If you have accidentally uninstalled OneDrive or it has disappeared for no apparent reason, this guide shows how to install it and get it working again. It also shows how to remove OneDrive.
OneDrive works quite reliably for many people but occasionally problems arise which cause it to stop syncing, OneDrive may be accidentally uninstalled, key files may be removed of corrupted so it does not work, or it simply stops working for some unknown reason.
What can you do to repair OneDrive?
Uninstall OneDrive
If OneDrive is missing or not working, the first step is to remove it or at least remove any non-functioning remains that may be on the disk drive. Open the Windows 10 settings app and click Apps. Click Microsoft OneDrive and then Uninstall.
If this facility is missing or it does not work, there is an alternative method.
Open Explorer and go to C:\Windows\SysWOW64 (or C:\Windows\system32 on 32-bit systems) and you will see that there is a OneDriveSetup.exe file here and this is not only for setting up OneDrive, but also for uninstalling it too.
However, OneDriveSetup.exe must be run from the command prompt and not Explorer.
- Right click the Start button
- Select Command Prompt (Admin)
- Enter: cd \windows\syswow64
- Enter: onedrivesetup.exe /uninstall
- Follow any instructions that appear on the screen
Clean up after uninstalling
The OneDrive app has now been removed, but its data files remain on the disk and should also be removed to clear out everything.
- Open Explorer
- Delete C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive
- Select Explorer’s View tab and tick Show hidden items
- Delete C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive
- Delete C:\ProgramData\Microsoft OneDrive
- Delete C:\OneDriveTemp
If you have a very old PC, delete the SkyDrive folder from the locations listed above, as well as OneDrive.
Install OneDrive
After removing all files you can find related to OneDrive, restart Windows. When the desktop is displayed, install OneDrive:
- Right click the Start button
- Select Command Prompt (Admin)
- Enter: cd \windows\syswow64
- Enter: onedrivesetup.exe
- Follow any instructions displayed to install OneDrive
Hopefully OneDrive should now be working again. It might take some time to sync by downloading files from your online storage though.
Alternatives to OneDrive
There are many alternatives to OneDrive if you want to stop after uninstalling it and try something else. Here are just a few of the options available to you.
Google Drive: Almost everyone has a Google account, but if you don’t, you can get one at the google.com website. Click Sign In and then Create account. Access Google drive at drive.google.com in a web browser, click the gear icon on the right and download Backup and Sync for Windows. It works just like OneDrive but 15 GB of free space is provided instead of 5 GB with 1 TB on paid plans.
Dropbox: After OneDrive and Google Drive, this may be the most popular online drive. Go to Dropbox and there are links to sign up, sign in and download the software. It is not obvious, but you can get a free account that provides 2 GB of space by installing the app. If you need more, and you probably will, 1 TB is available on paid plans.
Box: Like the other online drives, just visit the website to sign up, log in or download the software. You get a reasonable 10 GB of storage space for free and as with the others, your files are synced and are available online, on other computers and devices. It is aimed at businesses and has features specifically designed for them, but it’s fine for home users too.
Amazon Drive: You may not realise it but all Amazon customers get a 5 GB online drive for storing files, photos and anything else they want. Go to the Amazon site and sign in, click Account & Lists, Your Amazon Drive. Download the apps for your computer and mobile devices. Cloud storage is actually a major part of Amazon’s business and it is aimed at business users, but you can use it at home too.
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