OneDrive Icon Missing in Windows 11: How to Fix

Sadique Hassan•Updated Mar 9, 2022

In this guide, we will show you the steps to fix the OneDrive icon missing issue on your Windows 11 PC. There are quite a few file hosting service providers and a slew of new ones are stepping into this domain as well. The new ones distinguish themselves by proving additional GBs of free cloud space, however, for most users, it’s the stamp of safety and security on their files that matters more than getting a few extra GBs. In that regard, the likes of Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive are usually the go-to choice for many users.

And its the latter one that has seen a rise in its popularity in recent times, thanks in parts to its integration into the Windows OS. This allows you to easily share, transfer, and sync files right from your File Explorer, without even the need to open the app. However, inspite of all the goodies attached, it isn’t free from its fair share of issues. As of now, various users have voiced their concern that the OneDrive icon is missing from their Windows 11 PC.

The app is still installed on their PC as they verify the same from the Control Panel/Settings menu. However, in spite of that, the app’s icon is nowhere to be found. For some,m the issue is even more concerning as the icon is missing from the system tray, taskbar, and even the File Explorer. If you are also stuck in a similar situation, then this guide shall help you out. In this tutorial, we will show you the detailed steps to fix the issue of the missing OneDrive icon missing from your Windows 11 PC. Follow along.

Table of Contents

How to Fix OneDrive Icon Missing in Windows 11

There exist two different methods through which you could resolve this issue, and we have listed both of them below. It is recommended to start off with the first fix as for many users, that did the job on the first try. However, if it doesn’t work out for you, then you may hop on to the next fix.

FIX 1: Via Registry Editor

In this method, we will be tweaking the registry values for OneDrive. So before moving ahead, it is recommended that you take a backup of the registry files on your PC. Once done, you may then proceed with the below instructions:

Head over to the Start Menu, search Registry Editor, and open it.
Then copy-paste the below location in its address bar:
```
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive
```
Now double click on the DisableFileSyncNGSC from the right-hand side and change its value to 0.
If DisableFileSyncNGSC is not there, then right-click on the OneDrive folder and select New > DWord (32-Bit) Value.
Then name it DisableFileSyncNGSC. After that, double click to open it, type in 0 in the Value Data field, and hit OK to save it.
Next up, select the DisableFileSync file and change its Value Data to 0 as well.
If DisableFileSync is not there, then right-click on the OneDrive folder and select New > DWord (32-Bit) Value.
Then name it DisableFileSync. After that, double click to open it, type in 0 in the Value Data field, and hit OK to save it.
Finally, restart your Windows 11 PC and check if it brings back the missing OneDrive icon or not.

FIX 2: Using Group Policy Editor

There is a local group policy editor setting that would prevent you from uploading any and every file type over to OneDrive. Likewise, it will also hide the app’s icon from your PC and stop other third-party or system apps from interacting with it. So let’s verify that this policy hasn’t been configured or implemented 0n your PC. And if it has been, then let’s disable it right away. Follow along.

To begin with, enable Group Policy Editor on your Windows 11 PC.
Then bring up the Run dialog box via Windows+R shortcut keys.
After that, type in the below command and hit Enter to open Group Policy Editor.
```
gpedit.msc
```
Now go to the following location from the left-hand menu bar:
```
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive
```
Now double click on the “Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage” from the right-hand side.
Select Disabled from the top left and then click Apply > OK to save.
Finally, restart your PC for the policy to be implemented. That’s it. It should rectify the underlying issue.

So with this, we round off the guide on how you could fix the issue of the missing OneDrive icon from your Windows 11 PC. We have listed two different methods for the same, do let us know in the comments which one spelled out success for you. Likewise, all your queries are welcomed in the comments section below.

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