Why my OneDrive in File Explorer is empty?

If your OneDrive folder in File Explorer is empty, it could be due to a few common issues.

Here are some troubleshooting steps you can follow to identify and resolve the problem:

1. Ensure OneDrive is Running

Make sure that OneDrive is running on your computer.

• Check System Tray:
  • Look for the OneDrive icon in the system tray (bottom-right corner of the screen). If you don’t see it, click the arrow to show hidden icons.

• If the icon is missing or with red x, search for OneDrive in the Start menu and open the application.

2. Check OneDrive Account and Sync Status

Ensure that you are signed in to the correct OneDrive account and that syncing is active.

• Sign In:
  • Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select “Settings.”

• Go to the “Account” tab and make sure you are signed in to the correct account, and link to the PC.

• Check Sync Status:
  • Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select “View online” to see if your files are present in the web version of OneDrive.

3. Enable Files On-Demand

Ensure that Files On-Demand is enabled if you haven’t done so already.

1. Open OneDrive Settings:
   • Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select “Settings.”
2. Enable Files On-Demand:
   • Go to the “Advanced settings” tab.

1. Ensure the “Save space and download files as you use them” option is checked.

4. Check Folder Sync Settings

Make sure the folders you want to see in File Explorer are selected for syncing.

1. Open OneDrive Settings:
   • Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select “Settings.”
2. Choose Folders to Sync:
   • Go to the “Account” tab and click on “Choose folders.”

1. Make sure the folders you want to appear in File Explorer are checked.

5. Reset OneDrive

If the above steps don’t work, you can try resetting OneDrive.

Run Command Prompt:

Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter.

Enter Reset Command:

Type the following command and press Enter code%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

Restart OneDrive:

After the reset process completes, open OneDrive from the Start menu.

7. Check Disk Space

Ensure that your laptop has enough free space for OneDrive to sync files.

• Check Available Space:
  • Right-click the drive where OneDrive is located (usually the C: drive) and select “Properties.”

• Check the amount of free space available. If space is low, consider freeing up space by removing unnecessary files.

8. Reinstall OneDrive

If none of the above steps work, try uninstalling and reinstalling OneDrive.

1. Uninstall OneDrive:
   • Open Settings from the Start menu.
   • Go to “Apps” and find Microsoft OneDrive in the list.
   • Select OneDrive and click “Uninstall.”
2. Reinstall OneDrive:
   • Download the latest version of OneDrive from the OneDrive website.
   • Install OneDrive and sign in to your account.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue of an empty OneDrive folder in File Explorer.

Please view this step by step video: