How to Reconnect a OneDrive Synced Library After Account Repair

After you repair your Microsoft 365 or OneDrive account credentials, previously synced SharePoint document libraries or team site libraries may stop syncing. The sync client often shows a gray icon or a paused status instead of the familiar blue cloud icon. This happens because the authentication token used by the sync relationship was invalidated during the repair process.

This article explains why account repair breaks existing sync connections and provides the exact steps to reconnect each synced library without re-downloading all files. You will also learn how to avoid losing local copies and how to verify that sync is working correctly after reconnection.

Why Account Repair Breaks Synced Library Connections

When you run an account repair through the Microsoft 365 desktop apps or through the Windows Credential Manager, the stored OAuth tokens that OneDrive uses to authenticate with SharePoint and OneDrive are removed or replaced. The OneDrive sync client does not automatically re-authenticate each synced library after this change. Instead, it marks those connections as stale or disconnected.

The sync client still shows the library folders on your local drive, but it cannot communicate with the server. Files saved locally will not upload, and changes made by others will not download. The only reliable fix is to remove the broken sync relationships and create new ones using the Sync button on the SharePoint site.

Steps to Reconnect a Synced Library After Account Repair

Follow these steps in order. Do not skip the unlink step. If you have multiple libraries synced from different SharePoint sites, repeat steps 4 through 6 for each site.

1. Open OneDrive Settings
   Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray near the clock. Select Settings from the menu. If the icon is missing, open OneDrive from the Start menu or search for OneDrive in the taskbar search box.
2. Go to the Account tab
   In the OneDrive Settings window, click the Account tab at the top. You will see your work or school account listed along with the synced libraries under This PC.
3. Unlink This PC
   Click the Unlink this PC link below your account name. A confirmation dialog appears. Click Unlink account. This removes all existing sync relationships including SharePoint libraries. Your local files remain on the drive and are not deleted.
4. Sign in again
   After unlinking, the OneDrive setup window opens. Enter your work or school email address and click Sign in. Complete the authentication process. Leave the default sync folder location as is unless you want to change it. Click Next and then Open my OneDrive folder.
5. Navigate to the SharePoint site in a browser
   Open Microsoft Edge or your preferred browser. Go to your organization’s SharePoint home page or directly to the site that contains the library you need to sync. Sign in if prompted.
6. Click the Sync button on the library
   Open the document library that you previously synced. In the command bar at the top of the library, click the Sync button. A prompt from OneDrive may appear asking for permission to open the sync client. Click Open Microsoft OneDrive. The sync client will start syncing the library to the same folder path as before if the folder name matches. If the folder name differs, OneDrive creates a new folder with the library name. You can rename the local folder after sync completes without breaking the connection.
7. Repeat for each additional library
   If you had multiple libraries synced from different sites, navigate to each site in the browser and click Sync again. Each library will appear as a separate folder under your OneDrive root folder.
8. Verify sync status
   Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon and check the sync activity. Open File Explorer and navigate to the synced folder. Confirm that the file status icons show green checkmarks or blue clouds.

If OneDrive Still Has Issues After Reconnecting

In some cases, the reconnection process may not work on the first attempt. Below are the most common problems and their fixes.

The Sync Button Does Nothing When Clicked

If clicking the Sync button on the SharePoint site does not open the OneDrive sync client, the web browser may be blocking the protocol handler. In Microsoft Edge, go to edge://settings/content/handlers and ensure the OneDrive handler is allowed. In Google Chrome, go to chrome://settings/handlers and enable Ask which app to open each supported link. After adjusting these settings, refresh the SharePoint page and click Sync again.

OneDrive Shows a Red X or Error Icon on the Library Folder

A red X on a synced folder usually means the folder path is too long or contains unsupported characters. After reconnecting, OneDrive may try to use the exact library name, which can include spaces or special characters. Rename the local folder to a short name with no spaces or special characters. Right-click the folder in File Explorer, select Rename, and type a new name. Do not rename the folder while sync is paused. Wait for sync to complete first.

Files Are Missing After Reconnection

If you unlinked and reconnected but some files appear missing, check the OneDrive recycle bin. Open a browser, go to your OneDrive, and click Recycle bin in the left navigation. If files were deleted during the unlink process, restore them from the recycle bin. Also check the SharePoint site’s recycle bin for that library by clicking the gear icon and selecting Site contents then Recycle bin.

Files On-Demand vs Always Keep on This Device: Key Differences

Item	Files On-Demand	Always Keep on This Device
Default state after reconnect	Enabled — files show as online-only blue clouds	Disabled — files must be manually set to always available
Local disk space usage	Minimal — only file metadata is stored	Full file is downloaded and stored locally
How to change a file’s state	Right-click file > Free up space	Right-click file > Always keep on this device
Behavior after account repair	Online-only files remain online-only after reconnect	Always-keep files must be re-downloaded if the local cache was cleared

After reconnecting, open each library folder and check the file status icons. If you previously marked certain files as Always keep on this device, you may need to do that again. Right-click each file or folder and select Always keep on this device. The files will download again from the cloud.

You can now reconnect any SharePoint library that stopped syncing after an account repair. The process requires unlinking your account and using the Sync button on each site. To avoid future disconnections, consider using the Microsoft 365 admin center to configure sync settings for your organization. One advanced tip: if you manage multiple libraries, create a PowerShell script that uses the Microsoft Graph API to trigger sync re-establishment for all libraries at once, though this requires tenant admin permissions.