If OneDrive shared folders are not showing in File Explorer on your Windows 11/10 PC, read this post to learn how to fix the issue.
OneDrive shared folders are folders that someone else has shared with you via OneDrive. These folders appear in the ‘Shared’ section of your OneDrive.com account. Depending on the permissions granted, you can add these shared folders to your own OneDrive and sync them to your device. Once synced, they become available to work within your File Explorer, even when you’re offline. Any changes made by you or others will automatically sync whenever you’re online.
Fix OneDrive shared folders not showing in File Explorer
If your OneDrive shared folders are not showing in File Explorer on your Windows 11/10 PC, ensure you’re using the latest version of OneDrive and you don’t have any Windows updates pending for installation. Updates keep OneDrive compatible with the OS, preventing sync issues and ensuring shared folders appear correctly in the File Explorer.
If everything is up-to-date and you’re still facing issues, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Check Permissions
- Check OneDrive Sync Settings
- Unlink and Relink OneDrive Account
- Reset OneDrive
Let us see this in detail
1] Check Permissions
Ensure that the folder is still shared with you and you have the necessary permissions to add it to your own OneDrive account (to sync the folder to your PC, you must add it to your ‘My files’ section).
If you suspect that your permissions have been altered or removed, you may need to contact the folder owner to request access. The owner can adjust your permissions or re-share the folder with the appropriate access level.
2] Check OneDrive Sync Settings
Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray, and select Settings from the menu that appears (if you don’t see the icon, click the up arrow to view hidden icons).
In the OneDrive Settings window, navigate to the Account tab and click on the Choose folders button. This will open a window that shows a list of all folders currently selected for syncing to your PC.
Ensure that the shared folder you are looking for is listed and checked in the window. If it’s not selected, check the box next to the folder and click OK to start syncing it to your PC.
Read: This item might not exist or is no longer available OneDrive error
3] Unlink and Relink OneDrive Account
If the shared folder is not listed in the ‘Choose folders’ window, try unlinking and re-linking your OneDrive account.
Go to the Account tab in the OneDrive Settings window and click Unlink this PC. Follow the prompts to unlink your account.
After unlinking, sign back into OneDrive to relink your account. This action will reset your OneDrive sync settings and may resolve issues with missing shared folders.
4] Reset OneDrive
If nothing seems to work, try resetting OneDrive on your Windows 11/10 PC. Resetting OneDrive clears corrupted or outdated cache files, fixes configuration errors, and allows the application to start afresh. It can help resolve common sync problems such as stuck uploads or downloads, and issues with files not appearing or syncing properly in File Explorer.
Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset into the text field and press Enter. This command will execute the OneDrive reset process.
After the reset process is complete, sign back into your OneDrive account and re-select the folders you want to sync with your PC.
I hope this helps.
Read: OneDrive Shared folder not syncing or updating.
How to make a shared OneDrive folder appear in File Explorer?
To have your OneDrive shared folder appear in File Explorer, you need to add them to your own OneDrive account (you can only add folders for which you have ‘Edit’ permissions) and sync your OneDrive.com files on your Windows computer using the OneDrive sync app (comes preinstalled in all Windows 11/10 PCs).
Go to the Shared section in your OneDrive.com account, right-click the folder, and select ‘Add shortcut to My files‘. Next, set up the OneDrive sync app using your OneDrive personal, work, or school account, select folders to back up, and select a destination folder to keep your synced files. With Files On-Demand turned on by default, you’ll see all your shared folders with ‘Online-only‘ status in File Explorer.
Why can’t I see my OneDrive folder in File Explorer?
If you can’t see your OneDrive folder in File Explorer, the specific folder may not be selected for syncing. Ensure that OneDrive is set up and signed in on your PC. If not, sign in with your Microsoft account. Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray, go to Settings, and under the Account tab, click Choose folders to select the folders you want to sync. If the installation is corrupted, reinstalling OneDrive might fix the issue.
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