I have been experiencing an issue with the synchronization of shared OneDrive folders that started yesterday . Until now, I could successfully add shared folders to my OneDrive and have them sync locally, but now the folder is only appearing as a shortcut/link and is no longer treated as a regular folder in my OneDrive storage. Problem: Until yesterday, I could add shared folders to my OneDrive folder, and they would automatically sync so I could use the files directly on my PC. Since yesterday , the shared folder is now only appearing as a link/shortcut , and it is not syncing locally . The folder remains visible as an online link in the OneDrive Explorer, but I can't use it as a normal folder. This affects all shared folders , both from external users and internal ones. This change occurred suddenly on March 5, 2025 , and was not present before. What I have tried: Added the folder for synchronization again: This results in a link, not an actual sync. Updated the OneDrive client: I have installed the latest version of OneDrive, but the problem persists. Reinstalled OneDrive: I uninstalled and reinstalled OneDrive to fix any potential issues, but the problem remains. Cleared cache and stored credentials: This did not resolve the issue either. Checked the settings for a solution: I have reviewed all relevant options, but haven’t found a solution. Questions: Was this feature intentionally changed by Microsoft, or is this a bug? Is there any way to reverse this change or make shared folders sync locally again like before? Is it possible to sync shared folders without the online link appearing? What steps should I take to resolve this issue? Additional Information: I am using OneDrive for Personal and syncing multiple folders from different users. The files are still available online, but I am no longer able to use them offline as I did before. I would greatly appreciate your assistance in resolving this issue. Thank you for your support!

Hello Dear User Welcome to the Microsoft Community. I realize that you've encountered a problem with OneDrive shared folders and I understand how you feel. Thank you for taking the time to provide us with feedback on the shared folder anomaly issue. We are sorry that you are experiencing this issue, and we fully understand the distress this situation has caused to your work and life. We take the situation you described very seriously. At present, Microsoft has confirmed that this is a known issue, and the engineering team has now stepped in to deal with it, but as the fix needs to be synchronized to verify the stability of multiple platforms, the complete solution will still take a certain period of time. Please rest assured that this issue is always in the high-priority queue, and we will synchronize the latest developments through the official website and service push. Thank you again for your understanding and tolerance, your feedback is an important motivation for us to continue to optimize the experience. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask me, I will do my best to help you. Best Regards. Lee-MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Why Microsoft has not taken the decision to roll back the "configuration" to the version from the day the files and folders synchronization started to fail? what is the ETA for the fix?

this issue has been going on for a month and I don't think MS has been doing enough considering the urgency of the matter!!

Thanks for opening this issue. I can add an additional observation. For me, syncing shared folder is still working with shared folders of premium users (from a family plan). With all shares from non-premium users (even from within the family group) syncing is not working. I am really waiting to have this issue fixed.

On my Laptop (windows 11 operating system) an entire shared folder first disappeared. Then the folder reappeared, but renamed with the PC name (for example, if it used to be “folder name” it is now “folder name_PC name”): it seems that this folder synchronizes however only on my onedrive and is no longer connected to its source. Within this new folder, all the subfolders appeared, but with no contents (no files inside them). I realized only after a day that in the OneDrive path (local folder) where all synchronized folders are located, the link described by other users appeared, with which I can access only the online content, but with no possibility of local synchronization. Update March 18, 2025: The link has been replaced with a working, synchronized folder. The only difference from before, is that it is no longer visible (and thus selectable/deselectable for synchronization) from OneDrive settings: maybe because I am not the owner of the folder? Mystery... In the past few days, however, I found files within the folders, which we had to rearrange or correct because they were reporting internal errors (the files had been automatically renamed to “filename”_2025-DESKTOP).

OneDrive – Shared folders can no longer sync locally since yesterday

Anonymous

I have been experiencing an issue with the synchronization of shared OneDrive folders that started yesterday. Until now, I could successfully add shared folders to my OneDrive and have them sync locally, but now the folder is only appearing as a shortcut/link and is no longer treated as a regular folder in my OneDrive storage.

Problem:

Until yesterday, I could add shared folders to my OneDrive folder, and they would automatically sync so I could use the files directly on my PC.
Since yesterday, the shared folder is now only appearing as a link/shortcut, and it is not syncing locally.
The folder remains visible as an online link in the OneDrive Explorer, but I can't use it as a normal folder.
This affects all shared folders, both from external users and internal ones.
This change occurred suddenly on March 5, 2025, and was not present before.

What I have tried:

Added the folder for synchronization again: This results in a link, not an actual sync.
Updated the OneDrive client: I have installed the latest version of OneDrive, but the problem persists.
Reinstalled OneDrive: I uninstalled and reinstalled OneDrive to fix any potential issues, but the problem remains.
Cleared cache and stored credentials: This did not resolve the issue either.
Checked the settings for a solution: I have reviewed all relevant options, but haven’t found a solution.

Questions:

Was this feature intentionally changed by Microsoft, or is this a bug?
Is there any way to reverse this change or make shared folders sync locally again like before?
Is it possible to sync shared folders without the online link appearing?
What steps should I take to resolve this issue?

Additional Information:

I am using OneDrive for Personal and syncing multiple folders from different users.
The files are still available online, but I am no longer able to use them offline as I did before.

I would greatly appreciate your assistance in resolving this issue. Thank you for your support!

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.

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137 answers

Anonymous

2025-03-07T05:42:55+00:00

Hello Dear User Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

I realize that you've encountered a problem with OneDrive shared folders and I understand how you feel.

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with feedback on the shared folder anomaly issue. We are sorry that you are experiencing this issue, and we fully understand the distress this situation has caused to your work and life.

We take the situation you described very seriously. At present, Microsoft has confirmed that this is a known issue, and the engineering team has now stepped in to deal with it, but as the fix needs to be synchronized to verify the stability of multiple platforms, the complete solution will still take a certain period of time. Please rest assured that this issue is always in the high-priority queue, and we will synchronize the latest developments through the official website and service push.

Thank you again for your understanding and tolerance, your feedback is an important motivation for us to continue to optimize the experience. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask me, I will do my best to help you.

Best Regards. Lee-MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist
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Anonymous

2025-03-08T09:41:58+00:00

Why Microsoft has not taken the decision to roll back the "configuration" to the version from the day the files and folders synchronization started to fail?

what is the ETA for the fix?
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Anonymous

2025-03-10T17:43:09+00:00

this issue has been going on for a month and I don't think MS has been doing enough considering the urgency of the matter!!
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10+ people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2025-03-07T09:53:46+00:00

Thanks for opening this issue. I can add an additional observation. For me, syncing shared folder is still working with shared folders of premium users (from a family plan). With all shares from non-premium users (even from within the family group) syncing is not working.

I am really waiting to have this issue fixed.
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10 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2025-03-10T08:12:26+00:00

On my Laptop (windows 11 operating system) an entire shared folder first disappeared. Then the folder reappeared, but renamed with the PC name (for example, if it used to be “folder name” it is now “folder name_PC name”): it seems that this folder synchronizes however only on my onedrive and is no longer connected to its source. Within this new folder, all the subfolders appeared, but with no contents (no files inside them). I realized only after a day that in the OneDrive path (local folder) where all synchronized folders are located, the link described by other users appeared, with which I can access only the online content, but with no possibility of local synchronization.

Update March 18, 2025:
The link has been replaced with a working, synchronized folder. The only difference from before, is that it is no longer visible (and thus selectable/deselectable for synchronization) from OneDrive settings: maybe because I am not the owner of the folder? Mystery...

In the past few days, however, I found files within the folders, which we had to rearrange or correct because they were reporting internal errors (the files had been automatically renamed to “filename”_2025-DESKTOP).
Was this answer helpful?

8 people found this answer helpful.

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