OneDrive File Issues

How to Fix OneDrive Showing Another User's Files Across Devices

Maira Mehtab Sep 29, 2026 873 views

Question details

The user is seeing files and folders belonging to a different Microsoft account across all their devices when logging into OneDrive.

How to Fix OneDrive Showing Another User's Files Across Devices

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows, iOS, Web
Scenario: Accessing personal or work files via the OneDrive desktop app, mobile app, or web browser.
Observed behavior: OneDrive displays another user's files instead of the expected account data, and the issue persists across Windows, iPhone, and online platforms even after standard troubleshooting.

Before you start

Before proceeding, temporarily back up any locally stored files to an external drive to prevent data loss, and ensure you have the exact login credentials for the correct Microsoft account.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Separate Windows User Accounts for Each Microsoft Profile

Prevent account token conflicts by separating Microsoft accounts into dedicated Windows user profiles rather than switching accounts within the OneDrive app.

When multiple Microsoft accounts share the same Windows profile, login tokens and cached data can overlap. This often causes the OneDrive desktop app to become confused and fetch the storage container of a different user.

Creating a distinct Windows user account for each Microsoft account ensures complete isolation of user data, registry keys, and OneDrive configurations.

Open Windows Account Settings

Click on the Start menu, select the gear icon to open Settings, and navigate to the 'Accounts' section.

Add a New User

Click on 'Family & other users' (or 'Other users' depending on your Windows version), and click the 'Add someone else to this PC' button.

Configure the Microsoft Account

Enter the email address of the correct Microsoft account you want to use for OneDrive and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the profile creation.

Sign In and Configure OneDrive

Sign out of your current Windows session. From the Windows lock screen, log into the newly created user profile and launch OneDrive to sync the correct files.

Best Practice: Always switch Microsoft accounts from the Windows sign-in screen or Start menu rather than just logging out and back into the OneDrive desktop app.

Solution 2

Contact Microsoft Support to Verify Backend Account Association

If the wrong files appear on the OneDrive website and iPhone app, it indicates a backend server issue that requires Microsoft's engineering team to resolve.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my OneDrive show someone else's files on my PC?

This usually happens when multiple users share the same Windows user profile and switch accounts only within the OneDrive app. Windows caches login tokens, causing OneDrive to retrieve the storage container of the previously logged-in account.

Can I use multiple Microsoft accounts on one computer safely?

Yes, but the safest method is to create separate Windows user accounts for each Microsoft account. This keeps registries, cached files, and login tokens completely isolated from one another.

What does it mean if the wrong files show up on the OneDrive website as well?

If the issue appears on the web browser and mobile devices, it is no longer a local caching issue. It means there is a backend account-association error on Microsoft's servers, and you must contact their support team to remap your account to the correct storage container.

Should I delete the incorrect files appearing in my OneDrive?

No. If your account is mistakenly linked to another user's active storage container, deleting those files might permanently delete them from the other user's actual account. Disconnect the account and contact support instead.

Document & File Issues