I seem to have two one drive folders and want to make sure I am properly set up.

Debra DeLor 0 Reputation points
2026-08-27T18:52:39.17+00:00

I run a MacBook Pro silicon with Tahoe operating system. I also run in parallels a virtual windows version to run quicken. I did not see the icon at the top of my Mac external monitor. It returned after I logged into one drive using spot light and files are uploading to one drive - personal. It looks like I might have two one drive directories as in finder I am seeing open drive 2 and files were located there that I recognize.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | MacOS

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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-27T18:53:00.8733333+00:00

    Yes—this can happen on macOS if both the standalone OneDrive app and the Mac App Store version were installed at different times. Only one version should be installed and configured on a Mac at a time. Having multiple OneDrive accounts is supported, but having two different app versions syncing the same content can cause duplicate folders and sync confusion.

    A safe way to verify and clean this up:

    1. Check whether OneDrive is currently running.
      • On Mac, the OneDrive cloud icon should appear on the top menu bar.
      • If it disappears again, open Applications and start OneDrive, or use Spotlight to search for OneDrive.
    2. Open the OneDrive sync window from the menu bar icon.
      • If a message appears saying the account is signed in to 2 versions, select Show in Finder.
      • Finder should open /Library/CloudStorage.
    3. Inspect the OneDrive folders shown there.
      • Double-click each OneDrive folder.
      • If one folder shows a banner with a Delete button at the top, that folder belongs to the previous OneDrive version that is no longer installed. Select Delete for that folder.
      • If there is no banner on any folder, open OneDrive preferences > Account > Unlink this Mac.
      • Then start OneDrive again and complete setup. No data is lost by unlinking; it only disconnects the Mac temporarily.
    4. When signing in again, if OneDrive says a folder already exists, select Use this folder.
      • OneDrive will re-link and sync again.
      • Files may initially appear as placeholders while sync completes.
    5. Identify which OneDrive app version is installed, if needed.
      • Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
      • Run: 
             /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c 'Print CFBundleIdentifier' /Applications/OneDrive.app/Contents/Info.plist
      • Output meanings:
        • com.microsoft.OneDrive = standalone version
        • com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac = Store version
    6. Identify which version is actually set up to sync.
      • In Terminal, run: 
             xattr -l ~/OneDrive
      • Output meanings:
        • com.apple.file-provider-domain-id: com.microsoft.OneDrive.FileProvider/OneDrive = standalone version
        • com.apple.file-provider-domain-id: com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac.FileProvider/OneDrive = Store version
    7. If the issue is caused by both app versions being installed, remove the previous installation properly.
      • Right-click or Control-click the OneDrive app.
      • Select Show package contents.
      • Open Contents/resources/reset.command*.
      • Then install the latest OneDrive for macOS from the preferred source and complete setup.

    Important:

    • Do not run both the standalone and App Store versions side by side.
    • If a second folder contains files that are not yet visible in the active OneDrive folder or online, verify them before deleting anything.
    • If the icon disappears and OneDrive seems not to be running, OneDrive can also be reset from Contents > Resources by running ResetOneDriveApp.command or ResetOneDriveAppStandalone.command. This is a corrective step and should be used carefully because it resets the local app state before setup is completed again.

    References:

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  2. Hendrix-V 19,025 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-28T02:01:57.13+00:00

    Hi Debra DeLor,

    The white OneDrive cloud icon in the macOS menu bar is generally expected and indicates that OneDrive is running. Since your files are uploading again and the icon has returned, a useful next step is to confirm which folder is actively syncing:

    1. Open the white OneDrive cloud icon in the menu bar.
    2. Select View Online.
    3. Compare a few recent files in OneDrive online with the contents of both local OneDrive folders in Finder.
    4. Note which folder contains the most up-to-date files and sync status indicators.

    This can help determine whether the second folder is simply an older local folder or part of your current sync setup, without making any changes to your files.

    As a precaution, I would recommend keeping both folders until you've verified that all important files are available in OneDrive online and in the active sync location.

    I hope this helps provide some clarity on your setup. Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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