OneDrive Access Failure, Microsoft 365 Sign-in Errors and File Recovery

Because error 8004e4f3 reports high traffic, stop all OneDrive and browser sign-in attempts temporarily, allow the throttling period to expire, and then perform only one clean sign-in test before changing the Mac configuration.^1^

1. Preserve recoverable files first

Do not delete, rename, move, unlink, or reset the existing OneDrive folder yet.

1. Quit OneDrive so it cannot process local changes.
2. In Finder, inspect the files you need:
   • If a file opens normally, it has local content. Copy it—not move it—to a new folder outside OneDrive or to an external drive.
   • If it shows a cloud icon, is zero bytes on disk, or cannot open without OneDrive, it may be an online-only placeholder. Files On-Demand requires an active connection and sign-in to access online-only content.^2^
3. Preserve the original folder unchanged after copying everything currently readable.

This precaution is important because although the general reset procedure says files are not lost, Microsoft documents a specific Files On-Demand migration-failure scenario in which resetting can remove local content that was never synchronized.^2^

2. Test after the throttling cooldown

After waiting without further attempts:

1. Use a private browser window with extensions disabled.
2. Sign in once with the work account—not the personal account used for the separately purchased Microsoft 365 subscription.
3. If practical, test once through a mobile hotspot. Microsoft identifies firewalls, VPN configuration, and internet-provider filtering as possible causes when OneDrive cannot connect.^3^

Since Incognito already produced the redirect loop, do not keep repeating browser tests. If the work OneDrive site still redirects and the desktop client still hangs, escalate to the organization’s administrator before resetting the Mac. Microsoft directs work/school users who still cannot sign in with their organizational identity to their IT helpdesk or administrator.^4^

3. Administrator checks

Ask the administrator who issued the work account to verify:

1. Microsoft 365 admin center → Users → Active users → your account
   • The account exists and Sign in blocked is not displayed.
   • Licenses and Apps includes a license with the SharePoint Online service enabled.^5^
2. SharePoint admin center → More features → User profiles → Manage User Profiles
   • Your SharePoint user profile exists. OneDrive requires that profile to provision the personal site.^6^
3. Check OneDrive and SharePoint service health and determine whether your personal OneDrive site still exists.
4. If unresolved, open a Microsoft 365 business support case with:
   • Error 8004e4f3
   • Approximate timestamps and time zone
   • The affected account and OneDrive site, shared privately
   • Any correlation/request IDs shown

Failure from both web and desktop strongly indicates an account, tenant, network, or service-side issue, but it does not by itself eliminate every possible Mac-side problem.

4. Mac credential repair—only after tenant access is confirmed

Because reinstalling did not help, the next new client-side action is clearing the cached OneDrive credential:

1. Open Spotlight → Keychain Access.
2. Search for OneDrive.
3. Delete only OneDrive Cached Credential.
4. Start OneDrive and sign in with the work account.^7^

Do not delete unrelated Office or Microsoft identity entries; that helps avoid disturbing the separately activated Office apps.

If that fails and all readable local files have been copied safely, reset OneDrive:

1. Quit OneDrive.
2. Open Applications.
3. Control-click OneDrive → Show Package Contents.
4. Open Contents → Resources.
5. Run ResetOneDriveApp.command, or ResetOneDriveAppStandalone.command for the standalone build.
6. Start OneDrive and, when asked for a location, select the previous OneDrive syncing location.^8^

Resetting disconnects every configured personal and work/school sync connection and triggers a full resynchronization, so use it only after preservation and tenant verification.

File safety and recovery

A sign-in failure does not itself establish that cloud files were deleted. OneDrive cleanup begins when the Microsoft Entra user account is deleted; merely blocking sign-in or removing the license does not initiate that deletion process.^9^

If the administrator deleted the account, the OneDrive is retained for the configured period—30 days by default—and then remains in a deleted state for 93 days, during which a SharePoint administrator can restore it.^10^ Request restoration immediately if account deletion is discovered.

References

1. how to solve too many requests in the sign in - Microsoft Q&A
2. Fix OneDrive Files On-Demand issues on macOS 12.1 or later | Microsoft Support
3. Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in OneDrive
4. Can't sign in to OneDrive | Microsoft Support
5. Troubleshooting guide to OneDrive for Business sites stopped at provisioning stage
6. OneDrive for Business stopped at "Setting up..." or "We're still setting up a few things" screen
7. [Error messages](https://support.microsoft.com/onedrive/what-do-the-onedrive-error-codes-mean)
8. Reset OneDrive | Microsoft Support
9. OneDrive retention and deletion
10. Restore a deleted OneDrive