How to Switch Between OneDrive Accounts (2025 Guide)

If you’re like me, you probably have more than one OneDrive account, maybe one for work, one for personal use, or a shared family account. The good news is, Microsoft does allow you to switch between OneDrive accounts. This guide outlines everything you need to know about switching between OneDrive accounts on Windows, macOS, and the web.

Table of Contents

• Why I Needed to Switch OneDrive Accounts
• Can You Use Multiple OneDrive Accounts?
  • 1. Switch between OneDrive Accounts on Windows
  • 2. Switch between OneDrive Accounts on macOS
  • 3. Use Multiple OneDrive Accounts on the Web
  • 4. Use Private/Incognito Mode for Quick Switching
  • Sync Multiple OneDrive Folders (Workaround)
• I Was Confused Whether to Switch Between OneDrive Accounts or Not
• Common Issues When Switching between OneDrive Accounts
• Author’s Verdict

Why I Needed to Switch OneDrive Accounts

I first encountered the need to switch OneDrive accounts when I started using a separate Microsoft 365 subscription. My work files needed to stay separate from my ones, and syncing them all in one place was a daunting task, until I figured out how to manage multiple accounts more efficiently.

Can You Use Multiple OneDrive Accounts?

Yes, according to Microsoft’s official support page, you can use several OneDrive accounts, but there’s a catch:

• You can only add one personal OneDrive account to the desktop app.
• You can add multiple OneDrive for Business accounts, only if they belong to different Microsoft 365 tenants.
• On the web, switching between OneDrive accounts is easier, but there are still limits, like login conflicts or browser session issues.

Related article: Is OneDrive Slowing Down Computer?

1. Switch between OneDrive Accounts on Windows

Here’s how I switch OneDrive accounts on my Windows laptop:

1. Sign Out of Current Account (if needed)

1. Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar.
2. Click Settings > Account.
3. Select the account and choose Unlink this PC.
4. Confirm when prompted.

1. Sign In to Another Account

1. Open OneDrive again, Start menu > OneDrive.
2. Enter the email and password of the new account.
3. Choose a sync folder location.
4. Your files will begin syncing immediately.

2. Switch between OneDrive Accounts on macOS

I’ve noticed the steps are nearly identical to Windows:

1. Click the OneDrive icon.
2. Select Preferences.
3. Under the Account tab, choose Unlink this Mac.
4. Restart OneDrive and log in with a different account.
5. Set up the sync folder again.

If you’re using OneDrive for Business, you can add multiple accounts under Preferences > Account > Add an Account.

3. Use Multiple OneDrive Accounts on the Web

When I don’t want to fiddle with app settings, I simply use the web version:

1. Open OneDrive.com.
2. Log in with your current Microsoft account.
3. To switch, click on your profile photo > Sign Out.
4. Log in with a different account.

I use different browsers, such as Chrome for personal use and Edge for work, to stay logged into both accounts simultaneously.

4. Use Private/Incognito Mode for Quick Switching

This is one of my favourite tricks when I need to grab a file from a second account quickly without any switch between OneDrive accounts.

• Open a private/incognito window in your browser.
• Go to OneDrive.com and log in with your alternate account.
• Once done, close the window; no logouts needed on your main browser.

Sync Multiple OneDrive Folders (Workaround)

Unfortunately, OneDrive doesn’t allow syncing two personal accounts on the same device. But here’s what I do instead:

• Use shared folders: From one OneDrive account, share a folder with your other account and give full access.
• On the other hand, go to Shared, select the folder, and click Add to my OneDrive.
• Now it will sync to your device along with your main account’s files.

This way, I don’t have to switch accounts at all; I just collaborate between them.

I Was Confused Whether to Switch Between OneDrive Accounts or Not

If you need to fully migrate all your data from one account to another, what you need is a OneDrive migration solution. After trying a few methods, I found this is the most reliable way to handle this. It helped me transfer all my files, folder structures, permissions, and more, without any data loss.

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What I Liked About the Tool:

• I could choose what to migrate.
• I could prioritise which users to move first.
• It supported bulk transfers and maintained the original folder structure.
• I don’t need to follow OneDrive migration best practices with this.

Common Issues When Switching between OneDrive Accounts

Over time, I’ve run into a few issues. Here’s what to watch out for:

• When switching accounts, leftover files or permissions cause sync issues.
• Login loops, especially on browsers, I’ve seen repeated login prompts.
• Access denied errors sometimes happen with shared folders from different tenants.

How I fixed them:

• Clear OneDrive cache or restart the app.
• Use different browser profiles.
• Reset OneDrive with the OneDrive.exe /reset command on Windows.

Author’s Verdict

Switching between OneDrive accounts can be an easy task with the right methods, i.e. browser tricks, shared folders, and sync settings. I hope with these tested tricks and step-by-step instructions, you will switch between OneDrive accounts effortlessly.

If you’re using both personal and work accounts, I highly recommend keeping them in separate browser profiles and using shared folders to avoid switching.