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🔧 OneDrive UAC Troubleshooting Guide

Applies To: Windows systems with missing OneDrive context menu options
Issue: If you are missing OneDrive context menu items in Windows File Explorer, you won't see the options to "Share" or "View online".

This could be because your organization has restricted certain settings, or because OneDrive may be running with "elevated privileges", which is not supported.

1 Check Elevated Privileges Status

  1. Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager
  2. Select the Details tab
  3. If you don't see the Elevated column, right-click a column header and choose Select columns and check the Elevated option to add it to the view
  4. Look at the Elevated column for the OneDrive.exe and Explorer.exe processes
  5. Select the tab which describes the result:
Elevated is No
Elevated is Yes
OneDrive is not listed

If the Elevated status is "No"

Change the User Account Control security settings using the steps below:

1. Open Local Security Policy

secpol.msc

Run this command to open the Local Security Policy.

2. Navigate to Security Options

Expand Local Policies, then open the Security Options.

3. Configure UAC Policies

Look for the policies regarding the User Account Control and set them as shown below:

Policy Security Setting
Virtualize file and registry write failures to per-user locations Enabled
Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation Disabled
Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode Enabled
Only elevate UIAccess applications that are installed in secure locations Enabled
Only elevate executables that are signed and validated Disabled
Detect application installations and prompt for elevation Enabled
Behavior of the elevation prompt for standard users Prompt for credentials
Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode Elevate without prompting
Allow UIAccess applications to prompt for elevation without using the secure desktop Disabled
Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator account Enabled

4. Restart Computer

Restart the computer to apply the changes.

If the Elevated status is "Yes"

Install OneDrive using the per machine installation option.

Notes:
  • By default, the OneDrive sync app installs per user, meaning OneDrive.exe needs to be installed for each user account on the PC under the %localappdata% folder.
  • With the per machine installation option, you can install OneDrive under the Program Files (x86) directory, meaning all profiles on the computer will use the same OneDrive.exe binary. Other than where the sync client is installed, the behavior is the same.
  • Administrators can install OneDrive.exe with the /Allusers parameter.

Alternatively, set the User Account Control (UAC) to the lowest setting within the Control Panel by following the steps shown under "Elevated is No".

If OneDrive is not listed

If the OneDrive desktop app is installed on your computer, you should see the Share option when you right-click a file or folder in Explorer.

Troubleshooting Steps:

  • If OneDrive is not running or the desktop app is not installed, you will not be able to share from File Explorer or Finder.
  • You can still share OneDrive files and folders from onedrive.com.
  • If you don't see the OneDrive icons on the taskbar or notification area, launch OneDrive.
  • Windows users should select the OneDrive app with the folder icon.
✅ After fixing, the OneDrive right-click menu will show "Share" and "View online" again.