OneDrive File Issues

How to Use OneDrive with an External SSD After Reinstallation

Emma Brown Sep 28, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user is unable to select their external SSD as the OneDrive folder location after reinstalling the OneDrive application.

How to Use OneDrive with an External SSD After Reinstallation

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up the OneDrive directory on an external storage drive after reinstalling the app.
Observed behavior: The external SSD is no longer available or selectable as a folder location for OneDrive sync during the initial setup.

Before you start

Ensure that your external SSD is properly connected, recognized by your computer, and formatted with a compatible file system (such as NTFS for Windows or APFS for Mac) before attempting to configure OneDrive.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Drive Format and Re-link OneDrive

Ensure the drive meets Microsoft's formatting requirements and try unlinking and re-linking your account to force a fresh folder setup prompt.

OneDrive strictly requires external drives to be formatted in specific file systems to support file tracking and syncing. If your SSD is formatted as exFAT or FAT32, OneDrive will reject it as a valid folder location.

Check the Drive File System

Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and check your SSD's properties. Ensure it is formatted as NTFS (Windows) or APFS (Mac).

Unlink Your PC

Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your system tray, click the gear icon to open 'Settings', navigate to the 'Account' tab, and click 'Unlink this PC'.

Reconnect and Select Folder

Sign back into OneDrive with your email and password. When prompted to confirm the OneDrive folder location, click 'Change location' and navigate to your external SSD.

Verify Drive Format and Re-link OneDrive

Account Type Verification: Check whether you are using a Personal or a Work/School account. Some organization policies restrict syncing corporate data to external or removable drives.

Solution 2

Reset the OneDrive Application

If re-linking does not solve the issue, resetting the OneDrive app can clear cached configurations that might be preventing external drive selection.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my external SSD not showing up as a folder option in OneDrive?

This typically occurs if the external drive is formatted with an incompatible file system (such as FAT32 or exFAT). OneDrive specifically requires NTFS for Windows systems and APFS for macOS to support reliable syncing.

Can I sync my OneDrive files to a removable USB flash drive?

While it is possible to use an external SSD, using standard USB flash drives or SD cards is generally not supported by Microsoft. Their removable nature can cause folder tracking errors and sync disruptions.

Will resetting the OneDrive app delete my files?

No. Resetting the OneDrive application only clears the app's configuration settings and resets its sync connection. You will not lose any data or files currently stored in your cloud account or on your local drive.

What happens if I disconnect my external SSD while OneDrive is syncing?

OneDrive will display an error message stating that the folder cannot be found, and all sync activities will be paused. You will need to reconnect the SSD and restart the OneDrive application to resume syncing.

Document & File Issues