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Synchronising SharePoint to File Explorer

Sasha De Ridder
  • Updated

This article explains how to synchronise a SharePoint document library with your Windows computer via OneDrive, how to choose which folders are synchronised, and how to stop synchronisation later.

 

Good to know: Microsoft nowadays recommends using Add to OneDrive where possible instead of the classic Synchronise button. A OneDrive shortcut is available on multiple devices, whereas classic synchronisation is set up per computer.

The procedure below uses the classic Synchronise method. This method is still supported by Microsoft.

 

Synchronising SharePoint files

Step 1: Open the correct SharePoint site

  1. Open Microsoft 365 in your browser and sign in with your work or school account.
  2. Open SharePoint via the Microsoft 365 app launcher or go via Teams to the site containing the files you want to synchronise.
Microsoft 365-appstarter

 

Step 2: Open the document library

  1. Open Documents or the document library you want to synchronise.
  2. Optionally, navigate to the desired folder or subfolder.
SharePoint-documentbibliotheek

 

Step 3: Start the synchronisation

  1. Click Synchronise in the toolbar at the top.
  2. When your browser asks to open Microsoft OneDrive, grant permission.
  3. If prompted, sign in to OneDrive with your work or school account.
Result: the SharePoint library is linked to the OneDrive synchronisation client and appears in Windows File Explorer under your organisation's name.

 

Important: a synchronised SharePoint folder is not an ordinary local copy. Changes you make in Windows File Explorer are also synchronised back to SharePoint.

For example, if you delete, move, or rename a file while synchronisation is active, that change is also reflected in SharePoint.

 

Synchronising files on another computer

The classic SharePoint synchronisation is set up per computer. If you want to synchronise the same library on another computer, you need to set up synchronisation there again.

If you use Add to OneDrive instead, the shortcut is linked to your OneDrive account and can also appear on your other devices.

 

Choosing which folders to synchronise

  1. Click the blue OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar at the bottom right.
OneDrive-cloudpictogram in de Windows-taakbalk
Don't see the OneDrive icon?
Click the arrow for Show hidden icons. If OneDrive is not there either, open Start, search for OneDrive and start the application.
Verborgen pictogrammen weergeven in Windows
  1. Click the gear icon and then Settings.
OneDrive-instellingen
  1. Open the Account tab.

Here you see the SharePoint libraries synchronised on this computer.

Gesynchroniseerde SharePoint-bibliotheken in OneDrive
  1. For the desired library, click Choose folders.
  2. Select the folders you want to synchronise on this computer.
  3. Confirm with OK.
Good to know: when you disable a folder via Choose folders, that folder is removed from this computer, but its content remains available online in SharePoint.

 

Stopping synchronisation of a SharePoint library

Do you no longer want to synchronise a complete SharePoint library on this computer?

  1. Click the blue OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar.
  2. Click the gear icon and choose Settings.
  3. Open the Account tab.
  4. Find the SharePoint library you want to stop synchronising.
  5. Choose Stop synchronisation.
  6. Confirm when prompted.
Note: when you stop synchronisation, the existing local copy of the files remains on the computer. However, from that moment the folder is no longer linked to SharePoint.

Files you delete from this local folder after stopping synchronisation will therefore no longer be deleted from SharePoint.

 

Synchronise or Add to OneDrive?

Microsoft currently offers two ways to make SharePoint files available in Windows File Explorer:

Add to OneDrive
Adds a shortcut to the SharePoint folder in your OneDrive. This shortcut follows your account and is therefore available on other devices as well.

Synchronise
Creates a synchronisation relationship with the SharePoint document library on this specific computer.

Microsoft recommends using Add to OneDrive when this option is available.

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