Fix: Duplicate OneDrive Icons in Windows 11 File Explorer

🐛 The Problem

Open File Explorer on Windows 11, and you’ll see two OneDrive entries in the left navigation pane:

• OneDrive
• OneDrive - Personal

Both point to the same folder. Reinstalling OneDrive, signing out and back in, or resetting the app doesn’t fix it.

This is a widespread bug that has been reported since late 2024 and continues to affect fresh Windows 11 installations.

🔍 Root Cause: A Rename Gone Wrong

OneDrive registers itself in the File Explorer navigation pane via entries under this registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace

Each sub-key is a CLSID (a GUID in curly braces) that tells Explorer to show a special folder.

What went wrong: During a OneDrive update, Microsoft renamed the personal OneDrive entry from OneDrive to OneDrive - Personal. The update process:

• ✅ Created a new registry entry with the name OneDrive - Personal
• ❌ Failed to remove the old registry entry named OneDrive

Both CLSIDs now coexist under NameSpace, and Explorer dutifully renders both — hence the duplicate.

Why Common Fixes Don’t Work

🛠️ The Fix: Clean Up the Registry (3 Minutes)

⚠️ Back up first: In Registry Editor, go to File → Export to save a .reg backup.

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Win + R, type regedit, hit Enter. Click “Yes” on the UAC prompt.

Step 2: Navigate to NameSpace

Paste this path into the address bar at the top and press Enter:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace

Step 3: Identify the Duplicate

Under NameSpace, you’ll see several sub-keys named as GUIDs (e.g., {018D5C66-...}).

Click each one and check the (Default) value in the right panel:

• One will show OneDrive - Personal → Keep this one
• Another will show OneDrive → Delete this one

The legacy CLSID is typically {018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}, but verify by checking the Default value.

Step 4: Delete the Old Entry

Right-click the sub-key whose Default value is OneDrive → Delete → Confirm.

Step 5: Refresh Explorer

No reboot needed. Just restart Explorer:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
2. Find Windows Explorer in the process list
3. Right-click → Restart

The duplicate icon should be gone.

🔬 Alternative: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Method

If you can’t find duplicates under NameSpace, try:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID

Press Ctrl + F, search for OneDrive, and look for entries with a System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree value. If you find two OneDrive-related CLSIDs, set the old one’s System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree to 0.

⚠️ Note: Changes under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT may revert after a reboot. The NameSpace deletion method above is more reliable.

🛡️ Prevention Tips

• Keep OneDrive updated — Microsoft may eventually clean up the stale entry automatically
• Check after major Windows updates — Feature updates can re-introduce registry leftovers
• Back up your registry before making changes

📋 Summary

This is a classic case of Microsoft renaming something without cleaning up after itself. When OneDrive Personal’s display name changed from OneDrive to OneDrive - Personal, the old registry entry was left behind, causing Explorer to show both.

The fix is straightforward: open Registry Editor, navigate to NameSpace, delete the stale entry, and restart Explorer. Done.

References:

• Microsoft Q&A - OneDrive is duplicated in file explorer
• Reddit r/Windows11 - OneDrive appearing twice
• Super User - Duplicated OneDrive icon in explorer