How to fix OneDrive Sync error 0x8004deea in Windows?

OneDrive error code 0x8004deea means a policy on your PC blocks the account you are syncing, with the message Your IT department doesn't allow you to sync files from this location to your computer. The policy is the allow list or block list of organisations that OneDrive may sync. Check which list is set first, then ask IT or remove a leftover policy.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2 with the current OneDrive sync app.

What OneDrive error code 0x8004deea means

Error code 0x8004deea is OneDrive's way of saying that a rule on this PC forbids syncing this account. The rule is one of two OneDrive policies that Microsoft documents for IT admins. They let a company decide which organisations' OneDrive accounts may sync on its computers, so staff cannot easily upload work files to another organisation.

• The message: OneDrive can't sync with the line Your IT department doesn't allow you to sync files from this location to your computer. (Error Code: 0x8004deea).
• When it shows: when you add an account, or later, when an account that already synced suddenly stops. Microsoft's policy page describes both cases.
• What it is not: a network fault, a full disk or a broken OneDrive install. Resetting OneDrive leaves the policy in place, which is why the error often returns after a reset.
• Spellings people search: 0x8004deea, 8004deea, error code 0x8004deea, onedrive error code 0x8004deea. All are the same error.

A tenant ID is the long identifier of a Microsoft 365 organisation, written like 1111-2222-3333-4444 in Microsoft's example. Every work or school account belongs to one tenant. If the allow list is on and your tenant is not in it, OneDrive refuses the account. Microsoft adds that the allow list takes priority over the block list and that both should not be on at the same time.

Why OneDrive shows 0x8004deea: the causes, most common first

The order below follows Microsoft's policy documentation and the reports and answers on the Microsoft Q&A thread for this code, which has been active since 2021.

How to fix OneDrive error code 0x8004deea

Fix 1 tells you which kind of 0x8004deea you have and takes two minutes. Fix 2 is for company PCs, Fixes 3 and 4 for PCs you manage yourself. Fixes 5 to 7 are general OneDrive repairs for the rare case where no policy is set.

Fix 1. Check whether a OneDrive policy blocks your account

2 minutesLow riskEveryone, first. It tells you whether the block comes from your company or from an old setting.

Microsoft's policy page names the exact registry keys behind this error. Reading them changes nothing, and the result decides whether you need IT, a registry edit or a plain OneDrive repair.

1. Press Win + R, type cmd and press Enter.
2. Paste the command below and press Enter. It lists every OneDrive policy on the PC and does not change anything.

   reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\OneDrive" /s

3. Look for AllowTenantList or BlockTenantList in the output. Each line under them is a tenant ID.
4. If you see ERROR: The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value, no OneDrive policy is set: go to Fix 5.
5. Press Win + I and open Accounts > Access work or school. Note whether a work or school connection is listed.
6. A connection there, or a PC joined to a company domain, means the policy is managed: go to Fix 2. No connection on your own PC: go to Fix 3.

Note the value under AllowTenantList for your report to IT. The same key under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\OneDrive, without Policies, is not the policy; some older guides show that path by mistake.

Fix 2. On a company or school PC: ask IT to allow your organisation

5 minutes to ask, then IT's timeLow riskThe PC is managed by your employer or school, and Fix 1 found an allow list or a block list.

On a managed PC the list is set through Group Policy or Intune, and a local edit is overwritten. An answer on the Microsoft Q&A thread says it directly: IT has to adjust the allow list in the policy Allow syncing OneDrive accounts for only specific organizations.

1. Sign in to onedrive.com in a browser with the account that fails. If it opens there, the account works and only the sync on this PC is blocked.
2. Write down the email address of the account and the organisation it belongs to.
3. Copy the output of the reg query command from Fix 1 into your message.
4. Send IT the full error text: Your IT department doesn't allow you to sync files from this location to your computer. (Error Code: 0x8004deea).
5. Ask them to add the tenant ID of that organisation to Allow syncing OneDrive accounts for only specific organizations, or to remove it from Block syncing OneDrive accounts for specific organizations.
6. When IT confirms the change, restart the PC so the new policy is applied, then add the account in OneDrive again.

Fix 3. On your own PC: back up the registry and remove the old policy keys

10 minutesRead the warningThe PC is yours, no organisation manages it, and Fix 1 found AllowTenantList or BlockTenantList.

A policy key that no one manages any more stays in force until it is deleted. On the Microsoft Q&A thread, deleting the entries under the OneDrive policy key was the answer most users marked as helpful, and several wrote that OneDrive synced again afterwards.

A full registry backup with a restore point: Back up the registry before editing it

1. Quit OneDrive: select the OneDrive icon, the gear Help & Settings, then Pause syncing > Quit OneDrive.
2. Press Win + R, type regedit and press Enter. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.
3. Paste this path into the address bar of Registry Editor and press Enter:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\OneDrive

4. Right-click the OneDrive key, select Export and save the .reg file on your desktop.
5. Right-click the AllowTenantList subkey and select Delete, then Yes. Do the same with BlockTenantList if it exists.
6. Leave the other OneDrive policy values in place unless you know who set them and why.
7. Close Registry Editor, restart the PC and open OneDrive from Start. Sign in and choose the same folders as before.

Users on Microsoft Q&A who deleted all entries under the OneDrive policy key said OneDrive started as if it had been reset, so they had to choose their folders again. Deleting only the two tenant lists is the smaller change and removes the rule behind 0x8004deea.

Fix 4. If you run your own Microsoft 365 business tenant: add its tenant ID to the allow list

10 minutesRead the warningYou are the admin of a small business or family Microsoft 365 tenant and want to keep the allow list, but let your own organisation sync.

In the original Microsoft Q&A case a home Office 365 Business Basic user had this error. The accepted Microsoft answer was to create AllowTenantList with the user's own tenant ID, and the user confirmed that OneDrive synced again.

1. Find your tenant ID. Microsoft's page Find your Microsoft 365 tenant ID shows where it is in the admin centers.
2. Open Registry Editor and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\OneDrive. If the OneDrive key is missing, right-click Microsoft, select New > Key and name it OneDrive.
3. Right-click OneDrive, select New > Key and name it AllowTenantList, if it does not exist yet.
4. Select AllowTenantList, right-click the right pane and select New > String Value.
5. Name the value with your tenant ID, double-click it and enter the same tenant ID as Value data.
6. Restart the PC and open OneDrive from Start.

Fix 5. Unlink this PC and sign in to OneDrive again

5 minutes, then a sync checkLow riskThe policy was changed or removed, or Fix 1 found no policy, and the error still shows.

OneDrive keeps the account it was linked to and the state it saw when the block started. Unlinking makes it check the account against the current policy from the start. It was one of the steps in Microsoft's accepted answer on Q&A.

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar, then the gear Help & Settings > Settings.
2. Open the Account tab and check that the account shown is the one you want to sync.
3. Select Unlink this PC, then Unlink account. Your files stay on the PC and in the cloud.
4. When the Set up OneDrive window opens, sign in with the right account.
5. When OneDrive asks for the folder location, choose the old OneDrive folder so unchanged files are not downloaded again.

Fix 6. Reset OneDrive

5 minutes, then a full syncLow riskNo policy key is set, or it was removed, and unlinking did not help.

A reset clears OneDrive's settings on this PC and makes it start fresh. It does not touch the policy keys, so it only helps after Fixes 1 to 4 have dealt with the policy. Microsoft's accepted Q&A answer lists it as the last step.

1. Open the Run box. Press the Windows key and R at the same time.
2. Reset the Microsoft Store cache. Type the command below and select OK. A blank Command Prompt window opens and closes, then the Microsoft Store opens. Close it. This is the first step in Microsoft's instructions. If OneDrive still does not sync, continue.

   wsreset.exe

3. Run the OneDrive reset command. Press the Windows key and R again. Copy the command below, paste it into the box and select OK.

   %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

   

4. If Windows cannot find it, try the second path. If you see a message that starts with Windows cannot find, open the Run box again and use this command instead.

   C:\Program Files\Microsoft OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

5. If that fails too, try the third path. If you still see Windows cannot find, use this command. If none of the three works, the OneDrive sync app is not installed on this PC.

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

6. Start OneDrive again. Select Start, type OneDrive in the search box and select the OneDrive desktop app. OneDrive then starts a full sync.

These steps were written for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2, Windows 10 22H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: How to reset OneDrive in Windows

1. Restart the PC after the reset.
2. Open OneDrive from Start and sign in with the account that showed 0x8004deea.

Fix 7. Uninstall and reinstall the OneDrive app

15 minutesLow riskEverything above failed and you want to rule out a damaged installation.

A reinstall replaces the program files but keeps the policy keys, which live outside OneDrive. One user on Microsoft Q&A deleted the tenant list entries and then reinstalled OneDrive before it synced again. Use it as the last step, not the first.

1. Quit OneDrive: gear Help & Settings > Pause syncing > Quit OneDrive.
2. Press Win + I and open Apps > Installed apps (on Windows 10: Apps & features).
3. Find Microsoft OneDrive, select the three dots and Uninstall.
4. Restart the PC.
5. Download OneDrive from Microsoft's OneDrive download page, install it and sign in.

If the uninstaller fails, other ways to remove a program: Uninstall a program or app in Windows

If OneDrive still shows 0x8004deea: what to collect and who can help

0x8004deea is decided by policy, so the person who can fix it is whoever controls the policy. Gather the facts below once, and IT or Microsoft support can see the cause without repeating your tests.

• The account: its email address, whether it is personal or work or school, and whether onedrive.com works with it.
• The policy: the output of reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\OneDrive" /s from Fix 1.
• The management: what Settings > Accounts > Access work or school lists, and whether the PC is in a company domain.
• The history: whether the keys came back after you removed them, and after how long.
• The OneDrive version: gear Help & Settings > Settings > About.
• The full message: OneDrive can't sync, with the line about your IT department and the error code.

Are your files safe while 0x8004deea blocks the sync?

Yes. Microsoft describes the effect as files that stop syncing, not files that are removed. Your cloud copy stays on onedrive.com, and the OneDrive folder on the PC keeps what was synced before the block.

• Changes you make on the PC while the sync is blocked are not uploaded until the block is lifted.
• Files that are online-only (the cloud icon in File Explorer) cannot open while the account is blocked. Open them on onedrive.com meanwhile.
• After Fix 3, Fix 5 or Fix 6, point OneDrive at the same folder, so unchanged files are not downloaded again.

How to keep 0x8004deea from coming back

The error returns when a tenant list is set again: by a company policy refresh, by an old management tool, or by a registry tip copied from the web. Keep track of who sets OneDrive policies on the PC.

Frequently asked questions

What does error code 0x8004deea mean?

It means a OneDrive policy on the PC does not allow the account you want to sync. The window says OneDrive can't sync and that your IT department doesn't allow you to sync files from this location to your computer. Behind it is the allow list or the block list of organisations that Microsoft documents for IT admins. Your account and your files are fine; the rule on this PC is the problem. Fix 1 shows which rule is set.

I have no IT department. Why does OneDrive say my IT department blocks it?

The message is the same whoever set the rule. On a home PC the AllowTenantList or BlockTenantList key can be left by a former employer's management, by a tool, or by someone who followed a registry tip. In the original Microsoft Q&A case a home Office 365 Business Basic user saw the error. Run Fix 1 to find the key. If the PC is yours and nobody manages it, back up the registry and remove the key with Fix 3.

What is AllowTenantList?

AllowTenantList is the registry key behind the OneDrive policy Allow syncing OneDrive accounts for only specific organizations. It sits under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\OneDrive, and every value in it is the tenant ID of an organisation that may sync. Microsoft says users get an error when they add an account of any other organisation, and that an account already added stops syncing. The allow list takes priority over BlockTenantList, the opposite rule.

Why did the error come back a day after I fixed the registry?

Because the PC is managed. Group Policy and Intune write their settings again at the next refresh, so a removed or changed AllowTenantList returns. A user on Microsoft Q&A described exactly this: the registry fix worked for one day, then 0x8004deea was back. On a managed PC only the admin can change the policy, so send IT the details from the still-broken section and ask for your organisation to be added (Fix 2).

Will resetting or reinstalling OneDrive fix 0x8004deea?

Usually not on its own. The policy keys live in the Windows registry under the Policies branch, not in OneDrive's own settings, so a reset and a reinstall leave them in place. That is why many users report that the error stays after both. Deal with the policy first (Fixes 1 to 4). After that, a reset or a relink helps OneDrive pick up the change, which is why they are Fixes 5 to 7.

Can I sync a personal OneDrive account on my work computer?

Only if your company allows it. Microsoft's policy page talks about accounts from organisations that are not allowed and does not say how personal accounts are handled. A user on Microsoft Q&A who works in IT found his personal account refused on a domain PC with an allow list. If your work PC shows 0x8004deea for a personal account, ask IT, and use onedrive.com in the browser meanwhile.

Where do I find my tenant ID?

Your tenant ID belongs to your Microsoft 365 organisation, and an admin of that organisation can look it up. Microsoft's page Find your Microsoft 365 tenant ID shows where it appears in the admin centers. If you are not the admin, ask IT for it, or simply ask IT to allow your organisation. A personal Microsoft account does not have a tenant ID of its own, and a device ID is not the same thing.

Does 0x8004deea delete my files?

No. Microsoft describes the effect as files that stop syncing. The cloud copy stays on onedrive.com, and the OneDrive folder on the PC keeps what was synced before the block. New changes on the PC are uploaded once the block is lifted. Online-only files cannot open on the PC while the account is blocked, so open them in a browser until then.

Is there a fix for 0x8004deea on Mac?

This page covers Windows. The same organisation lists exist for the OneDrive app on Mac, but they are set through a different mechanism than the Windows registry, and we did not check the Mac steps for this guide. On a Mac, ask whoever manages it which OneDrive settings are set, and use onedrive.com in the browser meanwhile.

I searched in Portuguese, Spanish or German (como resolver, wie kann ich das umgehen, cuenta de trabajo). Does this page apply?

Yes, if you see 0x8004deea in OneDrive on Windows: the code is the same in every language, only the message is translated. In short, the error means your work account (cuenta de trabajo) or another account is blocked by a policy on the PC. Do not try to get around a company policy on a work PC; check the policy with Fix 1, then ask IT or remove an old policy on your own PC.