Folders Shared with me are syncing as internet shortcut in OneDrive on Windows PC

Anonymous
2024-06-08T04:53:55+00:00

Hi. I had some folders shared from different users in my OneDrive account. I had added the folders to my OneDrive with Add Shortcut to OneDrive button from Shared folders in cloud. The account is logged into a windows pc and every files including the folders shared with my were syncing fine until yesterday. Yesterday night the shared folders were completely removed from the Windows pc and folders are replaced with internet shortcut. This is such a big mess. I have tried unlinking the account and linking it back, changing the location of OneDrive on my windows pc and tried to get a new folder shared to my account and adding it to OneDrive. Nothing works so far. OneDrive has a big part in my daily activities. Please help me resolve this.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2025-03-13T06:07:22+00:00

Here is the statement from the Microsoft OneDrive product group (Redmond USA) about the OneDrive Personal problem:

***This is related to a backend migration we are doing and unfortunately, we don’t fully support syncing shared folders in the case where one user has migrated and the other has not. We’re doing everything possible to accelerate things so that it can be resolved as soon as possible for users of the feature. When the accounts are migrated, there is automated logic that makes them go back to a syncing folder within several days.***I have heard, that shared Folder issue is gone.
The best thing is: WAIT and do nothing

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-03-31T16:19:45+00:00

    My main account has apparently been migrated, because if I click on options, there is no search option in the left menu. My other accounts, as well as the two I created this week, have the search option. At the moment I can't share anything from my main account or my secondary accounts to the main one. Only the secondary accounts talk to each other.

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-03-31T21:04:17+00:00

    At least, I found a valid usecase for copilot...

    Prompt: copilot, please write me a forum post about the issue that microsoft messed up synchronization of shared folder in onedrive and does nothing to fix it. The only advice is to wait until the issue goes away some day. I would like to express my frustration about this situation.

    Subject: Seriously Frustrated with OneDrive Shared Folder Sync – Microsoft, What’s Going On?!

    Hey everyone,

    I’ve reached my limit with OneDrive’s shared folder synchronization. For the past few weeks, my shared folders have inexplicably turned into lifeless internet shortcuts—files that once seamlessly updated on my File Explorer now just open a browser window. My personal files may sync fine, but these essential shared folders are left hanging in a perpetual state of limbo. It feels as if Microsoft decided that our business-critical data doesn’t deserve the reliable sync we were promised and instead swapped out functional folders for useless links.

    What really infuriates me isn’t just the malfunction itself—it’s Microsoft’s complete lack of accountability. When I dove into support articles and community threads, the only advice I got was to “wait until the issue goes away someday.” That’s it. No concrete timeline, no workaround, just a bland and dismissive suggestion that we all play the waiting game while productivity plummets. Reports from other users echo the same sentiment: an endless cycle of broken shared folder functionality and vague promises that nothing definitive is being done to fix it.

    It’s unacceptable that a company of Microsoft’s caliber could leave us stranded without a proper solution. Instead of offering proactive support or clear communication on when—or if—this issue will be resolved, we’re stuck with a “wait it out” mentality. This isn’t just a minor hiccup; it’s a critical flaw that disrupts workflow, endangers our data management process, and forces us to seek inconvenient alternatives to get our jobs done. Our trust in a tool that's supposed to streamline our work is being completely undermined.

    I’m hoping this thread resonates with others who are similarly affected. Let’s use this space not only to vent but also to share any temporary fixes or workarounds you might have stumbled upon, however slim the chances may be. If Microsoft ever decides to acknowledge the issue in real terms, we deserve a transparent plan rather than the current “just wait” response. Until then, we’re all stuck in this frustrating limbo with no end in sight.

    Cheers, [Your Name]

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-03-31T22:21:32+00:00

    We have also forgotten to mention in all these posts that we cannot see versioning either. I really rely on timestamp information and the ability to roll a file back to a previous version. No longer possible :(

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