How to fix ‘Connecting to d.docs.live.net’ error in OneDrive?

OneDrive gives you access to your Microsoft Office files from wherever you’re located using any device as long as there is a network connection. OneDrive also allows users to share files with colleagues so that they can collaborate on their projects. Usually, the sync icon appears on files that are saved to OneDrive. However, some users have been getting an error message when trying to access their files or shared files on OneDrive. The error reads in full:

• “Connecting to d.docs.live.net – Enter your credentials”.

From the error, we can see that the Windows Security prompt requires you to sign back into your Outlook account. Some users complained that even after entering their credentials, they were required to sign in again to perform any action, such as editing or saving the file. Today we will teach you how to remove the popup with credentials when connecting to d.docs.live.net.

What Causes the ‘Connecting to d.docs.live.net – Enter your credentials’ Error?

The primary source of the error is likely to be from the Microsoft Office Upload Center. According to Microsoft, the Upload Center provides the user with important information regarding the state of the files being uploaded. Among other things, it notifies you if an error occurs during the uploading process and allows you to save the file if you’re offline so that it can be uploaded when you connect to a network. As you can see, the Microsoft Office Upload Center helps you to check the progress of your files as they are being uploaded to OneDrive.

Another area of concern is a malware infection. Cybercriminals have some tricks up their sleeves and are always looking for backdoors through which to inject worms into your system. So, it’s important to ensure that you have a powerful security tool installed on your PC to prevent security threats from invading your PC.

How to Fix the OneDrive Error “Connecting to d.docs.live.net” When Opening Microsoft Office Files

Fix 1: Get Rid of PC Junk

Besides virus infections residing in your system, OneDrive errors can be caused by system issues. Luckily, they could be resolved by running regular maintenance on your computer. Removing junk files from your computer can resolve a lot of common PC issues. For Windows 10, try using the Disk Cleanup utility by following the steps below:

1. Go to “Start” and navigate to “Control Panel”. Alternatively, simply type “Control Panel” (no quotes) in the Windows Search box and press “Enter”.
2. Click the drop-down menu in the “View by:” option, and then select “Small icons”.
3. Click on the “Administrative Tools” link.
4. Double-click on the “Disk Cleanup” shortcut, choose the drive that you wish to clean, and then click “OK”.
5. Check the boxes of the files that you want to be deleted, and then click “OK”.
6. Click “Delete Files” when asked to confirm if you want to permanently delete the selected files.
7. Once done, Disk Cleanup will close automatically.

Most users said this fix had removed the popup with credentials when connecting to d.docs.live.net.

Unfortunately, junk files are not the only problems that might alter or affect your PC’s performance, and trying to manually check your system for issues can be a complicated process. That’s why we recommend using a trusted optimization tool like Auslogics BoostSpeed. The tool combines more than 18 meticulously engineered modules that are capable of fixing common PC issues, such as stability problems caused by corrupted registry keys or insufficient space caused by the accumulation of PC junk.

Auslogics BoostSpeed tweaks non-optimal programs and allocates the system resources to the active programs. This way, your computer’s performance improves and your programs load faster. With the application, you can schedule regular maintenance to always keep your PC running at optimal levels.

Fix 2: Delete the Office Upload Center Cache

If the data in the Upload Center cache folder gets corrupted, it could result in the ‘Connecting to d.docs.live.net’ OneDrive error. Clearing the cache usually fixes the issue. To do so, here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the Windows Search box using the Win + S shortcut, type “Microsoft Upload Center” (without quotes), and then press “Enter”.
2. In the “Microsoft Office Upload Center” window, open “Settings” and then click “Delete cached files”.
3. Once the process is complete, reboot your PC.

Once Windows loads, try to open the OneDrive files that triggered the Windows Security pop-up window to see if the issue has been resolved. If not, try the next fix below.

Fix 3: Remove Credential Manager

1. Press “Start”, type “Control Panel”, and hit “Enter”.
2. In the “Control Panel” window, click the “User Accounts” link.
3. Open the “Credential Manager” link.
4. Switch to the “Windows Credentials” section.
5. Now, search under “Generic Credentials” for “MicrosoftOffice16_Data…etc.” and click on the “Remove” link. This entry stores your sync details with Microsoft and enables OneDrive to function correctly.
6. After the entry is removed, restart your PC.
7. Next, open Microsoft Word or any Office application and try to open the file that you were previously trying to access.
8. If the file opens, go to File > Account, and add your OneDrive account.

Fix 4: Check for System File Corruption

It’s possible that malware has deleted or corrupted crucial system files, causing OneDrive to malfunction, hence the ‘Connecting to d.docs.live.net – Enter your credentials’ error message.

To scan your system files for corruption, Windows has a built-in utility called System File Checker (SFC). To run an SFC scan, follow these steps:

1. Right-click “Start” and open “Command Prompt (Admin)”.
2. Type the command sfc /scannow andhit “Enter”. The system will verify the files and repair any corrupted system files.

Fix 5: Check for Windows Updates

Some PC errors can be resolved by installing the latest Windows updates. These updates deliver patches that fix bugs and also improve the functionality of some features and apps. To download and install Windows updates:

1. Press the Windows Key or click the “Start” menu and click on “Settings” (the gear icon).
2. Open Update & Security > Windows Update.
3. Click “Check for updates” and wait for Windows to search for any available updates.

If there are pending updates, they will automatically be installed on your PC. Restart the machine and try to access the Office files that triggered the ‘Connecting to d.docs.live.net’ error in OneDrive. If it’s still there, move on to the next fix.

Fix 6: Reset OneDrive

It could be that OneDrive is not working properly. If that’s the case, you could try resetting OneDrive as a last resort. This operation deletes all OneDrive data.

Here are the steps:

1. Press the Win + R keyboard shortcut.
2. Copy and paste the following path in the “Run” dialog box:
   • %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset
3. Press “Enter” or click “OK”.
4. The OneDrive icon in your system tray should disappear and reappear momentarily. However, if the icon doesn’t reappear after a while, open the “Run” box again and enter the following path:
   • %localappdata%\\Microsoft\\OneDrive\\onedrive.exe
5. The path above reopens OneDrive after performing the reset. Now, go to the system tray and right-click the OneDrive icon.
6. Select “Settings” and then click on the “Choose folders” button.
7. Check the files that you want to sync, ensuring that the ones you were previously trying to access are set to sync.

Resetting OneDrive should resolve the ‘Connecting to d.docs.live.net – Enter your credentials’ error.

Hopefully, the solutions in this post should help you to fix the OneDrive error “Connecting to d.docs.live.net” when opening Microsoft Office files. Let us know if you’re still encountering issues by commenting below.