- Software and digital services
- Office suites
0x8004DEF0
Microsoft 365 0x8004DEF0 in OneDrive: changed or expired credentials
Risk level
Medium
Proceed carefully and stop if the check is unclear.
Urgency
Medium
Quick answer
OneDrive shows 0x8004def0 because your account credentials changed or expired. Check whether you can get into other Microsoft services, such as Outlook.com or Office 365, with the same account.
Safety first
Stop and check this first
- Change your password only from your account's or organisation's official portal, not from links received by email.
Safe checks you can perform
- Access to other Microsoft services
- Sign in to OneDrive again
- OneDrive on the web and service status
Leave these tasks to a qualified professional
- Do not attempt this professional task: Microsoft Entra sign-in logs
- Do not attempt this professional task: Check the user's password state
What a technician must be able to justify
Technician visit
These are the steps they must carry out and show you. Tick them as they work: if steps are skipped, do not accept a part swap.
These are not instructions for opening or handling the equipment yourself. They are the checks that should support a technical conclusion.
Microsoft Entra sign-in logs
What they doThe administrator reviews the user's OneDrive attempts at the time of the error in the Microsoft Entra admin center, Monitoring & health, Sign-in logs.
They must show youthe failed attempt entry.
In writingthe failure reason and the change applied.
Check the user's password state
What they doThe admin checks whether the user's password expired or was changed under the organisation's password policy, and guides the change through the set process.
They must show youthe account state.
In writingthe action taken.
Before accepting a part or repair
Nothing has been shown yet. Do not accept a part swap based on the code alone.
Follow these steps
Note: Follow the documented order. An error code identifies the affected system, but it does not prove by itself which part has failed.
Access to other Microsoft services
- Who:
- you.
- How:
- sign in to Outlook.com with your personal account, or to Office 365 with your work or school account.
- Result that matters:
- whether the same account gets into other services.
- If it does:
- sign in to OneDrive again with the current password.
- If not, or it asks for a change:
- update it through your organisation's or account's process.
- Evidence to keep:
- service tried and result.
Evidence: What do the OneDrive error codes mean?
Sign in to OneDrive again
- Who:
- you.
- How:
- once the password is current, open OneDrive from Start and sign in with it.
- Result that matters:
- whether OneDrive syncs again.
- If it syncs:
- old saved credentials were the problem.
- If the code stays:
- tell IT support.
- Evidence to keep:
- time of the new sign-in.
Evidence: What do the OneDrive error codes mean?
OneDrive on the web and service status
- Who:
- you.
- How:
- from the OneDrive icon choose View online, or go to OneDrive.com. If you cannot get in, check the status of Office Online services on the Service Health portal.
- Result that matters:
- whether your files show on the web and whether an incident is posted.
- If there is an incident:
- wait for Microsoft to fix it before changing anything.
- If the web works and there is no incident:
- the fault is on the PC or the account.
- Evidence to keep:
- screenshot of the web or service status with the time.
Evidence: What do the OneDrive error codes mean?
Still not solved
If the error persists, stop here. See what the technician must do and show you.
Where this code applies
A code is meaningful only inside the right product and version context.
Primary scope
- System
- Software and digital services
- Brand
- Microsoft 365
- Product type
- Office suites
Known code variants
- 0x8004def0
- 8004def0
- OneDrive 0x8004def0
What it means
Microsoft says 0x8004def0 can appear if account credentials have changed or expired, for example when the organisation has a policy that forces password changes at set intervals. It suggests checking whether you can access other Microsoft services with the personal account, or sign in to Office 365 with the work or school account. The code does not say whether the password expired or was changed on another device.
Warnings and stop conditions
- Loweditorial warning
Change your password only from your account's or organisation's official portal, not from links received by email.
Evidence: What do the OneDrive error codes mean?
Symptoms and causes
Probable causes · in order
- Password changed elsewhereCommon
You changed it recently and OneDrive still uses the old one.
Evidence: What do the OneDrive error codes mean?
- Password expired by organisation policyPossible
The web also asks you to change it or will not let you in.
Evidence: What do the OneDrive error codes mean?
Virtual technician
Does 0x8004DEF0 still appear after these checks?
Answer a few questions to narrow down the likely cause and the safest next action. Guidance only - it never replaces a professional.
Sources and technical references
- 1
What do the OneDrive error codes mean?
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
- 2
What are Microsoft Entra sign-in logs?
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
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