DUPLICATED ACCOUNTS

Craig Ntsiruweni Mukhuba 0 Reputation points
2026-09-25T07:56:18.07+00:00

I'm having a problem related to my account. There are 2 accounts in my name and that's been creating problems with my One drive syncing. The one account is showing that I have exceeded my storage limit whilst the other account has only used %. How do I delete one account?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Other
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  1. GsN5034 - IA 78,075 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-25T08:39:17.1833333+00:00

    Hello,

    Step 1:

    • Open two incognito tabs (Private browsing windows)

    Sign in with your Microsoft Account (A) using the link below.

    https://onedrive.live.com/?v=managestorage

    You can just copy and paste the link into the address bar in the private window on both tabs.

    Then, in another private Window, sign in with your Microsoft Account (B).

    This will tell you which account has exceeded the storage limit.

    Step 2:

    • Back up all of your files from the OneDrive account that says your storage is full to your local drive.

    https://onedrive.live.com/

    Download the files to your local desktop folder.

    Ensure all your files are safely in the local folder (not in OneDrive).

    Step 3:

    • Unlink your account from the OneDrive Desktop app.

    Right-click the OneDrive icon on the taskbar and go to Settings.

    Then, select Accounts > Unlink this PC.

    Step 4:

    • Delete all your files from OneDrive (the account that exceeded the storage limit).

    https://onedrive.live.com/

    Make sure you also empty the Recycle Bin folder.

    Step 5:

    • Decide which Microsoft account you want to back up all of your files to in OneDrive.

    You can then sign in to the OneDrive app on your PC with that account.

    Launch OneDrive > Sign in with your account.

    During the sign-in, you can select which folders need to be backed up to OneDrive (Like Documents, Pictures, etc...). If you have more pictures and exceed the limit, you will get a OneDrive storage full error.

    So, you can disable the backup for this folder or upgrade your storage and sync this folder.

    If you wish to close/permanently delete one Microsoft account, go to

    How to close your Microsoft account website.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-25T07:56:39.72+00:00

    Microsoft personal accounts cannot be merged into one account. The practical path is to choose the account to keep, move any files needed from the other account, then remove or close the account no longer needed.

    Recommended steps:

    1. Identify which account is actually over quota.
      • Sign in to each account separately.
      • For the account showing full, open OneDrive storage and check what is using space.
      • OneDrive storage includes OneDrive files, photos, and items in the Recycle Bin.
    2. If the full account contains files that must be kept, move them first.
      • Download the files from the account that will be removed.
      • Upload them to the account that will be kept.
      • This is important because if an account stays over quota, files become read-only, and after 6 months over quota, files may be deleted and are non-recoverable.
    3. Reduce storage on the account that is over limit if needed before cleanup.
      • In OneDrive, open Manage your OneDrive storage.
      • Empty the Recycle Bin and delete files that are no longer needed.
      • If a shared folder is consuming space, remove that shared folder from OneDrive.
      • If needed, buy more storage temporarily.
    4. If the duplicate sign-in is caused by the same email being used for both a personal account and a work or school account, rename the personal Microsoft account.
      • Go to Manage how you sign in.
      • Set an existing alias as Make primary, or add a new alias.
      • This can remove the repeated account-selection prompt.
    5. Close the account that is no longer needed.
      • First confirm the account to keep has the files and subscription wanted.
      • If the unwanted account has a Microsoft 365 subscription, cancel that subscription on the services page before closing the account.
    6. If OneDrive is still syncing the wrong account on the device, use OneDrive account support or technical support to correct the sync/account state.

    If the issue is specifically that one is a personal Microsoft account and the other is a work or school account with the same email address, the accounts are separate and not duplicates in the merge sense. In that case, either rename the personal account alias or contact the organization tied to the work/school account.

    For direct help with the account and sync issue, use Contact Microsoft Support for personal accounts.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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