How do I create a Permanent Windows Explorer Link to a SharePoint Folder

Question

Hi Guys,

As requested above I want to create a link in Windows Explorer which will open up content from a library in a SharePoint 365 site.

This used to work fine when you click the "Open in Explorer" link for on-premise SharePoint but for 365 it times out after a while.

How do I prevent this?

I have seen a recommendation to add the folder to One Drive for Business and Sync it but I don't want to sync the documents to the users PC's, I just want a permanently working link in Windows Explorer.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I really appreciate any help you can offer,

regards, John.

Answer 1

John - the disturbing thing about this is the range of responses you'll see to a question that in an "enterprise" grade product merits a DEFINITE answer. Even support's response is vague: "it doesn't really ask for your password so often."

What does "so often" even mean? That's like a car salesman saying the car may not start "every so often".  

The reason for all this uncertainty is obviously that local connectivity with SPO is badly designed and does not work reliably. I and others have been saying that for 6 years and there are now 1000's of reports of issues caused by the flawed design which Msft continues to ignore. The most common official response is "try syncing" which of course comes with a whole other raft of problems and doesn't solve the issue at all.

Using Windows Explorer to open up SP locations is by far the best way to get users to adopt the product because of its familiarity. And the way to do it is to add network locations (right click "computer") for whatever sites/libraries you want to access. Generally once "trust" has been established, this will continue to work with no extra log in for a period -but no one seems to be able to define  what that period is. You will eventually start seeing the "you're not authorized ...." or "invalid location ..." messages and will have to open up IE and click "open with explorer" again. Sometimes opening SP Designer can also trigger a reauthentication. If nothing works, there is not much you can do.

While I understand the need to harden authentication protocols for a product that could give someone access to a company's private content, you  would think a co of Msft's size and expertise could do a better job of balancing that security need with usability. Right now, SPO sure doesn't seem like an "enterprise" grade product, does it?

Answer 2

Hi John,

Based on my test, it doesn't really ask for your password so often.

Thanks,

April

Answer 3

Thanks Myles,

One thing I noticed in the article is that it says a few times in the text that "you must occasionally connect to the SharePoint Online site by using Internet Explorer" if occasionally meant once a month (or whenever you change your password) that's fine but I think in reality it means every day.  Am I correct in this assumption?

Regards, John

Answer 4

Hi John,

Open the library with Windows Explorer and the go to the favourites section (left hand side on Windows Explorer) right click and select "Add this location to favourites". Only caveat is that you need to authenticate to O365 before the folder becomes available.

the other way is to map a network drive to a sharepoint library.

All the best.