When you open Finder on your Mac, you might see two identical OneDrive – Contoso entries in the sidebar or under Locations. This happens because the OneDrive sync app for macOS can register its folder path more than once during installation, update, or after a network interruption. The duplicate entry does not affect file syncing, but it clutters the Finder interface and can cause confusion when you try to navigate to your files. This article explains why the duplicate appears and provides three reliable methods to remove the extra location from Finder.
Key Takeaways: Removing Duplicate OneDrive Locations in Finder
- Finder > Preferences > Sidebar > Locations: Uncheck and recheck the OneDrive entry to refresh the sidebar and remove duplicates.
- Terminal command
killall Finder: Restarts the Finder process, which forces it to reload sidebar entries and often clears duplicate locations. - System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions > Finder Extensions: Disable and re-enable the OneDrive Finder extension to reset its registration.
Why Finder Shows Duplicate OneDrive Locations
The OneDrive sync app on macOS registers itself as a Finder extension so that your cloud files appear in the Finder sidebar. When the app updates, reconnects after a network outage, or if you sign in again after a credential refresh, macOS can add a second registration entry without removing the first one. The duplicate appears only in the user interface — it does not create a second copy of your files or consume extra storage. The root cause is a stale registry entry in the Finder’s sidebar preference list, which the Finder caches until you manually refresh it or restart the process.
Steps to Remove Duplicate OneDrive Locations from Finder
Try these methods in the order shown. The first method is the quickest and works for most users. If the duplicate remains, proceed to the Terminal method, then the Finder extension reset.
Method 1: Refresh Finder Sidebar Preferences
- Open Finder Preferences
Click the Finder menu at the top-left of your screen, then select Preferences from the dropdown menu. - Go to the Sidebar tab
In the Preferences window, click the Sidebar tab to see the list of items that appear in the Finder sidebar. - Locate the OneDrive entry
Scroll down to the Locations section. You will see one or more entries named OneDrive – [YourCompany]. - Uncheck and recheck the duplicate entry
Uncheck the checkbox for the duplicate OneDrive entry. Wait two seconds, then check it again. If you see multiple entries with the same name, uncheck all of them, then check only one. - Close Preferences and check Finder
Close the Preferences window. Look at the Finder sidebar under Locations. Only one OneDrive entry should remain.
Method 2: Restart Finder Using Terminal
- Open Terminal
Go to Applications > Utilities and double-click Terminal. Alternatively, press Command + Space, type Terminal, and press Enter. - Run the killall command
Type the following command exactly and press Enter:killall Finder
This command forces the Finder process to quit and restart immediately. - Wait for Finder to reload
Finder will close and reopen automatically. After it restarts, check the sidebar to confirm that only one OneDrive location appears.
Method 3: Reset the OneDrive Finder Extension
- Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu and select System Settings. - Navigate to Login Items & Extensions
In the sidebar, click General, then click Login Items & Extensions on the right side. - Select Finder Extensions
Scroll down to the Extensions section and click the i button next to Finder Extensions. - Disable the OneDrive extension
In the list of Finder extensions, find OneDrive Finder Integration (or a similar name). Toggle the switch to turn it off. - Re-enable the extension
Wait five seconds, then toggle the switch back on. This forces macOS to re-register the extension with a single entry. - Restart Finder
Press Option + Command + Escape to open the Force Quit Applications window. Select Finder and click Relaunch. Check the sidebar for duplicates.
If the Duplicate Returns or You See Other Sidebar Issues
OneDrive duplicate reappears after every restart
If the duplicate comes back each time you restart your Mac, the issue is likely caused by a corrupted preference file. Close OneDrive completely by clicking the OneDrive icon in the menu bar, selecting Preferences, then Account, and clicking Unlink this Mac. After unlinking, go to ~/Library/Preferences and delete the file named com.microsoft.OneDrive.plist. Empty the Trash, restart your Mac, and sign in to OneDrive again. This creates a fresh preference file and usually prevents duplicates from returning.
Finder sidebar shows no OneDrive location at all
If the OneDrive entry disappears completely from the Finder sidebar after you remove duplicates, open OneDrive Preferences by clicking the OneDrive icon in the menu bar and selecting Preferences. Go to the Account tab and click Choose folders. If you see a prompt about Finder integration, click Add to Finder. This re-adds the OneDrive location to your sidebar with a single entry.
The duplicate is a folder alias, not a sidebar entry
Sometimes users mistake a folder alias in the Finder sidebar for a duplicate OneDrive location. If you see a shortcut icon (a small arrow on the folder) and the entry is under Favorites instead of Locations, you can remove it by dragging it out of the sidebar. This alias is not a true duplicate; it was manually added and does not affect OneDrive sync.
Finder Sidebar Entry vs Folder Alias: Key Differences
| Item | Finder Sidebar Entry | Folder Alias in Sidebar |
|---|---|---|
| Location in sidebar | Under Locations | Under Favorites |
| How it appears | Shows the OneDrive icon with the company name | Shows a folder icon with a small arrow |
| How it is added | Automatically by the OneDrive sync app | Manually by dragging a folder into the sidebar |
| How to remove | Use Finder Preferences or disable the Finder extension | Drag the alias out of the sidebar |
| Effect on sync | Removing it does not stop syncing | Removing it does not stop syncing |
The table above helps you distinguish between a genuine duplicate sidebar entry and a manually created alias. If you are unsure which type you have, look at the icon and the section header in the Finder sidebar.
You can now remove duplicate OneDrive locations from the Finder sidebar using Finder Preferences, the Terminal killall command, or the Finder extension reset in System Settings. If the problem persists, unlink your OneDrive account and delete the com.microsoft.OneDrive.plist preference file to start fresh. For ongoing sidebar management, check the Finder Extensions list after each OneDrive update to ensure only one extension is active.