A complete troubleshooting guide for not being able to sign in to OneDrive for Business

Credentials for applications are cached and stored on your device; services can easily retrieve them- enabling you to sign back in automatically. However, this system can falter when you modify your credentials on a different device, rendering your cached credentials useless. Unsurprisingly, this is a common cause for OneDrive sign-in issues. However, a more common reason for problems comes down to human imperfection. If you couldn’t guess, I’m talking about forgetting your password.

ProblemSolution
Automatic sign-in is failing, or your entered credentials are not accepted.Delete your old cached credentials and create new ones
You do not recall the correct credentialsReset your password with something both memorable and secure

Below, I’ll guide you on deleting cached credentials to aid you if your credentials are invalid. I’ll additionally be informing you on password management, what makes a good password and how to begin the password reset process for when you’ve forgotten your password.

Contents:

Deleting cached credentials to sign in to OneDrive for Business

Step 1 – Close OneDrive

You can spot the OneDrive cloud icon at the end of your taskbar. Right-click the icon to reveal a dropdown, from which you can select “Close OneDrive.”

Step 2 – Open the credentials manager

Press the start/windows key and type “credentials manager” into the search bar; hit enter to open the application.

Step 3 – Switch to the windows credentials tab

The start page for the credentials manager is of two parts: “Web Credentials” and “Windows Credentials.” Access the “Windows credentials” option with a left-click.

Step 4 – Delete generic OneDrive cached credentials

OneDrive cached credentials are under the “Generic Credentials” section of the “Windows Credentials” tab. Look for the “OneDrive Cached Credential” listing and give it a click to trigger its dropdown. Within the dropdown, you can select the “Remove” option.

Step 5 – Reopen OneDrive and login

Press the start/windows key and type “OneDrive” into the search bar; hit enter to open the application. You will then need to sign back in.

All about passwords

Where to start resetting a password and signing into OneDrive for Business

You use your Microsoft account to sign in to OneDrive; thus, resetting your Microsoft account will reset the password for your OneDrive. To begin resetting your password, consult this page and follow its instructions. I will also provide a simplified guide here. If you’re uncertain of what to do, please follow along.

Guide:

  1. Enter the email of your microsoft account
  2. Complete your verification
    • Enter a code delivered to a known mobile phone or email
  3. Enter your new password
    • Consult next section for guidance on this
  4. Confirm your new password
    • Type the same password into the additional box if present

Setting a good password

Login pages use passwords to verify users are authorized to access the account in question. For example, I can’t access your account without your password, and you can’t access mine without my password. However, this does not mean someone cannot guess your password. As such, it’s essential to use a strong password. Luckily, a strong password can be pretty straightforward.

DoDon’t
Use uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.Use personal information
Use eight or more charactersUse a password under eight characters in length
Use a memorable passwordUse a relative’s personal information
Try to avoid using the same password for everythingUse the same password everywhere

Following the above criteria, a strong password can be as simple as “GreenF0xe$.” You can remember the password as you would read it, “green foxes,” yet there are only minor changes to note when you write it.

  • Words are not separated by spaces | greenfoxes
  • Certain letters resembling numbers, or a special character, are replaced accordingly | greenf0xe$
  • Each word starts with a capital letter | GreenF0xe$

Recap & Farewell

Recap

Users can encounter issues when signing in to OneDrive. These issues are often the result of outdated cached credentials or human error on the user’s part. If your cached credentials are, for some reason, invalid, they can be deleted and replaced. Likewise, if you forgot your password, you could reset it online. A good password is often eight characters in length or greater and consists of uppercase, lowercase, numeric, and special characters. While seemingly complex in theory, such passwords appear simple when applied.

Farewell

Once again, we’ve reached the end of a post. I want to thank you for reading this far. All support is greatly appreciated; each guide is created with time and care to be as practical and understandable to everyone. If your new, consider sticking around. We frequently post new content resolving Office issues, answering queries, and offering applicable workarounds when there are no plausible solutions.

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Jack Mitchell

Jack Mitchell has been the Operations manager at telecoms and MSP Optionbox for more than 4 years. He has played a crucial role in the company, from marketing to helpdesk, and ensures that the IT requirements of over 300 clients are continuously met. With his innate passion for technology and troubleshooting and a particular interest in Apple products, Jack now delivers the most comprehensive tech guides to make your life easier. You can connect with Jack on LinkedIn.

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