Microsoft’s OneDrive is part of recent versions of the Windows operating system, including the latest Windows 11. With default settings, the OneDrive icon appears on the taskbar or taskbar system tray.
The OneDrive icon on the taskbar is handy for accessing various settings and options. You can click the OneDrive icon to open the flyout, showing all recently synced files. The flyout also lets you access OneDrive settings.
Sometimes, the OneDrive icon from the Windows 11 taskbar might go missing. If the OneDrive icon is missing from the taskbar, you can do a few things to restore it.
This guide shows you how to restore the missing OneDrive icon back to the Windows 11 taskbar.
NOTE: We suggest you reboot your computer once before trying out the solutions mentioned below.
Solution 1 of 4
Check if OneDrive is running
This might sound stupid, but the OneDrive taskbar icon appears only when the OneDrive app is running. With default settings, OneDrive automatically starts with Windows. However, if you have removed it from the Windows startup to improve the Windows boot time, it will not start automatically.
Here is how to launch the OneDrive app.
Step 1: Type OneDrive in the taskbar or Start menu search field and then press the Enter key.
If the OneDrive icon was missing because the app was not running, the OneDrive taskbar icon should appear in a few seconds.
Tip: If OneDrive is not running automatically with Windows 11, it is likely because it has been removed from the Windows startup. Go to Windows 11 Settings > Apps > Startup and then turn on the OneDrive to let it load automatically with Windows 11.
Solution 2 of 4
Check if the OneDrive icon is hidden
Click the small arrow icon on the right side of the taskbar to see all icons hidden from the taskbar system tray.
Solution 3 of 4
Turn on the OneDrive icon in the Settings app
The Settings app lets you hide the OneDrive icon from the Windows 11 taskbar. Check if you have hidden the icon accidentally. Here is how.
Step 1: Open the Windows 11 Settings app. Go to Personalization > Taskbar page.
Step 2: Click Other system tray icons to see a list of icons that can be shown or hidden. In this list, turn on the OneDrive to show the OneDrive icon on the taskbar. The icon should immediately appear on the taskbar.
Solution 4 of 4
Reinstall OneDrive to restore the OneDrive
If the above solutions do not help you restore the OneDrive icon back to the taskbar, you can try reinstalling OneDrive.
You can refer to our how to uninstall OneDrive from the Windows 11 guide and then install a fresh copy of OneDrive from the Microsoft Store to complete the reinstallation.
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