OneDrive app stopped running on Mac

Hi Adele,

Here are a few things you could try:

Step 1: Fully quit OneDrive (even if it looks dead)

• Open Activity Monitor
• Search for OneDrive
• Select all OneDrive-related processes
• Click ✕ → Force Quit

This makes sure we’re not fighting a zombie process.

Step 2: Check (and recreate) the OneDrive folder

• Open Finder
• Go to: Macintosh HD → Users → <your username>
• Look for a folder named OneDrive
• If it’s missing:
• Right-click → New Folder
• Name it exactly:
• OneDrive

Capitalization matters less on macOS, but spelling matters a lot.

Step 3: Reset OneDrive (this often fixes “won’t open”)

In Finder, click Go in the menu bar

• Choose Go to Folder…
• Paste this:
• /Applications/OneDrive.app/Contents/Resources/ResetOneDriveApp.command
• Press Enter
• Double-click the file if it appears

You may see a Terminal window briefly — that’s normal.

Step 4: Reinstall OneDrive (clean copy)

Instead of reinstalling over the broken state:

• Go to: /Applications
• Drag OneDrive.app to the Trash
• Restart your Mac (important)
• Download fresh from Microsoft:
• https://www.microsoft.com/onedrive/download
• Install and launch OneDrive

When it asks for a folder, choose the OneDrive folder you recreated (or let it create one).

Step 5: Grant macOS permissions (Big Sur+ issue)

If it opens but won’t sync:

• System Settings → Privacy & Security
• Check these sections and allow OneDrive:
• Files & Folders
• Full Disk Access
• Background Items

Then relaunch OneDrive.

This is a known macOS container corruption issue and a clean reinstall almost always resolves it.
The core issue is a corrupted local OneDrive configuration. A clean reinstall will resolve it.

Steps to Fix:

 1. Uninstall OneDrive Completely:

• Open Finder > Applications.
• Drag Microsoft OneDrive to the Trash.
• Empty the Trash.

 2. Remove the Library Folder (Key Step):

• In Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G.
• Type ~/Library and press Go.
• Find and delete these two folders:

~/Library/Application Support/OneDrive

~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac

• This clears the corrupted settings causing the error.

 3. Fresh Install & Restart:

• Download the latest OneDrive for Mac directly from onedrive.com/download.
• Open the downloaded OneDrive.pkg and follow the installer.
• Restart your Mac (important for clean initialization).

 4. Set Up OneDrive:

• After restart, open OneDrive from your Applications folder.
• Sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
• During setup, it will recreate the necessary folder. Choose its location carefully.

You should now be back in sync. This process preserves all your cloud files; you're just re-establishing the local sync connection.

If the issue persists, please check for any system updates in System Preferences > Software Update and ensure you have sufficient disk space.

My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

Hope this will help you.

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