OneDrive "You're Already Syncing This Account"? Clear the Stale Sign-In Cache
OneDrive refuses to finish setup and shows “You’re already syncing this account” even though it isn’t actually syncing.
Why: OneDrive caches your sign-in details before the link completes. After a password change or an interrupted setup, that stale cache still claims the account is in use, so a fresh sign-in is blocked.
Fix 1: Quit and relaunch OneDrive
A leftover background process is the simplest cause.
- Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area → Help & Settings (gear) → Quit OneDrive → Close OneDrive.
- Reopen it from Start → type OneDrive → open the app, and sign in again.
Fix 2: Delete the pre-sign-in config file
This is Microsoft’s documented fix and clears the cached account state.
- Press Win + R to open Run.
- Paste this and press OK:
%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\settings- In the folder that opens, delete PreSignInSettingsConfig.json.
- Restart OneDrive from Start and sign in.
You won’t lose any files — this only removes the cached sign-in data, not your synced content.
Fix 3: Reinstall OneDrive
If the error persists, uninstall and reinstall the app. Your files stay safe in the cloud at OneDrive.com.
- Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Microsoft OneDrive → Uninstall.
- Reinstall the latest OneDrive app and sign in.
FAQ
Will I lose files by deleting PreSignInSettingsConfig.json? No. It only holds cached sign-in settings; your synced files are untouched.
This started right after I changed my password — normal? Yes. A password change is the most common trigger, because OneDrive’s cached credentials no longer match.
Sources: Microsoft Support — Clear OneDrive cached credentials