Guide: How to Restore OneDrive Icon on Win­dows 10 Taskbar

The OneDrive icon in Windows 10’s system tray is more than just a decoration - it provides vital information about the status of your files. From syncing progress to interrupted sessions, this icon is essential. But what if it goes missing?

If the OneDrive icon is missing from your taskbar, you may be unable to access and manage your cloud storage service. This could lead to lost statuses and other issues. To get the icon back, try these troubleshooting tips.

Make the OneDrive icon visible

Users of Windows 10 may find that the OneDrive icon is hidden in the system tray due to an abundance of icons. To view it, click the arrow-shaped icon on the left side of the notification area to open a panel displaying all hidden icons.

To quickly add the OneDrive icon to the notification area, simply drag it from its current location.

Enable icon in system tray

Users may be able to restore the OneDrive icon in the system tray by checking their Windows 10 settings.

Right-click an empty area on the taskbar to open the context menu and select Taskbar Settings.

Go to the Notification area section and click “Select which icons appear on the taskbar” to customize your taskbar.

Microsoft OneDrive can be easily enabled by flipping the switch.

The OneDrive icon is now easily accessible in the system tray - simply locate it among the hidden icons and drag it to the tray.

Set up OneDrive again

If the OneDrive icon isn’t visible, a broken cache may be to blame. Resetting OneDrive could be the solution.

Local files remain unaffected by the OneDrive reset, and no need to re-download them.

Press Windows + R to open the Run box, then copy and paste this path into the Open field and click OK to complete the task.

OneDrive users can reset the application by entering “%localappdata% MicrosoftOneDriveonedrive.exe / reset” into their computer’s command line.

The OneDrive icon may not appear for up to two minutes. To force it to show, enter the path in the Run box and click OK.

Resetting OneDrive should resolve any issues that have been preventing it from functioning properly, and the icon should reappear in the system tray.

Change the system registry

If OneDrive reset isn’t working, it may be due to changes made by third-party applications. To fix this, users can access the Windows 10 system registry – but don’t worry, no complicated steps are required.

Open the Run box, type ‘regedit’ in the search field and click OK to access the Registry Editor.

Enter the following path into the Registry Editor address bar to access a specific registry key.

Right-click the registry key labeled DisableFileSyncNGSC and select Modify to disable File Sync.

If the DisableFileSyncNGSC registry key is not present, move on to the next step.

Enter ‘0’ in the Value data field and click OK to complete the process.

Restart your PC to complete the process after exiting Registry Editor.

After restarting Windows 10, users should expect to see OneDrive appear in the system tray.

Check the policy setting

Check the Windows 10 Group Policy Editor to identify and address any changes to OneDrive caused by third-party programs, if the registry key mentioned earlier is not found.

Open the Run box, type gpedit.msc and hit enter to access the Group Policy Editor.

Double-click the OneDrive folder in the Administrative Templates section of the Group Policy Editor window to access Windows Components.

Right-click the policy setting labeled “Prevent using OneDrive for file storage” and select “Edit” to make changes.

Ensure the policy setting is set to Not Configured or Disabled, then click Apply and OK to complete the process.

Restarting your computer may resolve any issues caused by an incorrectly changed policy setting, allowing OneDrive to load normally.

Set up OneDrive from Scratch

Reinstalling the application is the best way to fix stubborn issues that prevent OneDrive from functioning normally. If tweaking the Registry Editor or Group Policy Editor hasn’t worked, it’s time to start fresh with a clean slate.

Unlike other cloud storage services, OneDrive is built into Windows 10, making the setup process simpler.

Deleting OneDrive won’t erase any files stored on your device. If you reinstall it and select the same folder, those files won’t be downloaded again.

Open the Run box, type “cmd” and click OK to launch the command prompt console.

Windows 10 users should enter either a 32-bit or 64-bit command, depending on their version of the operating system. Pressing Enter will execute the command.

To find out which version of Windows 10 you have, type “Windows version” into the Start menu and select “See if you have a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows” from the search results.

Remove the OneDriveSetup.exe file from the System32 folder in SystemRoot.

The file “OneDriveSetup.exe” located in the SystemRoot/SysWOW64 folder can be removed.

Windows 10 users can remove OneDrive with a specific command, but should wait a few minutes before continuing to ensure the process is complete.

Enter one of the commands below, depending on your Windows 10 version, and press Enter.

The OneDriveSetup.exe file can be used to install the OneDrive application on a Windows system.

OneDriveSetup.exe can be used to install OneDrive on Windows systems. To do so, users should open the SystemRoot% SysWOW64 folder and run the OneDriveSetup.exe file with the “/install” command.

The operating system is prompted to reinstall OneDrive without delay.

Once the OneDrive app is reinstalled, a gray icon will appear on the taskbar. Click ‘Sign in’ and enter your credentials to sync with the cloud.

Ensure you use the same OneDrive location to avoid having to re-download your files.

Welcome back, OneDrive

If you’re missing the OneDrive icon from your system tray, don’t worry - it’s a common issue. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to get it back. Check out the troubleshooting tips above for help.

Do you have any other ideas for restoring the OneDrive icon? Let us know in the comments.

How to Restore OneDrive Icon on Win­dows 10 Taskbar: benefits

Faq

Final note

If you’re having trouble restoring the OneDrive icon to your Windows 10 taskbar, this guide can help. Got questions? Reach out for assistance. And don’t forget to share the love by passing it along to your friends.

If you have any questions about restoring the OneDrive icon on Windows 10 Taskbar, please ask us in the comments section or contact us directly. This guide is for educational purposes only. If you want to correct any misinformation, please contact us. If you would like to add additional methods to this guide, please contact us as well. For help, use our contact page or follow us on Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter. We usually respond within 24-48 hours (weekends excluded). For software updates and discussion join our Telegram channel.