Permission & Access Issues

How to Remove an Old OneDrive User Profile and Fix Permission Errors

Camila Milosovich Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users encounter access-denied errors in OneDrive because an old user profile remains linked to a returning employee's email address within the site permissions.

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A returning employee attempts to access shared files using their previous email address, but the system denies access due to an identity conflict.
Observed behavior: OneDrive displays the old user profile and returns access-denied errors, preventing the returning employee from accessing newly shared files.

Before you start

Ensure you have the exact URL of the affected user's OneDrive site collection and that you hold site owner or Microsoft 365 administrator privileges.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove the Outdated User via the Hidden Site Permissions Page

Access the hidden site collection permissions page to manually delete the old profile and resolve the identity conflict.

When an employee returns and uses the same email address, SharePoint and OneDrive may still map that email to their old Unique ID (PUID). Removing the old profile from the site collection forces the system to recognize their new active identity.

Navigate to the Sharer's OneDrive

Open your web browser and navigate to the OneDrive site collection URL of the person who is sharing the files.

Access the Hidden Permissions Page

In the browser's address bar, append exactly '/_layouts/15/people.aspx?MembershipGroupId=0' to the end of the OneDrive URL and press Enter.

Locate the Outdated User

Review the list of people with permissions on the page and click the checkbox next to the returning employee's old user profile.

Delete the User Profile

Click on the 'Actions' dropdown menu at the top of the list and select 'Delete Users from Site Collection' to completely remove the old identity.

Re-share the Files

Return to your OneDrive files, select the documents you wish to share, and re-send the sharing invitation to the returning employee's email address so it maps to their new profile.

Permissions Reset: Once the old profile is removed and the files are re-shared, the returning employee will be able to access the documents without encountering the access-denied error.

Solution 2

Manage User Access via Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Administrators can directly access and manage the affected user's OneDrive permissions from the central M365 admin portal.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneDrive show an old profile for a returning employee?

When a returning employee uses the exact same email address they had previously, SharePoint and OneDrive may still map that email to their old Unique ID (PUID) stored in the site collection directory. This mismatch prevents the new account from accessing shared files.

Can a standard user remove an old profile from the site permissions?

Typically, standard users cannot do this. Only the site owner (the person sharing the files) or a Microsoft 365 Administrator has the necessary permissions to access the hidden people.aspx page and delete users from the site collection.

Do I need to re-share all files after removing the old user?

Yes. Once the old profile is removed from the site collection, all associated permissions are wiped. You must share the files again with the user's email address so they are granted access under their new, active profile.

Document & File Issues