SharePoint: How to Create Durable (Permanent) Links to Folders?

Dear @Anonymous, 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.  

I understand how inconvenient it must be to keep folder links reliable in SharePoint when frequent renaming or moving is part of your workflow.  

You're absolutely right that Document ID is designed to provide persistent links to documents, not folders: 

• When a folder is renamed or moved, its URL changes because the path is part of the link. This causes previously shared links to break, resulting in 404 errors or access issues. 
• Folders do not receive Document IDs, so they cannot be referenced using the DocIdRedir.aspx format.  

SharePoint offers various tools to help streamline your content management experience. While it currently doesn’t support persistent folder links that remain valid after folders when renamed or moved, we’re always exploring ways to enhance functionality, and your feedback plays a key role in shaping future improvements. 

To help you get the most out of SharePoint in the meantime, you might find these workarounds useful: 

Option 1: Use Document Libraries instead of folders 

Go to your SharePoint site. 

Click Settings > Site contents. 

Click + New > Document Library. 

Name the library (e.g., “Project Files”). 

Use metadata columns (e.g., Project Name, Status) instead of folders. 

Upload documents directly or organize using views. 

Option 2: Use metadata for navigation 

Metadata allows you to filter and group documents dynamically, avoiding the need to move folders. 

Go to your document library. 

Click Settings > Library settings. 

Under Columns, click Create column. 

Choose column type (e.g., Choice, Lookup). 

Name it (e.g., “Project Status”). 

Add values (e.g., Active, Completed, Archived). 

Go back to the library and tag documents with metadata. 

Click All Documents > Create View to filter or group by metadata fields.   

Option 3: Bookmark libraries or use Quick Links web part 

Go to your SharePoint page (e.g., Hub site). 

Click Edit (top right). 

Click + to add a web part. 

Select Quick Links. 

Click Add Link, then either select a folder or library, or paste the URL directly.

Edit the link name in the Title field. 

Click Republish. 

Thank you for raising such a thoughtful question. It has helped highlight the current limitations in SharePoint, especially when it comes to maintaining stable folder links after renaming or moving them. 

While this may not be the ideal answer you were hoping for, your feedback is truly valued. As community moderators, our role is to guide users toward helpful resources and support channels, though we don’t have direct influence over product design or access to internal development timelines.   

The most effective way to share your experience and advocate for improvements is through Microsoft’s official feedback channel. You can submit your suggestion to our product team via the Microsoft 365 Feedback Hub > Send Feedback > Describe your proposal in detail.  

Sharing your experience through this channel is the most impactful way to advocate for a change that would benefit you and other users.  

Thank you again for your patience and for bringing this to our attention. While I can't change the product's design, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions about its current functionality.  

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