OneDrive Sync Client Not Updating After Microsoft 365 Apps Update

After installing a Microsoft 365 Apps update, your OneDrive sync client may stop updating files. You see the sync icon spinning or stuck on “Processing changes” even when files are not being modified. This problem occurs because the Microsoft 365 Apps update can replace or corrupt OneDrive component files, change registry settings, or disable the OneDrive automatic update service. This article explains the root cause and provides step-by-step fixes to restore normal OneDrive sync behavior.

Why Microsoft 365 Apps Update Breaks OneDrive Sync

Microsoft 365 Apps updates often include shared components used by both Office applications and the OneDrive sync client. When the update runs, it may overwrite OneDrive DLL files in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft OneDrive folder, replace registry keys under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive, or reset permissions on the OneDrive cache folder at %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\OneDrive. The sync client then fails to communicate with the cloud service because it cannot load the correct version of its own binaries or access its local database.

Another common trigger is the OneDrive automatic update mechanism. The OneDrive client normally updates itself independently every few weeks. When a large Microsoft 365 Apps update is applied, the Windows installer service may lock OneDrive files in a way that prevents the sync client from applying its own update. This leaves OneDrive in a partially updated state where the version number shown in Settings > About OneDrive is lower than the latest available build, and sync operations stall.

Steps to Fix OneDrive Sync After a Microsoft 365 Apps Update

Perform these steps in the order shown. Test sync after each step by adding a new file to the OneDrive folder and checking the cloud icon status.

1. Pause and resume sync
   Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray. Select Help & Settings > Pause syncing > 2 hours. Wait 10 seconds, then right-click the icon again and select Resume syncing. This clears a transient queue hang caused by the update.
2. Restart the OneDrive process
   Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. On the Processes tab, find Microsoft OneDrive. Right-click it and select End task. Open the Start menu, type OneDrive, and press Enter to relaunch the client. The sync engine restarts with clean memory.
3. Run the OneDrive reset tool
   Press Windows+R, type %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset, and press Enter. A Command Prompt window flashes briefly. Wait 60 seconds, then open OneDrive from the Start menu. The reset command rebuilds the local sync database and re-registers OneDrive shell extensions.
4. Unlink and relink your account
   Right-click the OneDrive icon and select Help & Settings > Settings. Go to the Account tab and click Unlink this PC. Confirm by clicking Unlink account. After unlinking, sign in again with your work or school account and select the folders to sync. This forces a full re-authentication and re-download of the sync state from the cloud.
5. Manually trigger a OneDrive update
   Download the latest OneDrive sync client from the Microsoft OneDrive download page. Run the installer while OneDrive is closed. The installer detects the existing installation and updates it to the current version without losing your sync settings.
6. Repair Microsoft 365 Apps
   Open Control Panel > Programs and Features. Select Microsoft 365 Apps and click Change. Choose Quick Repair and follow the prompts. After the repair completes, restart Windows. This restores any Office components that may have corrupted OneDrive files during the update.

If OneDrive Still Has Issues After the Main Fix

OneDrive shows “We’re setting things up” indefinitely

This message appears when the OneDrive sync engine cannot initialize its local database. The database file %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\OneDrive\settings\Business1\ClientPolicy.db may be locked or corrupted. Close OneDrive from Task Manager. Delete the entire settings folder inside %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\OneDrive. Then restart OneDrive. The client creates a fresh database and syncs from the cloud.

OneDrive sync client version reverts to an older build after the update

If the Microsoft 365 Apps update includes a OneDrive component, it may replace the newer sync client with an older version bundled with Office. Check the version in OneDrive Settings > About OneDrive. If it is older than build 24.001, download and install the latest OneDrive client from the Microsoft website. After installation, disable automatic OneDrive updates through Group Policy if your organization controls update channels.

Sync errors 0x8007016a or 0x8007018b appear in the activity center

Error 0x8007016a indicates the cloud file provider is not running. Error 0x8007018b means the sync engine lost connection to the storage service. Open Windows Services (services.msc), find the Windows Cloud Files Filter Driver service, and set it to Automatic. Restart the service. Then open an elevated Command Prompt and run sfc /scannow to repair system file corruption caused by the Office update.

Item	OneDrive Reset (onedrive.exe /reset)	Unlink and Relink Account
Description	Rebuilds local sync database and re-registers shell extensions	Removes authentication tokens and re-downloads sync state from cloud
Data preserved	Local files remain; sync settings and selective sync preferences are reset	Local files remain; all sync settings, folder selections, and pause states are lost
Speed	Completes in under 2 minutes	Takes 5-10 minutes depending on account size and network speed
When to use	Sync stuck on “Processing changes” or version mismatch after update	Authentication errors, account removed from organization, or persistent folder selection problems

After completing the steps above, your OneDrive sync client should resume updating files normally. To prevent recurrence, configure Microsoft 365 Apps updates to defer feature updates by 30 days in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Software update settings > Channel settings. This gives OneDrive time to apply its own updates before Office overwrites shared components. If you manage multiple devices, use the OneDrive update ring policy in Group Policy to lock the sync client to a stable build channel.