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Things to Know- OneDrive should function properly if it’s kept updated. However, if a recent update broke it, you might need to revert it.
- You can try to reset the app to clear its cache and force it to restart.
- Make sure you have enough storage space on your Mac and enough in OneDrive so it can keep syncing files.
If OneDrive keeps closing unexpectedly on Mac, you might not be able to access important files. The problem here could be anything from corrupted cache files to compatibility issues with your macOS version. Luckily, most of these issues can be solved without losing data or files, typically by resetting the app or its account.
Fix 1: Restart OneDrive the Right Way if OneDrive Keeps Closing Unexpectedly on Mac
If OneDrive keeps closing unexpectedly on Mac or won’t stay open, you might need to restart it and reconnect to the online server. But unlike most apps, OneDrive doesn’t shut off when you press the “X” button.
Step 1. Click on the OneDrive cloud icon in your Mac’s menu bar on the top-right of your screen (by default).
Step 2. Click on the gear icon or “Help & Settings” button, then choose “Quit OneDrive.”
Step 3. After about 10 seconds, go to your Applications folder and double-click on OneDrive to reopen it.
Step 4. Sign back in when prompted.
Fix 2: Reset OneDrive Using the Built-In Reset Command
If OneDrive keeps crashing even after restarting and updating, there might be corrupted files in its cache. Microsoft built a reset function directly into the app that clears out this junk without deleting your saved OneDrive files.
Step 1. Make sure OneDrive is closed. If it’s running, quit it from the menu bar (see Fix 1).
Step 2. Open Finder and go to your Applications folder, then scroll and find the OneDrive app.
Step 3. Right-click (or Control-click) on the OneDrive app and select “Show Package Contents.”
Step 4. Go to “Contents” and then to “Resources.” Find the file called “ResetOneDriveApp.command” (it might be called “ResetOneDriveAppStandalone.command” if you’re using the standalone version).
Step 5. Double-click on the file. A Terminal window will pop up and run the reset script automatically (it might also close without displaying any messages). This clears out all temporary data and files that OneDrive uses to keep itself synced to the cloud.
Step 6. Restart OneDrive from your Applications folder and sign back in. You may need to go through the initial setup again or wait for OneDrive to re-download files.
Fix 3: Uninstall and Reinstall OneDrive
If neither of the above solutions work, a clean reinstall should do the trick, but it will wipe all local files (stuff on your cloud should be kept). This means anything that didn’t get uploaded might be lost, so make sure to backup files on a physical drive.
Step 1. Quit OneDrive if it’s running.
Step 2. Open Finder, go to Applications, and drag the OneDrive app to your Trash. Then, empty the Trash.
Step 3. Go to Finder and select “Go” in the menu bar while holding down the “Option” key, then click on the Library folder.
Step 4. Look for these folders and delete them if they exist:
- ~/Library/Application Support/OneDrive
- ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac
- ~/Library/Preferences (look for any files starting with “com.microsoft.OneDrive” and delete those)
Step 5. Restart your Mac to make sure everything is cleared out.
Step 6. Go to the Microsoft OneDrive website and download the latest version of OneDrive for Mac.
Step 7. Install it, sign in with your Microsoft account, and set up your sync preferences again.
As an avid gamer, I’ve run into my fair share of error codes and weird faults that have forced me to find fixes to problems I never anticipated. That gave me a passion for sharing those fixes with others so we can all game without feeling like our hardware is rebelling against us.