How to Link or Unlink OneDrive with Microsoft Account in Windows 10
OneDrive is a cloud-based storage service where you can view, browse, upload, and share the files you saved online to OneDrive.
By default, OneDrive is set to start when you sign in to Windows to have all files in each folder you choose to sync in OneDrive on your PC is automatically kept in sync with your online OneDrive.
Sometimes you may wish to stop syncing OneDrive files to your PC, and start syncing again at another time.
See also: How to add an account in OneDrive | Microsoft Support
This tutorial will show you how to link (sign in) or unlink (sign out) OneDrive with a Microsoft account to start or stop syncing files for your account in Windows 10.
Contents
- Option One: To Unlink (sign out) OneDrive with Account and Stop Syncing Files
- Option Two: To Link (sign in) OneDrive with Account and Start Syncing Files
EXAMPLE: OneDrive on taskbar notification area
1 Right click or press and hold on the OneDrive icon on the taskbar notification area, click/tap on the menu (3 dots) button, and click/tap on Settings. (see screenshot below)
If OneDrive is currently not running to show this icon, then run: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe
2 Click/tap on the Account tab, and click/tap on the Unlink this PC link under OneDrive. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on Unlink account to confirm. (see screenshot below)
4 OneDrive will now be unlinked from this PC and stop syncing files to your account in Windows 10. (see screenshot below)
1 Open OneDrive from the Start menu , or click/tap on the OneDrive icon on the taskbar notification area.
You can also open OneDrive by running: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe
2 Enter the email address for your Microsoft account, and click/tap on Sign in. (see screenshot below)
3 Enter the password for your Microsoft account, and click/tap on Sign in. (see screenshot below)
4 If you have turned on two-step verification for your Microsoft account, click/tap on how you want to get your security code to verify your identity, fill out any required information, and click/tap on Send code. (see screenshots below)
5 Enter the received code from Microsoft, and click/tap on Verify. (see screenshot below)
6 Make note of your shown OneDrive folder location, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
7 Do step 8 (new location) or step 9 (this location) below for where you want your OneDrive folder to be located.
A) Click/tap on Choose new location. (see screenshot below)
B) Browse to and select a folder or drive for the location of your OneDrive folder, click/tap on Select Folder, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)
10 If prompted, click/tap on the Not now link. (see screenshot below)
11 When finished, looking through the Welcome to OneDrive guide, you can close the Microsoft OneDrive setup window. (see screenshots below)
12 If you like, you may now want to Choose what folders you want to sync with your OneDrive.
That's it,
Shawn
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