To add another OneDrive account to File Explorer on Windows 11 or Windows 10 22H2, select the OneDrive cloud icon, select Help and Settings, then open Settings > Account > Add an account and sign in. You can connect a work or school account alongside your personal account, another work or school account, or a personal account if none is already connected.
The OneDrive sync app allows only one connected personal account, so two personal accounts require one of the alternatives below. Sign in only through Microsoft’s own app or website, and never share a code, password, or remote access with someone who contacts you.
The short version
- Direct setup: Select Add an account in OneDrive settings to connect an eligible additional account.
- Personal accounts: A second personal account cannot join the sync app while another personal account is connected.
- Shared folders: An editable shared folder can appear inside the personal account already syncing.
- Other options: Separate Windows users, account replacement, and third-party drive mounting serve different needs.
| Option or check | When you need it | Result or restriction |
|---|---|---|
| Add an account | You have an eligible additional account | A separate OneDrive entry in File Explorer |
| Install OneDrive | The sync app is missing | Enables setup without changing account limits |
| Check account types | Before connecting another account | Only one personal account can sync |
| Personal shared folder | You need folders from another personal account | Editable shared content inside your existing OneDrive |
| Internal work or school shortcut | A colleague has shared a folder | Shared content inside your organizational OneDrive |
| Check shortcut behavior | A shared folder opens your browser | Access affected content through OneDrive on the web |
| Separate Windows user | You need another personal account in its own session | Separate File Explorer access on Windows 11 |
| Replace the connected account | You want to switch personal accounts | The previous account stops syncing |
| Organizational library sync | You need Microsoft 365 library content | Synced organizational files in File Explorer |
| B2B Sync | Another organization shares eligible content | Requires guest access and compatible policies |
| RaiDrive mounting | You want another account as a drive | Third-party mounting rather than OneDrive desktop sync |
| Install RaiDrive | You choose the mounting option | Check the vendor’s edition and licensing requirements |
| Automatic organizational setup | IT manages an eligible PC | Connects the Windows organizational identity |
| Review organizational policies | Your managed device blocks an account or library | IT must permit the account or content |
| Check Windows compatibility | Before desktop setup | Use Windows 11 or Windows 10 22H2 |
Add the second account in OneDrive
First, identify whether each account is personal or work or school. If both are personal, choose shared folders, a separate Windows user, account replacement, or drive mounting from the sections below. If the combination is supported, continue with the OneDrive desktop app.
Windows 11 normally includes OneDrive. If the app is missing or was uninstalled, get the Windows installer from Microsoft’s OneDrive download page, install it, and open OneDrive to complete account setup. Installing the app does not change its personal-account limit.
On Windows 11 or Windows 10 22H2, select the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar notification area, select Help and Settings, then open Settings > Account > Add an account. Enter the second account’s email address and select Sign in. Complete authentication and continue through OneDrive Setup.
At This is your OneDrive folder, select Next to accept the folder location, or select Change location first to choose another location. Finish setup, and File Explorer shows the connected accounts separately, with labels identifying your personal account or organization. You can then use OneDrive to access each account’s synced files.
Add shared folders from another personal account
If you only need selected folders from another personal account, have that account share the folders with the personal account already syncing on your PC, with editing permission. This adds shared content inside your existing OneDrive. It does not create a second account entry in File Explorer.
Sign in to OneDrive on the web using the receiving account and open Shared. Locate a folder marked Can edit, right-click it, and select Add shortcut to My files. The shortcut becomes available through the receiving account’s OneDrive, including File Explorer when folder synchronization works.
If the folder appears as a .url Internet shortcut and opens your browser, Microsoft identifies this as a current shared-folder issue. Access the shared content through OneDrive on the web while the shortcut is affected. Recreating the shortcut is not a guaranteed fix for normal folder synchronization.
Use a separate Windows user for the other account
A separate Windows user lets another personal OneDrive account sync within that user’s session. This option suits access to the accounts in separate Windows sessions. It does not put both personal OneDrive entries together in your original session.
On Windows 11, open Settings > Accounts > Other users > Add account. Enter the second Microsoft account’s email address and complete Windows user setup. Sign in to that Windows user, open OneDrive, and select Sign in using the second account.
Complete OneDrive Setup, including the account’s folder location. Its files then appear in File Explorer within that Windows user’s session.
Replace the personal account currently syncing
Replace the connected account when you want the other personal account to become the one that syncs on this PC. This does not keep both personal accounts synchronized. Unlinking lets you turn off OneDrive account syncing before connecting the replacement account.
Unlinking stops the current account from syncing on this PC without deleting its cloud files, and previously downloaded files can remain locally. On Windows 11 or Windows 10 22H2, select the OneDrive cloud icon, select Help and Settings, then open Settings > Account > Unlink this PC. Select Unlink account to confirm.
Open OneDrive again and sign in with the other personal account. Complete setup using that account’s folder location. The newly connected account becomes the personal account syncing on the PC.
Add shared work folders and organizational libraries
If someone inside your organization has shared a folder with your work or school account, you can add it inside that account’s existing OneDrive. Sign in to OneDrive on the web using the receiving organizational account, then open Shared > With you. Right-click the folder and select Add shortcut to My files, then access it inside your synced OneDrive folder in File Explorer.
Microsoft excludes externally shared organizational folders from this shortcut procedure. For a folder shared by another organization, follow the B2B Sync procedure below if your account and the sharing arrangement qualify.
For SharePoint or Teams library content, sign in to the relevant Microsoft 365 organization and open the Microsoft 365 app launcher. Select SharePoint or Teams, open the site, then open Documents or the subfolder you want. Select Sync, continue in the OneDrive desktop app, and complete sign-in and setup if requested.
You can also select Sync from an organizational OneDrive browser location. SharePoint and Teams content appears under an organization folder in File Explorer, so syncing a library does not necessarily create another OneDrive account entry. Your organization must allow synchronization for these steps to work.
Sync content shared by another organization
B2B Sync lets eligible work or school recipients access another organization’s shared OneDrive or SharePoint content in File Explorer. You need a Microsoft Entra guest account, permission at the folder or site level, and policies that allow external sharing and synchronization. Both organizations must use the same Microsoft cloud; personal-account recipients and anonymous links are excluded.
Open the organization’s sharing invitation, select Organizational account, and sign in with your own work or school account. Open the shared folder or library and select Sync. Continue in Microsoft OneDrive; if setup appears, select Sign in and complete setup.
The external organization’s content then becomes accessible in File Explorer. If permissions or organizational policies block synchronization, ask IT to review access and the external-sharing restrictions described below.
Mount the second account as a Windows drive
RaiDrive lets you access another OneDrive account as a mounted Windows drive. This uses third-party drive mounting rather than Microsoft’s OneDrive desktop synchronization. Check the vendor’s current edition and licensing requirements before choosing this option.
Get the Windows installer from the official RaiDrive download page and install it. Open RaiDrive and select Sign In on its Welcome screen to sign in to RaiDrive, because the drive list appears only after you sign in. Then select Add, choose Personal, choose OneDrive, then select My files. Choose a drive letter and name, then select Connect.
Sign in to the second Microsoft account in the browser and select Accept. RaiDrive mounts that account as a Windows drive. For a work or school account, choose the OneDrive entry under Business instead; for additional connections, repeat setup with different drive letters.
Resolve account restrictions on a managed PC
If your managed PC blocks an additional account, ask IT to review the OneDrive policies in Group Policy or Intune. The relevant settings are Prevent users from syncing personal OneDrive accounts, Allow syncing OneDrive accounts for only specific organizations, and Block syncing OneDrive accounts for specific organizations. These policies control which accounts can sync, but changing them does not increase personal-account capacity.
For externally shared folders, ask IT to also review Prevent users from syncing libraries and folders shared from other organizations. After IT permits the account or content, return to Add an account or select Sync for the library.
On an eligible Microsoft Entra-joined Windows PC, your administrator can also configure automatic setup for the Windows-associated organizational account. The administrator opens Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > OneDrive, selects Silently sign in users to the OneDrive sync app with their Windows credentials, and sets it to Enabled. The same policy is available through Intune.
This setup uses your Windows organizational identity, and you may still receive screens for folder selection and location. It provisions that work account without bypassing the personal-account limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Microsoft 365 Family let you sync two personal OneDrive accounts together?
Microsoft 365 Family does not turn personal accounts into work or school accounts. Your OneDrive sync app’s one-personal-account limit still applies.
Can you add a shortcut to an individual shared file?
You cannot add an individual shared file using the shared-folder shortcut procedure. That procedure applies to folders shared with your receiving personal account with editing permission.
Can you follow these steps on an older Windows 10 version?
Use Windows 10 22H2 for the current desktop setup methods. Microsoft ended OneDrive desktop-app support for Windows 10 21H2 and earlier on August 15, 2026, and continued operation on those versions is not guaranteed.
Should you install the old OneDrive for Business client to add another account?
Do not install the old Groove.exe client to obtain another account slot for SharePoint Online. Microsoft ended its support with SharePoint Online; use the current OneDrive sync app and select Add an account instead.