How to Reinstall Microsoft OneDrive on Windows 10
If you ever find yourself needing to reinstall OneDrive, here is how you can do it easily without having to redownload the installer from the web.
Microsoft’s OneDrive online storage service has been pretty solid over the years. But as with all programs, it can occasionally hit a snag or two. Fortunately, there’s a quick and easy way to reinstall OneDrive without having to waste your bandwidth downloading the installer again. Windows 10 includes a built-in copy of the installer for OneDrive that you can launch right away without waiting for a download. In this article, we show you how to find it.
How to Uninstall or Reinstall Microsoft OneDrive in Windows 10
OneDrive comes preinstalled with Windows 10. If it stops working, you can download OneDrive directly from Microsoft, but there’s an easier way.
Deep within the OS is a backup copy of the OneDrive installer. To find it, go to File Explorer > This PC and open the system drive where Windows 10 is installed (usually C:\). Next, open the Windows folder and then open the WinSxS folder. In the search box, type: onedrive then wait until the OneDriveSetup setup file appears.
Once you find it, double-click it to begin setup, and you should be on your way to reinstalling OneDrive.
So, if you ever experience a problem with OneDrive not working properly, you know what to do.
Don’t forget; you can uninstall OneDrive, too. For users who don’t want to be nagged by a feature they aren’t using, you can keep it off your system by opening Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features. Please scroll down to Microsoft OneDrive, select it, then click Uninstall.
These instructions apply to the desktop version of OneDrive. Microsoft also has a modern version of the OneDrive app for Windows 10 you can download from the Microsoft Store. In our previous article, we showed you how to set up and use the OneDrive universal app. If there is more you would like to know about OneDrive, remember to check out our series of articles for tips and tricks, whether you use Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS.
If you’re looking for general troubleshooting tips for classic and Windows Store apps, check out our previous article: How to Resolve Issues Installing Classic Desktop and Windows Store Apps in Windows 10.
Found this helpful? Let us know in the comments.
34 Comments
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David Ford
Thanks Andre. This saved a lot of Heart Ache. Worked as stated.
Darrell
It tells me that there is a newer version and that I have to uninstall it first and it will not let me uninstall it. No matter what I do.
Linda
me too, did you get it fixed?
John
Worked for me, many thanks.
Marla
Same problem. I even used an uninstaller and it still “thinks” it is installed someplace and won’t let me run it from there or the download.
John Thorlin
“A newer version is already installed”?!
What to do?
Jerry Ericsson
I ripped OneDrive out, using uninstall, however my machine hates not having it, and keeps relocating my documents to OneDrive folder on my damn PC, I HATE this crap, why the hell didn’t MS just leave us well enough alone instead of pushing this crap down our throats. I program Arduino’s and DO NOT WANT my damn stuff up on the web, it screws up my folder structure, something I have used since the first Arduino’s came out. DAMN YOU MICROSOFT!!!
Ellen Toothacker
I am with you, Jerry. I copied all my files to what I thought was Documents, Pictures, etc. Who knows where they are?
Emilio
I solved this problem with the workaround described here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/operation-to-change-a-personal-folder-location-fails-in-windows-ffb95139-6dbb-821d-27ec-62c9aaccd720
Ian
Thank you! Couldnt find it online and this worked. Well done! Cheers
Elizabeth Hojlund
Thank you
MUEMA STEPHEN
Actually, it worked. than you.
connie
thank you, I’ve been struggling with this since yesterday and it was so simple.
Iris Smale
Oh, thank you so much. I would never have found OneDrive on my computer without your help. Found it, reinstalled it, I’m good to go.
martyn
Spent ages following other advice on how to get OneDrive working then found this advice about reinstalling. Worked a dream
Thank
Lukas
Thanks, after uninstalling the app on my DELL, restarted and followed instructions. WORKED FOR ME. THANK U.
Linda
Problems with OneDrive!! I’m also having trouble with this. If l follow your instructions on reinstalling OneDrive – Will I need to do an uninstall first or will this just lose all my photos stored in OneDrive – or if l just follow your instructions will it be okay to still keep my pics. I do have Windows 10. With many thanks. Linda
Steve Krause
Reinstalling Onedrive on your PC or Mac will not cause anything to be lost “in the cloud” ie: Onedrive. Feel free to add and remove the client without impacting your online OneDrive.
Lee H
My Onedrive has mysteriously disappeared. Apps & features shows a date of 1/18/2020 – so I guess that was the date of an automatic software update. Clicking uninstall does nothing (the option to uninstall simply appears again). I cannot reinstall because the program is already installed. Running DISM.exe /onlien /cleanup-image /restorehealth fails saying that source cannot be found. I do have a downloaded install version (the above instructions did not work for me) but it gives me the ‘already installed” message. There is no taskbar icon to click either because Onedrive is not starting at reboot any more.
Steve Krause
Hi Lee — offering support in comments isn’t the greatest option. Please post your issue in our free community forum: https://forum.groovypost.com/
Thnx
Virginia
Thank you! I had to go to apps in the settings and select Uninstall for OneDrive then exit from the settings menu and/or follow the other uninstall prompts (a few times I had to exit out of settings and reopen and try to unistall again before it would respond and display further prompts.) 2 times before it actually was visibly removed from the list of apps and uninstalled. I’ve seen others possibly had this problem as well in other comments so hopefully this helps. After searching Microsoft forums for 2 hours this was so simple I feel a little silly for spending so much time on it! Thanks!
Brock
Easy and clear step by step instructions and up to date as of April 2020
Michael C. Kring
Thanks a lot. I uninstalled OneDrive by mistake. This helped me a lot.
As I write Windows is working for me reinstalling.
Cheryl Anne
Thank you!! Deleting files and ended up deleting OneDrive itself. Was scrambling online and only kept seeing how to restore… files. Finding your entry was a true breather!
Jordan
Love this solution! It was exactly what I was looking for and the steps were extremely easy to follow. I wish I would have come across this troubleshooting method first.
Gregory Wonderwheel
I tried to use this but it said I have a newer version of Onedrive than the one to set up, and said I have to uninstall that one first.
I hate Onedrive because it makes multiple copies of the same file and would rather not have it at all but I’m afraid of losing all my files that Onedrive has uploaded but not down loaded.
Mason Armstrong
This actually worked for me. Thanks!
imminiman
Thank you!
Amy
I accidentally deleted One Drive from my File Explorer and I had a nightmare trying to get it back, thankfully I discovered your solution and it worked first time, THANK YOU!
no matter
Thank you for the tip!
Vic
Waste of time. uninstalled then reinstalled onedrive. Still getting the same error c:\users\username\onedrive\pictures\image.jpg
The app didn’t start
Christopher Paul Bradbury
Fabulous time-saving advive. Thank you
Dawn
Lifesaver, so much easier than other instructions.
R Stuart Nicholson
I accidentally left my PC on for 12 days while I went away :-(
I came back and got this message in Start Up: “OneDrive.exe – Bad Image (X) C:\Users\Jane\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive\21.220.1024.0005\MSVCP140.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support. Error status 0xc0000020. OK”
After a few days I got bold and looked to Reinstall OneDrive. Got your site, followed the instructions, (had to Uninstall existing OneDrive software too, per your instructions), all worked fine and my uploaded files are still there in OneDrive. :-)
Thank you!