2 One Drive accounts

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2 One Drive accounts

Patricia 40

I had a virus on my computer and was told by my company to set up another Microsoft account to avoid spreading the virus to their products. Do I need 2 Microsoft accounts for this?

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Answer 1

John Jefferson Doyon 88,345 Independent Advisor

Can you confirm if this is a company-managed computer or your personal computer?

Creating a second Microsoft account normally does not remove or stop a virus by itself. A virus is usually on the device or in infected files, not in the Microsoft account.

Please clarify this with your company IT team first. They may not mean creating a new Microsoft account. They may mean creating a new Windows user profile on the computer, or disconnecting the old OneDrive sync to stop infected files from syncing to company data.

If this is a company device or company OneDrive account, follow your IT team’s instruction. The computer should also be fully scanned and cleared before reconnecting OneDrive.

Patricia 40 Reputation points

2026-06-30T00:16:02.36+00:00

Thanks for your answer. This is very helpful. This is not a company device. The computer was fully scanned and cleared before reconnecting to OneDrive. I will suggest a new Windows user profile on the computer and disconnecting the Old OneDrive sync to stop infected files from syncing to their data. However, with these 2 OneDrive accounts, it seems the two may have merged. I don't know how to distinguish them and separate them. Its very confusing.
John Jefferson Doyon 88,345 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-30T04:05:19.5133333+00:00
Thanks for the update.

Just to clarify, two Microsoft/OneDrive accounts normally do not “merge” into one account. What usually happens is that the PC is signed in to more than one OneDrive account, or the OneDrive folders in File Explorer look similar and become confusing.

Please do not delete any OneDrive folder yet.

First, click the OneDrive cloud icon near the clock, then click the gear icon > Settings > Account. That page should show which email address is connected to OneDrive on that PC.

If the old OneDrive account is still connected, you can choose “Unlink this PC.” This stops that account from syncing on the computer. It does not delete the files from OneDrive online.

To check each account separately, sign in at OneDrive.com using each Microsoft account email. You may need to use a private/incognito browser window so the accounts do not mix.

Can you confirm if both OneDrive accounts are personal Microsoft accounts? Do you see two separate OneDrive folders in File Explorer, or only one? What email address appears under OneDrive Settings > Account?

Answer 2

Bulldog 4,645

Yes, you need a new Microsoft account, because OneDrive is a feature of a Microsoft account. Each Microsoft account has one (and only one) OneDrive, so if you want another OneDrive, you have to create another Microsoft account.

Patricia 40 Reputation points

2026-06-30T00:19:09.84+00:00

How do you distinguish between the 2 accounts then? They both have the same name and don't allow themselves to be renamed. And why is it that sometimes I open up OneDrive, and there's not contents but the folder is there?