OneDrive File Issues

How to Fix OneDrive Creating Duplicate Files When Renamed

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need to stop OneDrive from creating duplicate files or reverting to original file names when renaming existing documents.

How to Fix OneDrive Creating Duplicate Files When Renamed

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Renaming an existing file that is currently being synced by the OneDrive desktop client.
Observed behavior: After a rename attempt, OneDrive either restores the file's original name or creates two separate copies: one with the new name showing a cloud status icon, and another with the original name displaying a green check mark.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting the local application, log in to OneDrive via your web browser to check if the duplicated files exist in the cloud version. This helps determine if the conflict is happening locally on your machine or on Microsoft's servers.

Solution 1Recommended

Reset the OneDrive Sync Client

Resetting the OneDrive client clears the local sync cache and resolves background conflicts that cause files to duplicate during a rename.

A synchronization conflict usually occurs when the OneDrive client fails to properly communicate a local filename change to the cloud server, causing it to download the original file again.

Resetting the app will not lose any of your local or cloud data, but it will force OneDrive to re-verify all synced files.

Open the Run dialog

Press the Windows Key + R simultaneously on your keyboard to open the Run command window.

Execute the reset command

Type '%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset' into the dialog box and click OK. The OneDrive icon in your system tray will disappear and reappear after a minute.

Manually restart OneDrive if needed

If the OneDrive icon does not reappear after a few minutes, open the Start menu, search for 'OneDrive', and click the application to launch it.

Test the rename function

Wait for OneDrive to display 'Up to date' in the sync status, then attempt to rename a file again to verify the duplication issue is resolved.

Sync Completion Required: Ensure you allow the synchronization to completely finish after the reset before testing the file rename.

Solution 2

Pause and Resume Synchronization

Temporarily pausing and resuming sync can refresh the connection to the server and clear minor temporary naming conflicts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneDrive append my computer name to duplicated files?

This happens when OneDrive detects a sync conflict, usually because a file was edited on two different devices simultaneously or the sync client was offline during a local edit. OneDrive saves both versions to prevent data loss.

Will resetting my OneDrive client delete my local files?

No. Resetting the OneDrive client only clears the application's configuration and sync cache. Your files remain safely stored on your local hard drive and in the cloud.

How do I collect diagnostic logs if the rename issue persists?

If resetting doesn't work, you can collect diagnostic logs by navigating to OneDrive Settings > Help & Settings > Send feedback > Report a problem. This will bundle your logs to send to Microsoft support.

Document & File Issues