Microsoft OneDrive Runs at High CPU on MacOS

If OneDrive takes all your CPU over an extended time, it may be a sync conflict, most likely caused by offline edits.

One way one can cause this problem is with the following steps:

1. Create a file myFile.docx
2. Create a file myNewFile.docx
3. Sync.
4. Go offline.
5. Rename myFile.docx to my myOldFile.docx
6. Rename myNewFile.docx to the first filename: myFile.docx
7. Sync.

The fix was:

• Remove all old versions of the file, like myOldFile.docx.
• Sync all devices where the files had been synced, including phones and tablets.

Hint: If you do not know which file may cause this, look at possible conflicting OneDrive files in the Finder. If OneDrive integration is activated (System Preferences > Extensions > Finder > OneDrive Finder Integration), green and grey circles show the status of the files. Files that consistently show grey circles are probably problematic.