How do you switch from offline mode to online mode in Windows 11?

Question

New to Windows 11 Pro and I am stuggling mightly with this issue.

Our organization requires several folders from our mapped network drives be set to "Always Available Offline".

However, when I'm connected and online, the only things that show up when accessing a mapped drives with folders/files that are set to be available offline are those files/folders set to be available offline.

Further, the drive status for any drive which has a file/folder set to be available offline is stuck on "Offline".

How do I change this to "Online"?

With Windows 10 Pro, this was rather simple and straight forward process.

From the file explorer ribbon, under the 'Easy Access' drop down menu, you could toggle from "offline" to "online".

In doing so, you would switch the mapped drive status to "online" and access to the entirety of drive's content would then be possible/granted.

How do I accomplish the same feat in Windows 11 Pro?

How do you switch to "online mode"?

PLEASE HELP.

Answer 1

Did you ever figure out a solution to this? I'm on windows 11 and have same issue with offline files being the only ones I can access. when I log in on other machines everything is there. Any tips?

I found a work around but it's not a great one... more like discovering a glitch in the matrix, if you will.

On Windows 11, while connected/online, open the 'Control Panel' and select 'Windows Tools'.

Doing so will open a new and special 'File Explorer' window; different than the normal Windows 11 'File Explorer' window.

For some reason, the 'File Explorer' window that opens when you select 'Windows Tools' appears to be the 'File Explorer' from Windows 10.

From this window, naviagate to the drive where you have files set to be available offline and you'll notice that the 'Easy Access' drop-down menu is again present.

From the 'Easy Access' drop-down, you'll find the toggle to 'Work Online'.

I'll try to post some screenshots to show what I am talking about when I next have a few moments.

Stand-by.

Answer 2

I have actually found that if you just open the control panel, then use the address bar to navigate to the drive it uses the Windows 10 explorer. :)

Answer 3

Also see the discussion at https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/restoring-windows-10-ribbon-on-win-11/2ddfb886-3ef9-4d61-a95c-ac38825bb30c:

"SteveSXD

Replied on October 4, 2022

In reply to balloonie's post on October 3, 2022The old explorer is still there, if you open a run box and type control, hit enter to open control panel then press Alt+Up Arrow then Windows 10 explorer is back. Unfortunately, I don't know of a way of keeping it like this, for now I am just opening a couple of windows like this and trying to remember not to shut them down. Doesn't really feel like progress to be honest, typical MS, why not give people a choice instead of forcing this garbage that no one asked for...."

Answer 4

Yes! What he said. :) I just ditched moving any of our laptops to 11 since I would deal with support calls and complaints non-stop.

What part of ONLINE are you having trouble with. We do not want to know how to work offline. We are online, we are connected to the company network, and we cannot see any of the files or folders that we need in order to do our work. Why do all of you keep showing us something totally irrelevant to that situation?

Answer 5

Did you ever figure out a solution to this? I'm on windows 11 and have same issue with offline files being the only ones I can access. when I log in on other machines everything is there. Any tips?