Sign-in & Login Problems

Fix OneDrive Signing Out After Shutting Down Windows

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where the OneDrive application either fails to start or loses account credentials after the computer is restarted.

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Rebooting or shutting down the Windows PC, which may have occurred after a recent Windows username change.
Observed behavior: OneDrive does not maintain its signed-in state or fails to launch automatically upon startup, requiring manual intervention to log in again after every boot.

Before you start

Before proceeding, ensure you have your correct Microsoft account email and password ready, as you will need to sign back into OneDrive to restore the connection.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Credentials and Reset OneDrive

Use this solution if OneDrive launches automatically but forgets your login credentials and requires you to sign in every time you boot your PC.

When you change a Windows username or experience a system glitch, the authentication tokens stored in Windows can become corrupted. Clearing these old credentials and resetting the OneDrive application allows it to rebuild a secure, persistent connection.

Remove Old Credentials

Search for 'Credential Manager' in the Windows Start menu and open it. Click on 'Windows Credentials' and remove any entries that mention 'OneDrive' or 'MicrosoftAccount'.

Reset the OneDrive App

Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog. Type '%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset' and press Enter. The OneDrive icon in your system tray will disappear and reappear after a minute.

Verify Web Account Manager

Press Windows Key + R, type 'services.msc', and press Enter. Scroll down to find the 'Web Account Manager' service, right-click it, select 'Properties', and ensure the Startup type is set to 'Automatic'.

Sign In Again

Launch OneDrive from the Start menu and log in with your Microsoft credentials to establish a fresh, persistent connection.

File Safety: Resetting OneDrive will not delete any of your locally synced files or folders. It only resets the application's configuration settings.

Solution 2

Enable OneDrive Automatic Startup

Apply this solution if you discover that OneDrive simply isn't launching when Windows starts, rather than fully disconnecting your account.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneDrive sign me out after changing my Windows username?

Changing your Windows username can disrupt the file paths and the secure credential tokens stored in the Windows Credential Manager. Clearing the old OneDrive credentials and signing in again forces Windows to issue a new, valid token under your new username.

How do I know if OneDrive is failing to start or just logging me out?

Check the Windows system tray in the bottom-right corner of your screen after a restart. If the OneDrive cloud icon is completely missing, the app failed to start. If the icon is present but has a slash through it or prompts you for your email, the app is running but has signed you out.

What is the Web Account Manager service?

The Web Account Manager is a core Windows service that handles secure logins and authentications for Windows applications, including Microsoft Store apps and OneDrive. If this service is disabled or set to manual, OneDrive may fail to remember your login information between reboots.

Login & Account Issues