By David, , updated
OneDrive is supported on Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) multi-session hosts when the sync app is installed per machine and users' profiles are roamed with FSLogix. Install it with OneDriveSetup.exe /allusers, start it at sign-in, sign users in silently with their Microsoft Entra ID account, and the sync app behaves on a pooled host the way it does on a laptop.
The short version: remove any per-user OneDrive, install per machine with
/allusers, set OneDrive to start for all users, turn on SilentAccountConfig, and redirect known folders with KFMSilentOptIn. Keep FSLogix on its latest release, and leave Files On-Demand on so the profile container doesn't fill with synced files.
Why per-machine matters on multi-session
By default, the OneDrive sync app installs per user, under %localappdata%. On a pooled AVD host that means a copy of the executable in every user's profile container, updates that run inside each profile, and executable files running from user profiles. Microsoft's guidance for non-persistent virtual desktops is explicit: install the sync app per machine (Use the sync app on virtual desktops).
The per-machine install puts OneDrive under Program Files, installs once for every user on the host, and otherwise behaves the same as the per-user app, with the same release notes and update rings (Install the sync app per-machine).
| Per-user install (default) | Per-machine install | |
|---|---|---|
| Installed to | Each user's %localappdata% | Program Files |
| On pooled AVD | Lands in every profile container | Installed once on the image |
| Updates | Per profile | Per machine, same release cadence |
| Supported on non-persistent AVD | No | Yes, with FSLogix |
Setup checklist
Microsoft's AVD image guidance gives the full sequence (Install Office on a custom VHD image). In order, on the image:
- Download OneDriveSetup.exe to a staging folder.
- Remove any per-user OneDrive. If you installed Microsoft 365 Apps without excluding OneDrive, uninstall the per-user copy first with
OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall. - Set the per-machine flag. Set
AllUsersInstallto1underHKLM\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive. - Install per machine. Run
OneDriveSetup.exe /allusersfrom an elevated prompt. - Start OneDrive at sign-in for all users. Add OneDrive to the machine Run key, pointing at
C:\Program Files\Microsoft OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /background. - Sign users in silently. Set the SilentAccountConfig policy to
1underHKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\OneDrive, so OneDrive signs in with the user's Windows account. Microsoft notes silent sign-in works when the machine is connected to Microsoft Entra ID. - Redirect known folders. Set KFMSilentOptIn to your Entra tenant ID under the same policy key, so Desktop, Documents and Pictures move into OneDrive without prompting the user.
- Install the latest FSLogix. Microsoft says all non-persistent VDI environments need the latest version of FSLogix for OneDrive, and an outdated one produces the
FSLogix_unsupported_environmentsync error.
Files On-Demand and the profile container
With Files On-Demand on, OneDrive shows every file but downloads only the ones a user opens. That matters on AVD, because whatever OneDrive downloads lives in the user's profile container on your file share. Leave Files On-Demand on, and resist policies that pin whole libraries to "always keep on this device" for pooled users.
If OneDrive data makes containers big, FSLogix lets you put Office and OneDrive data in a separate ODFC container with its own size limit, such as a small profile container and a larger Office container (FSLogix container types).
One session per container
Microsoft notes OneDrive with FSLogix doesn't support running multiple instances of the same container at once. Avoid configurations where a user can have two concurrent sessions on the same profile container, such as the same user signed in to two pools that share a profile share.
Troubleshooting OneDrive on AVD
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
FSLogix_unsupported_environment error | FSLogix isn't installed or isn't current | Install the latest FSLogix release on the image |
| OneDrive asks users to sign in every session | Silent account configuration not set, or the host isn't connected to Entra ID | Set SilentAccountConfig, check the host's join state |
| OneDrive missing for some users | Per-user install on the image, or the Run key missing | Reinstall per machine with /allusers and set the Run key |
| Profile containers growing fast | Files pinned locally, or Files On-Demand off | Turn on Files On-Demand, consider an ODFC container |
| Sync conflicts after reconnecting | Two sessions using the same container | Limit users to one session per profile |
| OneDrive gone from new hosts | An optimization baseline removed it | Check your baseline doesn't uninstall OneDrive |
On multi-session AVD, OneDrive goes on the image per machine and user data stays in OneDrive, not on the host. FSLogix carries the sync state between hosts.
Where Atlas AVD helps
- OneDrive removal stays off unless you choose it. Atlas's Windows Desktop Optimization has a OneDrive Removal module that uninstalls OneDrive. It's off by default and meant only for environments that don't use OneDrive, so a standard Atlas build leaves your per-machine install alone. The WDOT post lists every module.
- FSLogix from the current release. When Atlas installs FSLogix on a host or bakes it into an image, it installs Microsoft's current release, which is what OneDrive needs on non-persistent hosts.
- Container growth you can see. FSLogix Management lists each pool's profile containers with their size and last use, and checks file share capacity every 15 minutes, warning at 85%.
Atlas doesn't install OneDrive or set its policies. Put the per-machine install on your golden image, capture it from Imaging, and set the OneDrive policies with Group Policy, Intune or the image.
FAQ
Is OneDrive supported on Azure Virtual Desktop multi-session?
Yes. Microsoft supports the OneDrive sync app on non-persistent AVD desktops when it's installed per machine and profiles use FSLogix.
How do I install OneDrive per machine?
Run OneDriveSetup.exe /allusers from an elevated prompt. It installs under Program Files for every user on the machine. Remove any per-user copy first.
Why does OneDrive show FSLogix_unsupported_environment?
The sync app checks for a supported FSLogix setup on non-persistent VDI. Install the latest FSLogix release on the session hosts.
Should I use Files On-Demand on AVD?
Yes. It keeps downloaded files to what users actually open, which keeps FSLogix profile containers small.
Can I move users' Documents and Desktop to OneDrive on AVD?
Yes. Set the KFMSilentOptIn policy with your tenant ID, and OneDrive redirects known folders silently. That also makes migrations to AVD easier, because users' documents follow them rather than their old profile.
Does Outlook belong in the same container as OneDrive?
It can. See Outlook cached mode on AVD for sizing the profile container for both.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Microsoft details are drawn from Microsoft Learn as of November 2026: Use the sync app on virtual desktops, Install the sync app per-machine, Install Office on a custom VHD image and FSLogix types of containers.