Ongoing OneDrive Sync Issues Leave Users Frustrated
In June 2024, users of the OneDrive sync client for both macOS and Windows began to notice a troubling trend: shared folders that once resided on their local drives had mysteriously disappeared, replaced instead by web shortcuts. Fast forward ten months, and the situation remains unresolved, with Microsoft seemingly distant from providing a concrete solution.
Reports from OneDrive users indicate that their shared folders are no longer visible in local directories. Instead, they are confronted with .url files that merely link to OneDrive’s web interface. This shift has rendered offline access and syncing capabilities ineffective, prompting numerous complaints across community forums and support channels.
Microsoft has acknowledged the issue as a known bug and stated that it is under investigation. However, users have been left without a definitive fix, with the company suggesting that they simply wait for a resolution.
“We are in the process of gathering certain information and launching an active investigation,” a Microsoft representative stated early in the discussion. “Although we are aware of the issue, it always takes some time to fix the problem.” Yet, as time drags on, users continue to grapple with broken shared folders and the frustration of .url shortcuts in place of their expected synced content.
The last communication from Microsoft in the Answers thread dates back to June, yet user complaints have not diminished. One recent comment sarcastically thanked Redmond for nearly a year without a fix. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Feedback Portal has seen a steady influx of reports. One user shared a response from OneDrive support that acknowledged the bug, attributing it to changes in how shared folders are managed. A Microsoft MVP who followed up with the company indicated that the issue is linked to an ongoing backend migration, suggesting that normal syncing will not resume until this process is complete.
The root of the problem appears to lie in OneDrive’s new “shortcut” model for shared folders, which has replaced traditional syncing with a web-only link. This migration is not the type that users had anticipated.
“They are too busy cramming Copilot into everything to fix a showstopper bug that they caused.”
Given the duration of this OneDrive error, users are understandably frustrated. Comments reflect a growing discontent, particularly among small business users who feel abandoned. “Small business users should just give up on this,” lamented one individual, highlighting the perception that Microsoft 365 Family and personal accounts are disproportionately affected, while enterprise users appear to be largely unaffected. “Microsoft don’t care,” another user remarked.
While various workarounds have been proposed, the effectiveness of these solutions remains questionable. The reader who initially brought this issue to light reported that none of the suggested methods worked for them, while others have only experienced temporary success without a lasting fix.
Given that this issue likely impacts a significant number of users, we have reached out to Microsoft for further clarification beyond their previous statements. As of now, we have yet to receive a response but will continue to seek answers and provide updates as they become available.
OneDrive clients for Windows, Mac still broken 10 months on
Ongoing OneDrive Sync Issues Leave Users Frustrated
In June 2024, users of the OneDrive sync client for both macOS and Windows began to notice a troubling trend: shared folders that once resided on their local drives had mysteriously disappeared, replaced instead by web shortcuts. Fast forward ten months, and the situation remains unresolved, with Microsoft seemingly distant from providing a concrete solution.
Reports from OneDrive users indicate that their shared folders are no longer visible in local directories. Instead, they are confronted with .url files that merely link to OneDrive’s web interface. This shift has rendered offline access and syncing capabilities ineffective, prompting numerous complaints across community forums and support channels.
Microsoft has acknowledged the issue as a known bug and stated that it is under investigation. However, users have been left without a definitive fix, with the company suggesting that they simply wait for a resolution.
“We are in the process of gathering certain information and launching an active investigation,” a Microsoft representative stated early in the discussion. “Although we are aware of the issue, it always takes some time to fix the problem.” Yet, as time drags on, users continue to grapple with broken shared folders and the frustration of .url shortcuts in place of their expected synced content.
The last communication from Microsoft in the Answers thread dates back to June, yet user complaints have not diminished. One recent comment sarcastically thanked Redmond for nearly a year without a fix. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Feedback Portal has seen a steady influx of reports. One user shared a response from OneDrive support that acknowledged the bug, attributing it to changes in how shared folders are managed. A Microsoft MVP who followed up with the company indicated that the issue is linked to an ongoing backend migration, suggesting that normal syncing will not resume until this process is complete.
The root of the problem appears to lie in OneDrive’s new “shortcut” model for shared folders, which has replaced traditional syncing with a web-only link. This migration is not the type that users had anticipated.
Given the duration of this OneDrive error, users are understandably frustrated. Comments reflect a growing discontent, particularly among small business users who feel abandoned. “Small business users should just give up on this,” lamented one individual, highlighting the perception that Microsoft 365 Family and personal accounts are disproportionately affected, while enterprise users appear to be largely unaffected. “Microsoft don’t care,” another user remarked.
While various workarounds have been proposed, the effectiveness of these solutions remains questionable. The reader who initially brought this issue to light reported that none of the suggested methods worked for them, while others have only experienced temporary success without a lasting fix.
Given that this issue likely impacts a significant number of users, we have reached out to Microsoft for further clarification beyond their previous statements. As of now, we have yet to receive a response but will continue to seek answers and provide updates as they become available.