Problem with Linking Excel Files Stored in OneDrive for Mac

Question

Hello! I am having a problem with Excel files with links that are stored in OneDrive for Mac.

Here is the context: I recently installed OneDrive and migrated some linked Excel files. Prior to the migration, I had no issues with the links related to those files. However, after migration, I am now confronted with a series of popups. Each linked file leads to two popups (detailed below), and so the more linked files, the more popups I need to get through before I can use the file.

The first popup states:

"Can't Open File

Sorry, we couldn't find 'https://d.docs.live.net/Users/--/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-

Personal/Documents/--.xlsx'. Is it possible it was moved, renamed or deleted?"

To be clear, the file was not moved, renamed, or deleted.

The second popup states:

"Microsoft Excel cannot access the file 'https://d.docs.live.net/Users/--/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal/Documents/--.xlsx'. There are several possible reasons: **** • The file name or path does not exist. • The file is being used by another program. • The workbook you are trying to save has the same name as a currently open workbook."

To be clear, the file is not in use by another program and none of the workbooks have the same name. As for "The file name or path does not exist", I'm unsure of what to think of that since the files are stored locally and have been linked locally.

Here are the steps I have taken to resolve to resolve the issue:

• I set the relevant folders to be "Always Kept on This Device" so that they are all stored locally
• I have re-linked all the files and re-saved the files after re-linking
• I have fully uninstalled and reinstalled OneDrive
• I have tried both OneDrive made for Intel and OneDrive made for Apple Silicon
• I have copied the workbooks to a new location (within OneDrive), giving them new names, and then re-linking

After relinking the files the "Type" (in the window that appears after selecting the "Edit Links" menu item) changes from "Remote" to "Worksheet". However, after saving and reopening the workbooks, the Type changes back to "Remote".

Nothing I have tried has resolved this issue. Any guidance on how to not have popups related to linked files every single time I open an Excel file would be greatly appreciated. Needless to say, it is quite frustrating to have to go through several popups every time I open one of these files. Also, the fact that Excel seems to be confused about the location of these files makes me concerned that they aren't truly linked. As I stated above, even after re-linking and saving, the problem persists.

One additional piece of information related to this mystery: I tried creating two brand new files and linking cells between the two files. After doing that I closed them and then reopened them. When I did that, I had no problems with the links, so maybe the issue above is related to my files.

Here is info on my computer, Excel, and OneDrive

• Computer: MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
• Computer OS: macOS Monterey 12.4
• Excel Version: 16.63.1
• OneDrive Version: 22.151.0717.001 (this is a version built for Apple silicon, not Intel)

Answer 1

Thanks, Edwine! I will definitely submit feedback an I appreciate your guidance in doing that.

I seem to have found a solution. Quick background on my solution: I noticed that the link locations for my problematic files were different than the link locations for non-problematic files (screenshots are below). Furthermore, I think I have identified the source of the issue: linked files must be stored in the same folder in OneDrive (further clarification on this below).

Here are my steps:

1. Remove the files from OneDrive
2. Move all the files into a single local folder: this is a necessary condition. Links won't work in OneDrive if the files are in different folders. (See my points of clarification below.) Furthermore, the files must stay in a single folder. If they are moved (even using OneDrive online) links will not work.
3. Open them using the Excel for Mac app (i.e., not Excel online), selecting "Don't Update" when asked about links (merely to avoid the many pop-ups).
4. Reestablish links. Save the files and close.
5. In a browser, log in to onedrive.live.com
6. Use the Upload button in OneDrive in a browser to add the files to OneDrive into a single folder (i.e., instead of simply moving the files from a local folder on my computer to the to the OneDrive folder also on my computer, I used a browser to upload them). → it is crucial that the files be uploaded as individual files and not as folders (since that is also an upload option). Alternatively, the dragging and dropping the files into a folder in the OneDrive folder on a Mac will also work, so long as they all stay in the same folder when moved.
7. Upon opening the files (whether in my browser or desktop), there are no issues with the linked files.

From now on I will add files to OneDrive in this fashion.

Two points of clarification:

1. Moving the files within OneDrive online using a browser does not have the same effect as the steps above (i.e., it does not move the files to the "correct" folder that is needed for linking to work properly).
2. I tried uploading files multiple times. The only time the method above worked was when all the files were initially in the same local folder before being uploaded.
3. After uploading the files to a single folder, I tried moving them to their own individual folders (which is how I had them stored outside of OneDrive) using OneDrive online in a browser. As soon as I did that, the links stopped working.
4. After going through the steps above, I tried moving the files on my Mac instead of using my browser as a way to test the robustness of this method of reestablishing links: the result was that I had no problems. This seems to indicate that there is an issue with initially adding files directly to the local OneDrive folder.

Problematic files:

Non-Problematic Files:

![Image](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/d8d00136-5f0c-4944-abe8-7d4b9c1c761e?platform=QnA"https://d.docs.live.net/Users/" rel="ugc nofollow">https://d.docs.live.net/Users/<username>/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal/Documents doesn't actually exist in OneDrive, unlike https://d.docs.live.net/b76---/Documents which does exist.

A couple final follow up troubleshooting steps I tried that didn't work (not sure if it's useful for me to list them, but figured I would anyway:

• For some reason, even after manually re-selecting the local files for linking, Excel forces those links back to being "Remote" after I close these excel spreadsheets.
• I tried moving the files within OneDrive to see if that would force the files to go to the correct location in OneDrive. That had no effect and the problem persisted.
• I will add that I have tried storing these files both locally and in the cloud and in both situations, I continue to have problems with Excel not finding the linked files.
• I tried updating the links using Excel in a web browser (Chrome version 104). On the web, Excel cannot find the links either. The problem gets even more bizarre: when I try to update the links, I'm brought to a screen that only shows recent files, meaning I cannot even navigate to the correct file:

• I will add that Excel online's inability to navigate to other files to update links is a wholly separate problem that needs to be addressed.

Thanks again!

Nassim

Answer 2

Hi Nassim,

Glad to hear that you found a solution to this problem!

Thank you so much for **** spending your precious time to share all this important information that will benefit other community members experiencing the same problem!.

We also appreciate your hard work and resilience on troubleshooting this issue, until you finally found a root cause and a solution to it.

Please go ahead to submit your Feedback to the Developers Team.

I will mark your answer so that it sticks at the top of this thread, so that other community members having the same problem finds it easy to get a solution.

If you have any other questions, welcome to our community to post a new question and we will also try our best to help you. I hope you have a great day!

With Sincerest Regards,  

Edwine | Microsoft Community Moderator