Test OneDrive from the iPad over a different network—preferably a phone hotspot—because failure in multiple browsers and on iOS makes the current network path or a service/account issue more likely than browser cache.
1. Isolate the network
- Disconnect the iPad from its current Wi-Fi.
- Connect it to a mobile hotspot or unrelated Wi-Fi network.
- Open the OneDrive app and try signing in.
- Also open
https://onedrive.live.com/ in Safari.
Microsoft specifically recommends a hotspot test when OneDrive reports that it is not connected.^1^
- If OneDrive works on the hotspot: the original network likely has DNS, firewall, VPN, web-filtering, parental-control, or ISP interference. The hotspot is a diagnostic test and temporary workaround; the permanent fix is to correct the original network.
- If it fails on both networks: continue with the account, service-health, and iOS checks below.
If testing requires disabling a VPN or security/web-filtering feature, do so only briefly and re-enable it immediately afterward. Prefer having the network administrator add the required OneDrive endpoints to an allowlist.
2. Apply the correct account-specific network checks
Determine which account is affected:
- Personal OneDrive: normally signs in with a personal Microsoft account.
- Work or school OneDrive: supplied and managed by an employer or school.
For a personal account:
- Sign in to the Microsoft Account dashboard to verify that the credentials and account are working.
- If access works on a hotspot but not the original network, check whether its firewall or filtering allows the consumer OneDrive hosts over TCP ports 80 and 443. Microsoft publishes the applicable host list.^2^
- If you use BT Broadband, verify whether BT Web Protect is enabled. Microsoft documents that it can block OneDrive at the network level.^3^ Disable it only long enough to test, restore it afterward, and contact BT for a narrower configuration if that confirms the issue.
For a work or school account, do not use the consumer endpoint list. Ask the Microsoft 365/network administrator to:
- Open Microsoft 365 admin center → Health → Service health.
- Check active incidents or advisories for OneDrive and SharePoint Online.
- If no incident exists, validate the network against Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 URLs and IP address ranges, rather than the consumer OneDrive list. Service-health information requires an appropriate admin role.^4^
If the admin center itself is inaccessible, Microsoft’s public service status page can show known sign-in problems.^4^
3. If the browser specifically reports a DNS error
If the Windows browser shows DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN, server not found, or site can’t be reached:
- First verify that the Microsoft 365 subscription is active.
- On Windows, select Start, enter cmd, and open Command Prompt.
- Run:
ipconfig /flushdns
- Close and reopen the browser, then test OneDrive again.
Microsoft documents subscription state and stale local DNS as possible causes for this specific symptom.^5^
4. Reset OneDrive on the iPad
If OneDrive still fails on the iPad even over a different network:
- Open OneDrive → Profile → Settings → Account.
- Select the affected account if more than one is configured.
- Select Reset.
- Try signing in again.
If resetting does not help, uninstall OneDrive, restart the iPad, and reinstall OneDrive from the App Store. Resetting or reinstalling affects the local app state; files already stored in OneDrive remain online, although app preferences may need to be configured again.^6^
If it still fails on unrelated networks after the account and service checks, contact Microsoft Support for a personal account or the organization’s IT administrator for a work/school account, providing the exact browser and iPad error text.
References
- Troubleshoot OneDrive for iOS app problems | Microsoft Support
- Required URLs and ports for OneDrive
- Overview
- How to check Microsoft 365 service health
- Error 'DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN' when accessing OneDrive or Sharepoint
- [iOS](https://support.microsoft.com/onedrive/reset-onedrive#to-reset-onedrive-on-ios)