Unable to rename SharePoint folder

Question

Unable to rename folders in Sharepoint. seems to be only affecting a single directory.

Receiving error: File is locked for shared use.

Checked Site settings to ensure check in/check out feature is disabled.

Seeking help.

Answer 1

Dear @Joshua Shepherd ,  

Thank you so much for contacting Microsoft Q&A Support. 

I appreciate your detailed description of your issues. After checking on it, I find that mostly this issue happens when the file is opened in the browser, or the Office client and users try deleting the file from the OneDrive for Business library at the same time. Also, if the file is collaborated and shared on a network and if its open and being used by another user. With your description with the error "File is locked for shared use" and it asked you to "check Site settings to ensure check in/check out feature is disabled", you can try these potential solutions to fix it:  

• Solution 1: Check Who Has the File Locked 

1. Go to the folder in SharePoint. 
2. Click the three dots (...) next to a file and choose "Details" to see who is using it. 
3. Ask the user to close the file or exit the session. 
4. Then reload your SharePoint and retry to rename your folder. 

• Solution 2: Disable the Require Check Out Option 

1. Check that the Check Out setting isn’t enabled in SharePoint. To do that, open SharePoint for Business in a browser. 
2. Click the gear (Settings) button to select Site Settings. 
3. Then click Library settings > More library settings > Versioning settings. 
4. In Versioning settings page, scroll down to see Require Check Out and then select the No option for the Require documents to be checked out before they can be edited. 
5. Then press the OK button. 

Additionally, during the time of my testing and research on your behalf, I have compiled this document for OneDrive (if applicable) for your reference regarding the error encountered (function is familiar to SharePoint): 

Solved: error The file is locked for shared use by... (Onedrive) 

Note: Please note that our support is limited to providing guidance based on official Microsoft documentation. Any third-party resources or references shared are intended solely for informational or consultative purposes. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy, reliability, or continued availability of third-party content, and we recommend exercising discretion when referring to such materials. 

 

I hope this information helps you to solve your issue and you can be back on track with your work effectively. If you have any questions, I am always here for you. 

Wish you a pleasant day! 

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Answer 2

Hi Thanks for following up here was the solution I found and tested, confirmed working now:

I identified the problem on this, I tested by removing the (%) from the parent folder and then I was able to rename all subfolders without an error. After some further research: SharePoint Online stores items as URLs, and % is a reserved character used for encoding in URLs, when a % appears unencoded in a folder or file name, it can lead to:

• Rename errors (“invalid request”)
• Access issues
• Sync conflicts
• File lock messages

To avoid similar issues in the future please avoid these characters in file and folder names : " # % * : < > ? / \ { | } ~ &