OneDrive File Issues

How to Fix Wrong OneDrive User Name in Office File Paths

Emma Brown Oct 15, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need to correct an issue where Microsoft Office displays another user's name in the file paths of their private OneDrive documents.

How to Fix Wrong OneDrive User Name in Office File Paths

Product: Microsoft Office, OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Accessing, saving, or syncing private OneDrive files across multiple computers and locations using Microsoft Office desktop apps.
Observed behavior: Office applications incorrectly show another user's name in the OneDrive file path for private files.

Before you start

Make sure to completely close all Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) before modifying local AppData files to ensure changes take effect and prevent conflicts.

Solution 1Recommended

Reset or Edit the URL Friendly Path Mapping JSON File

Clear or correct the cached display name file in your local Office AppData folder to force the application to show your correct OneDrive name.

Microsoft Office caches OneDrive path names in a local JSON file to load them faster. Sometimes, this cache updates incorrectly, mapping your files to another user's display name. Deleting or modifying this file forces Office to regenerate the correct path.

Open the AppData folder

Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog. Type %localappdata% and press Enter to open the Local AppData directory in File Explorer.

Navigate to the Office DisplayForm folder

Browse through the folders to following path: Microsoft > Office > 16.0 > DisplayForm.

Locate the mapping file

Find the file named 'UrlFriendlyPathMapping.json' inside the DisplayForm folder.

Edit or delete the file

Right-click the file and open it in Notepad to correct the 'fp' (file path) value to your proper OneDrive name (e.g., changing 'Steve's OneDrive' to 'Nidhi's OneDrive'). Alternatively, you can simply delete the file.

Restart Office applications

Launch Microsoft Word or Excel. Office will automatically recreate the file and should now display the correct OneDrive username in your file paths.

Reset or Edit the URL Friendly Path Mapping JSON File

Safe to Delete: Deleting the UrlFriendlyPathMapping.json file is completely safe. It does not delete your actual OneDrive files, only the text display cache used by Office.

Solution 2

Check Microsoft 365 Service Health

Verify if the incorrect name display is a known global service issue affecting the Microsoft 365 infrastructure.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Avoid Office Caching Bugs with WPS Office

If you are tired of dealing with local caching errors and incorrect file paths in Microsoft Office, try WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, integrated experience for managing cloud and local documents without the hassle of complex path mapping bugs.

1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package.
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3. Open your files instantly: Log into your preferred cloud storage or open local files directly with perfect formatting preservation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my OneDrive path show someone else's name in Office?

This happens due to a caching error within the local Microsoft Office application data. Specifically, a file named UrlFriendlyPathMapping.json incorrectly maps your actual OneDrive directory to another user's display name.

Will deleting UrlFriendlyPathMapping.json delete my OneDrive files?

No. Deleting this JSON file only resets the display names for file paths cached locally by Microsoft Office desktop applications. Your actual OneDrive files and data remain completely safe and untouched in the cloud.

Where can I find the AppData folder on Windows?

The AppData folder is hidden by default in Windows. You can access it quickly by pressing Windows Key + R, typing '%localappdata%' in the Run dialog, and pressing Enter. This will take you directly to the Local AppData folder.

Document & File Issues