100 GB storage. If OneDrive detects an existing folder, select Use this folder.

Unlinking and relinking OneDrive does not delete files stored online, but please avoid manually deleting the existing OneDrive folder during this process.

Refer to this page for more info: Unlink and re-link OneDrive.

Once the correct account is connected and syncing normally, you can review OneDrive Settings > Sync and backup > Manage backup to decide whether your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders should be backed up.

If the old address still returns after relinking, the stored Windows credentials may need to be removed through Credential Manager, or the OneDrive app may need to be reset. Avoid editing the Windows registry at this stage, since the standard unlink and credential-clearing process should be tried first.

Before moving to the new computer, confirm that the required files are visible in OneDrive on the web under the current account. This will help ensure that you reconnect the new Windows 11 computer to the correct OneDrive storage.

Feel free reply back to this post if you need further assistance, I'll be happy to help.

Answer 2

1. Which Microsoft 365 subscription did you upgrade to?
   1. 365 Basic
2. What email address are you currently using to sign in to Microsoft 365 and OneDrive?
   1. [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]@gmail.com
   2. I switched to this address 10 year ago. The old email, [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed] has been stuck in the system since then. I always had to login in again as the old domain had been eliminated.
3. When you sign in to OneDrive on the web, do you receive any error messages, or is the old email address still being displayed?
   1. No error message, but when I click on the OneDrive icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen it has red "x" then displays the panel showing [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed] as the email address. I tried to grab a screen shot but when I try to save it OneDrive interferes and I cannot save the screen shot! I have changed the settings in OneDrive to not save anything to OneDrive but it ignores that and still tries to save new files to OneDrive.
4. Can you confirm whether the increased OneDrive storage is showing under your Microsoft 365 subscription details?
   1. Yes, it shows <0.1 /100GB. I cannot take a screen shot due to the same problem in saving vis-v-vis OneDrive.

Seems like the old email address is stuck in a registry setting or cookie somewhere on my laptop. I am going to buy a new Windows 11 system but would like to get this resolved so I can migrate my files to that new system.

Answer 3

Hi Richard,

Based on what you've described, it sounds like your Microsoft 365 subscription upgrade may have completed successfully, but your OneDrive is still associated with your previous sign-in identity, which could prevent access to your existing cloud files. A OneDrive account is tied to the account's sign-in identity (UPN/email address), and changes to the account email can sometimes require the service to fully update and propagate. Users may also need to sign out and back in with the correct account after an email or account change.

Could you please provide the following information so I can better understand the issue?

1. Which Microsoft 365 subscription did you upgrade to?
2. What email address are you currently using to sign in to Microsoft 365 and OneDrive?
3. When you sign in to OneDrive on the web, do you receive any error messages, or is the old email address still being displayed?
4. Can you confirm whether the increased OneDrive storage is showing under your Microsoft 365 subscription details?

If the subscription was purchased under a different Microsoft account than the one that contains your files, the additional storage will not automatically transfer access to the files stored in the old account.

Since your current email address is considered personal information, please share it with us via Private Message to help keep your account details secure.

When you have a moment, please select the banner at the top of this thread to open our private conversation. From there, you'll be able to share the information safely and continue the discussion in a secure environment.

Once you provide the current email address, I can better determine whether this is an account identity issue, a subscription mismatch, or a OneDrive sign-in problem.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and kindness. 

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