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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  1. Anonymous
    2025-03-14T13:52:57+00:00

    Technically speaking, some of the items do have a grain of truth in them:

    ....reinstalling OneDrive

    Does nothing indeed, this is a server issue, not client.

    ....un-share&re-share the folders

    The root cause is migration of accounts to new server type (SharePoint Foundation). So for most people this does not work. But if the account that shares with you has been migrated to the same environment as you, the .URL file will stay at least for a few days. If that is the case, un-sharing and re-sharing will work and will fix the issue a bit faster.

    ....closing and resetting account

    Once you close your account, you won't be able to create it with the same email. Indeed, do not do that!

    ....deleting the links to the shared folders created in the personal folder, and then resetting it back

    Same as above - unshare&reshare

    ....migrating to a new account

    Newly created accounts seem to be created mostly in the SharePoint Foundation environment, so this could help you connect with the migrated accounts, especially if all you're using your account for is linking to various shared folders and using their quota. But it also means you lose access to your current OneDrive files and/or that you have to pay for another OneDrive with different email address associated, which is a sacrifice that not everyone can make.

    Also, adding a random data point - from my 6 M365Family accounts, three were migrated already (and two of them very recently). So hopefully the migration will happen across the board relatively soon and the only impact will be a sour taste in our mouths and a different folder icon in Explorer for shared folders (out with the human symbol, in with the blue link).

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-03-14T13:02:32+00:00

    unbeliveable that microsoft doesn't bring a fix for that issue which is open since so long!

    I have the issue since this month only, I am seriously considering stopping my family subscription

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-03-14T11:25:49+00:00

    Ah Ok, it was just an idea, but what you say makes sense. guess we will just have to wait

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-03-14T11:22:32+00:00

    When will this ben fixed? It's been over half a year and the problem still exists.

    On top of that I can't edit any shared folder anymore (impossible to copy files to the folder or add any files) even though settings are 'can edit'. Is this linked tot the same issue?

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