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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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

Was this answer helpful?

200+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

3,079 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2024-06-23T16:21:53+00:00

    That is interesting. Thanks for the insight. Makes sense that this would be deliberate, nasty move but understandable from a business perspective, if well communicated beforehand.

    Reminds me when they reduced the free storage from 10GB to 5GB, and people just stopped receiving e-mails and didn't know what happened.

    But why would they be OK with having people losing access to files? How can they, as reports here suggest, let this go on for over a month for paying users, even if small business using family accounts?

    If the "recipient" of the share got the files replaced by link, but the owner of the shared files didn't, I would agree with you 100%, but that is not what is happening. Owner and recipient alike got the folder replaced by a link. But like a plane crash, this disaster must have multiple causes. I'm still baffled, can't make sense of the situation and MS's response, or lack of response more likely.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2024-06-23T16:37:33+00:00

    In looking at this further, I believe it's possible some users will have lost files entirely to this 'feature' - it's impossible to re-create this situation but what I believe happened is

    User with access to the shared folder is working on files 'offline' - they're not connected to the Internet/Onedrive

    User reconnects - OneDrive sees their changes but the 'change' which makes the folder into a 'shortcut' is newer so it just replaces the entire folder with the "shortcut" and their changes are gone - forever - no means of recovery

    2 users of the OneDrive I've been looking at have reported loss of data like this and looking into this the last changes to the files in the folder are now 7 days old - but they were working on those files just 3 days ago (offline) - those changes were never synced to OneDrive before the "shortcut" replaced the folder

    This changes things a bit from 'removing a feature without notice' to 'actively destroying user data without permission' and we'll be needing a MUCH better answer than "we're looking into this" at this point...

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2024-06-23T16:53:52+00:00

    Honestly, 2 weeks and still not a solution for this issue? Picked Onedrive for the great functionality of accessing shared folders and documents via File explorer. If this main functionally now coming back to normal, i will have to move to Google Workspace. I ques a lot of users are thinking the same.

    Any one know if this problem affecting all types of windows 365 ( private, family, business)? What i read googling around is that the issues seams affecting 365 Family accounts. But haven't seen this information verified from Microsoft yet. Or is this just a way for Microsoft to get family accounts to be moved to more expensive business 365 taking away the functionality of sharing files in file explorer between "family members" aca small businesses using family accounts for up to 5 invites?

    Any one here having the same problem with private or business accounts?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2024-06-23T17:46:45+00:00

    we had same concern we setup clean computer and found the issue was only in cloud server any file that disappeared when in the local trash or online trash. we also found it is a permission error causing issue, and we aloud microsoft onedrive team to review remotely everything t days ago they still do not have fix. we still using temp goodsync software work around with our client.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments