How to Fix Error 0x8007016a ‘Cloud File Provider Is not Working’

Several Windows users have been encountering the Error 0x8007016A when trying to delete or move folders or files located inside the OneDrive folder. The error code is accompanied by the message ‘Cloud File Provider Is Not Working’. Most affected users have reported that this error message is occurring with an up-to-date version of OneDrive. In most cases, the issue is reported to occur on Windows 10.

What is causing the Error 0x8007016A: The Cloud File provider is not running?

We investigated this particular issue by looking at various user reports and the repair strategies that are most commonly used to fix this particular issue. As it turns out, there are several different culprits that might lead to the apparition of this issue:

If you’re currently searching for a fix for the Error 0x8007016A: The Cloud File provider is not running, this article will provide you with several different troubleshooting steps. Down below, you’ll find a collection of potential fixes that other users in a similar situation have successfully used to resolve this issue and resume the normal functionality of OneDrive.

To ensure that you remain as efficient as possible, we encourage you to follow the methods in the order that they are presented and ignore those potential fixes that are not applicable to your current situation. One of the methods below is bound to resolve the issue regardless of the culprit that’s causing it.

Method 1: Updating Windows 10 to the latest build (if applicable)

As it turns out, if you’re using Windows 10, chances are the issue is being caused by a bad update introduced on October 12. This update effectively ended up breaking the syncing feature of Onedrive for a lot of users. Fortunately, Microsoft was fairly quick in releasing a hotfix for the issue and made it available for everyone via WU (Windows Update).

However, if you installed the bad update (KB4457128) but failed to install the hotfix for it, you might be encountering this issue as a result. If this particular case is applicable to your current situation, you should be able to resolve the issue by installing the hotfix. The simplest way to do this is to leave WU to install every pending update that is available.

Here’s a quick guide on forcing WU to install every pending update on Windows 10:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Then, type ‘ms-settings:windowsupdate’ inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Windows Update tab of the Settings app.

   

2. Once you’re inside the Windows Update tab, move over to the right-hand side and click on Check for Updates to inspect if any pending updates are available.

   

3. If new updates are identified, follow the on-screen prompts to install every pending update.
   Note: If you’re prompted to restart during this procedure do so, but make sure to return to this screen after the next restart sequence and continue with the installation of the remaining Windows updates.
4. Once every available update is installed, restart your computer once again and see if the issue has been resolved once the next startup sequence is complete.

If you’re still encountering the Error 0x8007016A: The Cloud File provider not working with certain files or folders located in the OneDrive service, move down to the next method below.

Method 2: New Folder workaround

There is a little trick/workaround you can try in order to delete these files. Basically, you will create a new folder and delete that because when you create a new folder it’s not immediately synced with OneDrive, So it will make your files offline and you will be able to delete them, Follow these steps:-

1. Open the folder containing affected files.
2. Right-click on the empty area and hover your mouse on the option “New“.
3. Now select “Folder“. Once you create a new folder. Move the affected files into that folder.
4. Now delete that new folder and your files should be removed.

   

5. Check if the issue is resolved.

Method 3: Disabling File-On Demand

Most affected users have reported that they managed to resolve the issue by disabling Files On-Demand from the OneDrive’s Settings menu and then deleting the semi-synced file from OneDrive. This procedure is effective in instances where a file is not fully synced – it has a thumbnail, but the file-size reads 0 KB.

After doing this and restarting their computer, most affected users have reported that the Error 0x8007016A: The Cloud File provider not working no longer occurred when they tried to open or delete a file or folder located inside OneDrive. This has been a recurring bug with OneDrive for a couple of years now, and it still remains unpatched at the time of writing this.

Here’s a quick guide on demanding File-On Demand from OneDrive’s Settings and deleting the semi-synced file from the shared folder:

1. Make sure that the main service of OneDrive is running. If it isn’t, restart your computer or press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Then, type ‘cmd” and press Enter to open up a Command Prompt window.
2. Inside the elevated Command Prompt, type the following command to start the main OneDrive service automatically:

   start %LOCALAPPDATA% \Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /client=Personal

   Note: If the OneDrive service is already enabled, skip the first two steps and jump straight to step 3.

3. Once you’ve ensured that the OneDrive service is enabled, go to the bottom-right section of the screen and find the OneDrive icon. When you see it, right-click on it, then click on the More icon and then click on Settings from the context menu.
   Note: If you can’t see the OnDrive icon from the get-go, click on the Show hidden icons arrow on your taskbar to make the OneDrive icon visible.
4. Once you’re inside the Microsoft OneDrive properties, select the Settings tab, then scroll down to the Files On-Demand section and check the box associated with Save space and download files as you use them.
5. Click Ok to save the changes & wait for the OneDrive service to restart.
6. Click on the OneDrive taskbar icon, then click on Open folder from the newly appeared menu.
7. Locate the folder that you’re encountering the issue with (the one that is throwing the 0x8007016A error). When you see it, right-click on it and choose Delete.
8. When the semi-synced folder has been deleted, restart your computer to force your OS to fully restart the services and dependencies of OneDrive.
9. Once the next startup is complete, see if the issue has been resolved by trying to move, delete or rename files inside the OneDrive folder.

If you’re still encountering the same error message even after following the instructions above, move down to the next method below.

Method 4: Resume syncing

It’s also possible that you’re encountering this issue because of the fact that OneDrive syncing is temporarily disabled in the settings menu. This can happen as a result of manual user intervention or after a power plan or another 3rd party application has disabled the syncing process in order to conserve power.

Several affected users have managed to resolve the issue by accessing OneDrive’s settings and resuming the syncing process. After doing so and restarting the service, most affected users have reported that the issue has been resolved.

Here’s a quick guide on resuming OneDrive syncing on Windows 10:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Then, type “cmd” and press Enter to open up a Command Prompt.

   

2. Inside the Command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter to ensure that the OneDrive service is running:

   start %LOCALAPPDATA% \Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /client=Personal

3. Once the process is started, click on the Onedrive taskbar icon, then click on More from the newly appeared menu.
4. From the newly appeared context menu, click on Resume Syncing to resume the normal functionality of OneDrive and allow it to sync the file freely.

   

5. After you’ve done this, open the folder that was previously triggering the 0x8007016A error and try to replicate the issue.

If the same error message is still appearing even after you’ve ensured that syncing is enabled, move down to the next method below.

Method 5: Modifying the power plan (if applicable)

As several different users have reported, this particular issue can also occur if you’re using a restrictive power plan that is actually stopping the syncing feature in order to conserve battery power. Obviously, this can only occur on laptops and other portable PCs.

Several affected users have reported that they managed to resolve the issue by accessing the Power Options menu and making the switch to a power plan that doesn’t include the stoppage of file syncing.

Here’s a quick guide on modifying the power plan on your Windows computer to ensure that your OS is not blocking the syncing feature of OneDrive:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Then, type “powercfg.cpl” inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Power Options menu.

   

2. Once you’re inside the Power options plan, move over to the right-hand pane and change the active power plan from Power Saver to Balanced or High Performance.

   

3. Once the active power plan has been changed, restart your computer and see if the issue has been resolved once the next startup sequence is complete.

If the same 0x8007016A error is still occurring, move down to the next method below.

Method 6: Resetting OneDrive

Another method but one that might make you lose some user preferences is to reset the Onedrive to the factory settings. This can be done easily from a Run dialog box, but keep in mind that after doing so you will lose your saved login credentials and any other locally cached data is used to save user setting preferences.

Several affected users have reported that they managed to resolve the issue by using a series of commands to reset and restart the OneDriver service. But keep in mind that this procedure will also re-sync all your OneDrive files.

If you decide to go this route, here’s a quick guide on performing a OneDrive reset:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Then type the following command and press Enter to reset the OneDrive service:

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

2. After a couple of seconds, your OneDrive will be reset. In case the service doesn’t restart automatically, launch it manually by opening another Run dialog box and running the following command:

   %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe
   

3. With the service restarted, try to delete, move or edit the file that was previously throwing the Error 0x8007016A: The Cloud File provider and see if the issue has been resolved.

If the same error is still occurring, move down to the next method below.

Method :7 Removing the glitched folder forcibly with Powershell

If you’re a tech-savvy user and none of the methods above have helped you to get rid of the 0x8007016A error, this method should allow you to forcibly remove the folder that ends up triggering the error inside the OneDrive folder.

Several affected users have confirmed that this method was effective in allowing them to clean the OneDrive folder of glitched folders that we’re producing the Error 0x8007016A: The Cloud File provider everytime they tried to delete, move or rename them.

Here’s a quick guide on removing a glitched folder forcibly with an elevated Powershell window:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Then, type “powershell” inside the text box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up an elevated Powershell window. When you’re prompted by the UAC (User Account Control) prompt, click Yes to grant administrative privileges to the Powershell window.

   

2. Once you’re inside the elevated Powershell window, type the following command and press Enter to get rid of the Onedrive folder that is causing the issue:

   Remove-Item "OneDrive folder name" -Recurse -Force

   Note: Keep in mind that “OneDrive folder name” is just a placeholder for the exact name of the folder that you’re trying to delete. Make the changes accordingly before running this command.

3. Once the command is successfully completed, restart your computer and see if the issue has been resolved at the next system startup.

If the same Error 0x8007016A: The Cloud File provider is still occurring, move down to the final method below.

Method 8: Performing a repair install

If none of the methods above have helped you to resolve the issue, the final method should resolve every possible instance in which the error will occur as a result of a bug, glitch or system corruption. A couple of users have confirmed that performing a repair install on their Windows 10 computer has helped them to resolve the Error 0x8007016A: The Cloud File provider. 

This procedure will refresh all Windows components including OneDrive without touching any of your personal files (personal data, applications, games, user preferences and anything else). It’s superior to a clean install but ultimately has the same degree of efficiency when it comes to resolving corrupted files that might be causing errors of this kind.

To perform a repair install on your Windows 10 computer, follow the steps on this article (here).