Onedrive keeps signing out

If OneDrive keeps signing out, fix the cause, not the symptom: a forced sign-out usually points to account or policy changes, an endless sign-in loop points to broken authentication data, and a stale cached session usually needs a cache reset or unlink/relink. Start by checking that the same Microsoft account still signs in on the web, then sign out and back in on the PC with a clean session.

Diagnose local OneDrive session and cache issues

These symptoms are different. If OneDrive opens, asks you to sign in again, then drops the session later, that usually points to a session or cache issue. If it never finishes signing in, the app is stuck. If it signs in and then signs out after a restart, check account sync, cached credentials, or a device policy mismatch first.

Microsoft ties OneDrive sign-in to your Microsoft account so you can access and edit files from all your devices. OneDrive is available on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets, and the Windows desktop app appears to store per-user settings and cached sign-in data locally. That local state is what often breaks.

First checks before changing settings

1. Open a browser and sign in to the same Microsoft account you use for OneDrive.
2. Check whether that account still opens normally on the web and on another device.
3. In Windows, open OneDrive from the system tray and confirm whether it says Sign in, Signing in, or Loading.
4. Restart Windows after any account or app change before trying again.

Say your laptop shows Signing in after every reboot, but the same account opens on your phone. That usually points to the Windows app’s local state, not the Microsoft account itself.

📊 Microsoft OneDrive Free includes 5 GB of cloud storage. Source: Microsoft.

Likely causes ranked from most common to least common

Most often, the issue is an account session problem or cached OneDrive credentials that no longer match the current Microsoft account token. Less commonly, Windows 11 per-user data, a recent update, or a shared/work device rule breaks the loop. Treat the symptom you see, not every OneDrive problem at once.

• Microsoft account session problems: the account session has expired, changed, or been suspended.
• Cached OneDrive credentials or stale profile data: the Windows desktop app keeps reusing old login state.
• Windows 11 per-user settings or update issues: the problem sits in the current Windows profile, often after a recent update.
• Shared family or work-managed device rules: another user profile, family setup, or organization policy overrides the local app.

Microsoft 365 Personal can be used on up to five devices simultaneously, and OneDrive Free includes 5 GB of cloud storage. Storage limits do not usually cause repeat sign-outs, but they can confuse people who think the problem is account access when it is really sync behavior. (Microsoft)

OneDrive sign-in decision table

Picture a family PC with two Windows accounts. If one account keeps losing OneDrive while the other stays signed in, keep the fix inside the affected user profile. A machine-wide reset can waste time and may affect the wrong person’s files.

Why is OneDrive not staying signed in?

If OneDrive does not stay signed in, the Windows desktop app is usually losing the Microsoft account session or reloading stale cached credentials. The smallest safe fix is to sign out of OneDrive inside the app, then sign back in on the same Windows account. If that fails, restart Windows and check the Microsoft account again in a browser.

1. Open the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray.
2. Choose Help & Settings > Settings > Account.
3. Select Unlink this PC, then sign in again with the same Microsoft account.
4. Restart Windows, then wait for OneDrive to relaunch and finish syncing.

Microsoft says OneDrive can back up photos, videos, game clips, and more. On some new Windows 11 installations, OneDrive Backup may be turned on automatically, and Documents, Pictures, and Desktop may be moved to OneDrive during setup. That can look like a sign-in problem when the real issue is folder redirection during OOBE.

Why is OneDrive stuck on signing in?

When OneDrive is stuck on signing in, the app usually cannot complete authentication with the current cached state. Start with the OneDrive reset path. If the app still hangs, confirm you are opening OneDrive under the same Windows user account that owns the files and settings.

1. Close OneDrive from the system tray.
2. Open Task Manager and end any remaining OneDrive processes.
3. Press Win + R, run %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /reset, then wait a few minutes.
4. If OneDrive does not relaunch, open it from the Start menu and sign in again.

If that did not work, check whether the PC is using the same Microsoft account in Windows and in OneDrive. On shared computers, the app can keep trying to sign in under one user profile while you are logged into another.

When unlinking and resetting do not work

If unlinking and resetting fail, the next step is to target the per-user cache. The registry path is HKCU\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive, which applies only to the current Windows user profile. A Microsoft Q&A fix recommends quitting OneDrive first, then renaming that key so the app rebuilds clean state on the next launch. (Microsoft Learn)

1. Quit OneDrive completely.
2. Open Task Manager and end any OneDrive.exe processes.
3. Press Win + R, type regedit, and open the Registry Editor.
4. Go to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive.
5. Rename the OneDrive key so it is no longer used by the current profile.
6. Open OneDrive again and sign in.

Is it safe to delete the OneDrive registry key? It can be, but only for the correct user profile and only after quitting OneDrive first. Renaming is safer than deleting because it gives you a rollback path if the app needs the old data later. Do not touch other keys.

A common first-timer mistake is to edit the wrong profile’s registry data on a multi-user PC. If the device has a standard Windows account, an admin account, and a work account, make sure you are in the profile that actually has the OneDrive loop before changing anything.

Can I sign out of OneDrive completely?

Yes. You can sign out of the OneDrive desktop app without removing your Microsoft account from Windows. Use this when you want to stop syncing on that PC, switch accounts, or clear a stubborn session. On a shared family PC, this is often the cleanest way to stop one person’s files from syncing under another person’s Windows profile.

1. Open the OneDrive cloud icon.
2. Choose Help & Settings > Settings > Account.
3. Select Unlink this PC.
4. Confirm the sign-out, then restart Windows.
5. Sign in again only if you want OneDrive on that computer.

What to do on Windows 11 and on managed PCs

Windows 11 home and new-install behavior matters because OneDrive Backup may be turned on during setup, especially during OOBE. Documents, Pictures, and Desktop may already be tied to OneDrive, so a folder move or sync prompt can look like a sign-in failure. That is related, but it is not the same as a broken login session.

On work-managed PCs, device rules can block account persistence even when the app is healthy. If the same Microsoft account works on another device but fails only on the company laptop, stop before deeper local fixes and check with IT. Reinstalling the app will not override policy.

If that did not work, try this next

1. Check for recent Windows updates, then restart the PC once more.
2. If the loop started after an update, remove the app cache and retry the sign-in.
3. Reinstall OneDrive only after the reset and profile cleanup steps fail.
4. If the PC is managed, ask whether OneDrive sign-in is restricted for that account.

If the app still signs out after the registry step, stop at profile repair or support. At that stage, the problem is more likely in the Windows user profile, managed account rules, or a damaged OneDrive install than in the sign-in screen itself.

Frequently asked questions

Why does OneDrive keep signing me out?

That usually means the saved sign-in session no longer matches the Microsoft account or the current Windows profile. Start by unlinking OneDrive, restarting Windows, and signing in again. If it returns, rename HKCU\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive for that user profile and retry.

How do I keep OneDrive signed in?

Use the same Microsoft account in Windows and OneDrive, then let the desktop app finish syncing before shutting down. On a family or shared PC, avoid switching Windows users mid-sync. If the app still forgets the session, reset OneDrive and sign in again after restart.

Why is my OneDrive not signing in?

Most often the desktop app is using stale cached credentials or the Microsoft account session has changed. Quit OneDrive, run the reset command, and sign in again. If the app still fails, check whether the same account works in a browser on the same PC.

Why is OneDrive stuck on loading after sign-in?

Loading after sign-in usually means the app accepted the login but cannot finish reading the local session data. Restart Windows, confirm you are in the right Windows account, and check whether OneDrive Backup moved Documents, Pictures, or Desktop during setup on a new Windows 11 install.