How to Reset OneDrive, or Uninstall and Reinstall it in Windows 10

OneDrive cloud storage feature is integrated into Windows 10. When the OneDrive app is running it automatically syncs files and folders in the background. If you encounter syncing issues with OneDrive, you may want to reset it completely using the hidden OneDrive.exe /reset command-line switch.

Reset OneDrive in Windows 10

If OneDrive synchronization gets stuck, performing a OneDrive reset may help. Resetting OneDrive re-syncs all your OneDrive files, which could take considerable time and bandwidth depending on how many files you’re syncing.

1. First, close the OneDrive app. To do so, right-click on the OneDrive cloud icon in the Notification area, and click Exit.
   
   Note: You may need to click the Show hidden icons chevron near the notification area in order to see the OneDrive icon.
2. Press WinKey + R to bring up the Run dialog.
3. In the Run command dialog, type/paste the following command:

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

4. Press ENTER.
5. This resets OneDrive. If OneDrive doesn’t start automatically after the reset, launch it manually by running:

   %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe

If that does not help, you may try uninstalling and reinstalling OneDrive.

Uninstall and Reinstall OneDrive in Windows 10

OneDrive desktop application is a built-in component in Windows 10. Users who rely on a third-party cloud storage service such as Dropbox or Google Drive, usually uninstall the OneDrive desktop app or prevent it from loading at startup using Task Manager or disable OneDrive using Group Policy Editor or the equivalent registry-based setting.

In early builds of Windows 10, uninstalling OneDrive desktop client required running OneDriveSetup.exe in the Windows\SysWOW64 directory (Windows 64-bit) or Windows\System32 (Windows 32-bit), with the /uninstall switch.

Now, you can uninstall OneDrive from the Apps & Features Settings page or via Programs and Features (appwiz.cpl) in the Control Panel.

The “Uninstall” option and the corresponding registry entry may have been added by OneDrive version 17.3.6720.1207. The related registry entry is here:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\OneDriveSetup.exe

And the UninstallString points to the following file:

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive\17.3.6720.1207\OneDriveSetup.exe

Of course, the version number in the UninstallString will change for subsequent OneDrive client updates.

Before uninstalling OneDrive, you may want to backup the file first. If you later decide to reinstall OneDrive, run OneDriveSetup.exe and follow the onscreen instructions. In some systems there is an additional copy of the file left in the following directory:

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive\Update\OneDriveSetup.exe

If the file doesn’t exist in the above location, run OneDriveSetup.exe located at the Windows\SysWOW64 or Windows\System32 directory. This setup package may not be the latest one, but it downloads the current version installer from Microsoft’s servers on demand and runs it.

See also

• OneDrive Does Not Start After Running a Privacy Tool in Windows 10
• OneDrive Shows Up in File Explorer Even If “Prevent the Usage of OneDrive for file storage” Policy is Enabled