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!

Mine wasn't working for months. Suddenly last week it started working with no input from me. So frustrating it took this long to migrate my (or my wife's, I'm not sure) account.

This is a fantastic guide, thanks for your time posting all the steps. It's been about 4 months not working for me, at a critical time when I needed access to shared documents via Windows. I agree with others sentiment, Dropbox, Google and others do this seamlessly, and Microsoft seem to be nonchalant about impact on their users, many of whom are 'advanced' (less advanced wouldn't be sharing folders). I had high hopes your instructions would work for me. Alas, after following the instructions diligently my Windows laptop still shows the same problem. Both users have the "Restore my onedrive" indicating they are both on v2 servers. I've never had a duplicate link (orange circled) however, nor a lengthy "'Processing .... changes' " option though. Does anyone know how to trigger this or any other way around? (it's been a couple of weeks since a post in this forum).

Thanks everyone! I had kicked up a big stink with Microsoft and they kindly escalated my case and it was rectified in less than a week. They also gave me a free 3 months subscription on my Microsoft 365 account. Apparently it was a security flaw in One Drive that created this chaos. https://www.csa.gov.sg/alerts-and-advisories/alerts/al-2025-051

As of yesterday, I've noticed that shared folders are back to normal on my Mac (no more URLs). So I think the migration took +/- 4 weeks for my OneDrive account.

@Christian_153, I'm not sure how indicative this V1 or V2 is. Maybe I don't understand when you think this change would happen. I have a Family subscription. One account is used as the family account under which the subscription is purchased. My account is different but in the same plan. The family account has shared folders to two other family members with their own account, mine being one of them. Since at least mid-December, the shared folder from the family account has shown in mine as a linked folder, which has been a disruption. The link was restored at the end of April after I returned from overseas. My Settings > Options shows Restore... at the bottom, so V2? In our family account, it showed Search . I thought it would show the V2, assuming the righting of the linked folder in my account to a dynamic folder was due to the family account having been migrated. I then clicked Search to see what was there because I have never used it, and I noticed the Search item in the menu disappeared. I clicked back to Restore... and realised there was no way back to the contents that were under Search . I had not clicked on anything in the content area of that Search menu, but it no longer exists, at least for now.

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

2025-06-14T18:13:46+00:00

Mine wasn't working for months.

Suddenly last week it started working with no input from me.

So frustrating it took this long to migrate my (or my wife's, I'm not sure) account.
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Anonymous

2025-06-14T07:21:08+00:00

This is a fantastic guide, thanks for your time posting all the steps. It's been about 4 months not working for me, at a critical time when I needed access to shared documents via Windows. I agree with others sentiment, Dropbox, Google and others do this seamlessly, and Microsoft seem to be nonchalant about impact on their users, many of whom are 'advanced' (less advanced wouldn't be sharing folders).

I had high hopes your instructions would work for me.

Alas, after following the instructions diligently my Windows laptop still shows the same problem.

Both users have the "Restore my onedrive" indicating they are both on v2 servers.

I've never had a duplicate link (orange circled) however, nor a lengthy "'Processing .... changes' " option though.

Does anyone know how to trigger this or any other way around? (it's been a couple of weeks since a post in this forum).
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2025-06-02T04:32:07+00:00

Thanks everyone! I had kicked up a big stink with Microsoft and they kindly escalated my case and it was rectified in less than a week.

They also gave me a free 3 months subscription on my Microsoft 365 account.

Apparently it was a security flaw in One Drive that created this chaos.

https://www.csa.gov.sg/alerts-and-advisories/alerts/al-2025-051
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2025-05-31T08:50:50+00:00

As of yesterday, I've noticed that shared folders are back to normal on my Mac (no more URLs). So I think the migration took +/- 4 weeks for my OneDrive account.
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Anonymous

2025-05-16T01:46:15+00:00

@Christian_153, I'm not sure how indicative this V1 or V2 is. Maybe I don't understand when you think this change would happen.

I have a Family subscription. One account is used as the family account under which the subscription is purchased. My account is different but in the same plan. The family account has shared folders to two other family members with their own account, mine being one of them. Since at least mid-December, the shared folder from the family account has shown in mine as a linked folder, which has been a disruption. The link was restored at the end of April after I returned from overseas.

My Settings > Options shows Restore... at the bottom, so V2? In our family account, it showed Search. I thought it would show the V2, assuming the righting of the linked folder in my account to a dynamic folder was due to the family account having been migrated. I then clicked Search to see what was there because I have never used it, and I noticed the Search item in the menu disappeared. I clicked back to Restore... and realised there was no way back to the contents that were under Search. I had not clicked on anything in the content area of that Search menu, but it no longer exists, at least for now.
Was this answer helpful?

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