OneDrive client sign-in fails with 0x8004de80, then 0x8004deca

jan strybol 20 Reputation points
2026-09-14T15:54:37.8566667+00:00

Environment

  • Windows 11, OneDrive desktop sync client (personal, not OneDrive for Business)
  • Windows signed in with a Microsoft account based on an outlook.com address
  • Separate Microsoft account based on a gmail.com address, which holds my OneDrive storage subscription
  • I want the client linked to the gmail.com account

Exact errors

First error, on initial sign-in attempt:

"There was a problem signing you in

Please try again in a few minutes. (Error Code: 0x8004de80)"

Second error, after clearing cached credentials and running the client reset:

"Please try again in a few minutes. (Error Code: 0x8004deca)"

The error appears within a second or two of submitting the sign-in, not after a timeout. Retrying later makes no difference. The code has stayed at 0x8004deca since the reset and has not reverted to 0x8004de80.

What works

The same gmail.com credentials sign in normally at onedrive.com in a browser, so the account and password are valid. The failure is specific to the desktop client on this machine.

Questions

  1. Could having two Microsoft accounts on one machine, one used for the Windows sign-in and a different one for OneDrive, be causing the client to bind to the wrong identity?
  2. How can I resolve this issue?
Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Xavier-D 13,490 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-09-15T00:45:50.03+00:00

Hello jan strybol,

Thank you for providing the exact error sequence and confirming what you have already tried.

Here what you can do to:

You can try testing OneDrive in a new Windows user profile

  1. Open Settings > Accounts > Other users.
  2. Select Add account.
  3. Choose I don’t have this person’s sign-in information, followed by Add a user without a Microsoft account.
  4. Create a temporary local Windows account.
  5. Sign out of the current Windows session and sign in to the new account.
  6. Start OneDrive and sign in directly with the personal Microsoft account based on the Gmail address.

This is a diagnostic test only. Do not move files or delete the existing Windows profile.

If OneDrive signs in successfully in the new profile, the issue is most likely confined to the original Windows profile’s authentication or identity state.

Before testing, also check Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts and Access work or school. If the Gmail-based personal Microsoft account is listed there under an unexpected category, do not remove it immediately.

This testing should establish whether the remaining problem is a damaged Windows user profile or a deeper OneDrive authentication failure that requires Microsoft to inspect the client logs.

Feel free reply back to this post and update me on this issue, I'll be happy to help.

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  1. jan strybol 20 Reputation points
    2026-09-19T11:08:26.53+00:00

    thank you very much for your help...it works now

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