OneDrive Status Icons and Context Menu Missing in File Explorer (Windows 11) – Workaround
Introduction
After recent OneDrive updates (builds 26.070+ and 26.074+) and Windows 11 updates (such as KB5089549), many users report that OneDrive’s File Explorer integration stops working.
Typical symptoms:
- The Status column is empty
- Cloud/checkmark icons are missing
- OneDrive context menu options are gone (Always keep on this device, Free up space, Share via OneDrive, etc.)
- Syncing still works, but Explorer integration is broken
The cause is related to corrupted per‑user OneDrive registrations, identity caches, and shell extension metadata. The procedure below performs a complete reset of all OneDrive components per user.
Workaround – Step‑by‑Step
1. Make all files “online‑only” (per user)
Settings → Sync and backup → Advanced settings → Free up disk space Use Task Manager to verify when OneDrive is finished.
2. Unlink the OneDrive account (per user)
Settings → Account → Unlink this PC
3. Uninstall OneDrive (once per machine)
Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Microsoft OneDrive → Uninstall
4. Delete the following folders (per user)
(Move them to the Recycle Bin first, just in case)
%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive
%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneAuth
%localappdata%\Microsoft\IdentityCache
%localappdata%\OneDrive ← additional folder sometimes present (contains Cache)
%userprofile%\OneDrive
5. Rename the OneDrive registry hive (per user)
Code
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive
→ HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive.old
6. Reboot the machine
7. Reinstall OneDrive
Run OneDriveSetup.exe (latest version from Microsoft).
8. Sign in again (per user)
OneDrive will now create:
- a fresh SyncRoot
- new identity tokens
- new shell extension registrations
- a clean provisioning state
This may take a while, depending on how many files and folders are stored in your Onedrive cloud
9. Cleanup (per user)
If everything works:
- empty the Recycle Bin
- delete OneDrive.old from the registry
Result
- Status icons restored
- Context menu options restored
- OneDrive sharing works again
- Explorer integration fully functional