Microsoft OneDrive Stopped Working? Easy Steps to Fix It

If you are someone who does not know how what to do if Microsoft OneDrive stopped working start by closing and reopening the app. You can also accompany it with the age-old shutdown and restart computer advice. If this does not fix the issue, visit the OneDrive folder using File Explorer.

In case you keep an online copy of files, you can copy them and move them to another internal location. This does not fix OneDrive but lets you retain the data that can be put back in OneDrive if we have to perform an app deletion or other hard reset.

As the app itself becomes non functional you cant use it to copy OneDrive files to another OneDrive account. If access to OneDrive is what you desire, you can use the web app or mobile app until the issue gets resolved. These are just some early, non-intrusive methods to regain some functionality, data access, and soft repair.

Next, we discuss how the Task Manager helps us.

If Microsoft OneDrive has Stopped Working use Task Manager

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc together. You can open Task Manager in other ways too, like the security options list, the search bar, or the Run module. Once you have Task Manager open, scroll to find the OneDrive instance, right-click, and select End Task.

You can also visit the Details tab to see more advanced options that will allow you to diagnose the problem in a better manner. Task Manager doesn’t outright fix the issue but helps you to close down non-responding instances. If your OneDrive app closes on its own, Task Manager won’t show it, so you will have to use some other way of fixing the issue.

On Task Manager, you might see the Services tab. Let’s see how this option helps us to fix the problem.

How Services Can Help to Fix the Non-Working OneDrive App?

If you have closed Task Manager, you can access the Services portal via the Run module:

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter.

This launches the dedicated Services module from where you can fix the Microsoft OneDrive stopped working error. Here you can stop, start, pause, resume, or restart a service. Note that this is not the OneDrive app but the modules and repositories that help it function.

The services are arranged in alphabetical order. Scroll until you see the OneDrive Updater Service. This service is responsible for checking for any app updates or version releases and installing them automatically. You can try to change its current status by selecting either Stop > Start, Pause > Resume, or Restart. All these options are available by right-clicking.

There is also a Properties option, which you can use if you wish to perform more in-depth repairs.

If this doesn’t solve the problem, move on to trying other methods.

Registry Editor to Fix Microsoft OneDrive Stopped Working Issue

This is perhaps the most critical step, as making any changes can permanently dismantle not just OneDrive but other Microsoft apps on your machine. So, be extra careful. If you still feel that tweaking these settings is not worth the potential breakdown, you can simply ignore this troubleshooting method and move on to another method in this list.

Those who still wish to attempt it can follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.
3. This may trigger a UAC alert; accept it.
4. On the main Registry Editor page, navigate to:
   Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\OneDrive

 Here, you can make changes to the following values:

• Startup: HKLM\Run: Edit/Delete the “OneDrive” module entirely.
• Sync: HKCU\OneDrive: Set sync flags to 0 to disable sync.
• Cache: HKCU\OneDrive\Accounts: Delete all subkeys to make it a hollow shell.

Use Microsoft SaRA to Repair OneDrive Errors

Due to the prevalence of such errors, Microsoft released a Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA). This tool helps detect, diagnose, and resolve app problems like this one.

1. Install the Microsoft SaRA app.
2. You will get a zip file; decompress, set up, and run it.
3. Choose OneDrive on the main screen and continue with the on-screen instructions.

Beware, SaRA is notorious for crashing unexpectedly or not working at all. Sometimes it may exacerbate the issue in such a manner that your other apps might stop working. That is why using it is not recommended. You are better off trying other methods.

Toggle Settings in OneDrive App that Stops Working

In case your OneDrive app opens, you can use the internal settings options to repair the damage:

1. Open the OneDrive app (not the folder) via the Windows taskbar.
2. Click on the cog icon at the top right.
3. Open Settings.

Here, you can:

• Start/stop sync.
• Toggle notifications.
• Unlink and relink your PC.
• Set the upload/download limits.
• Alter privacy settings.
• Remove and add your account again.

If none of this works, uninstall and reinstall the application.

It could be that your current OneDrive version has exceeded its limit. The free version only allows 5 GB. If your budget allows it, you can subscribe to the premium edition, which offers more storage and may allow OneDrive to function again.

What to Do If OneDrive Stops Working Again and Again?

Such a situation shouldn’t be taken lightly. If an organization faces this type of app outage, it’s better to shift to a different platform. The SysTools OneDrive Migration Tool is your go-to solution for that. It can not only migrate OneDrive for Business to Another Tenant but its simplistic GUI allows admins to pull data out of the faulty OneDrive app and deposit it into Google Drive as well.

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You can also use a sister application to back up OneDrive data to a different local folder.

Admins can use these applications to manage the data transfer of all users organization-wide from a single command-and-control workstation.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we provided users with ample options to fix the OneDrive “stopped working” error. From a simple restart to the Microsoft SaRA, we covered every possible way to regain OneDrive functionality.

However, if such downtimes increase in frequency, OneDrive is no longer a reliable option. That’s why we also provided users with tools to back up the files externally or migrate out of the M365 environment entirely. Organizations whose users face such issues can use any one of the external solutions as an alternative to fixing the app.