Moving a folder from a shared folder does not remove it from OneDrive Online

Question

User A shared Folder 1 from their OneDrive with User C with edit permission using the link sharing.

User B shared Folder 2 from their OneDrive with User C with edit permission using the link sharing.

[few days later]

User C copied Sub-Folder 1 from shared Folder 1 to shared Folder 2. So now Sub-Folder 1 exists both in share Folder 1 and shared Folder 2.

[few days later]

Then User C moved the Sub-Folder 1 from shared Folder 1 to shared Folder 2 merging with the previously copied Sub-Folder 1.

[few hours later]

The local OneDrive shared Folder 1 for User C was not showing as containing Sub-Folder 1 [as expected]. But the online OneDrive Folder 1 for User C was still showing as still containing Sub-Folder 1 [not as expected]. OneDrive was showing all files synced.

Then User C moved the Sub-Folder 1 from shared Folder 2 to shared Folder 1 [back to original location].

The local OneDrive shared Folder 2 for User C was not showing as containing Sub-Folder 1 [as expected]. But the online OneDrive Folder 2 for User C & B was showing as still containing Sub-Folder 1 [not as expected]. OneDrive was showing all files synced.

Is there an explanation why when removing a sub-folder from a shared folder still shows it in OneDrive online for the user and for the owner?

All 3 users are part of the same organization in Microsoft 365. The OneDrive referred is part of Microsoft 365 Business Standard. The folders are shared from each user's OneDrive and not a SharePoint location. OneDrive software on Windows 11 was showing as synced during all this. OneDrive in Windows is appearing as just OneDrive and not as OneDrive for Business.

Answer 1

After the original post, User C added a file in Folder 2 whose owner was User B and the file did not appear in User B's OneDrive. So not only deletions, but additions were also not synchronizing.

We tried the logging out and back in after a few minutes technique for user B. It did not make a difference.

Then user B unshared the Folder 2 previously shared with user C by a link and reshared the same folder using the direct access option in 'Manage Access'. This seems to be working now. Although more time will be required to test whether all future changes are properly synchronizing.

This still remains to be done with user A / Folder 1.

Maybe it was changing the sharing method that solved it or maybe it was just unsharing and resharing that did it.

Answer 2

Hello Ronak,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

Your actions to move or delete folders should be shared to the shared folder. But currently if this action is not synchronized in the shared folder, it may be due to network latency.

Log out of OneDrive for users A and B, wait for A period of time, and log in again. Please check the display of shared folders on the devices of users A and B. At this time, the last situation operated by user C will be displayed.

If anything is unclear, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Best regards,

Mitchell - | Microsoft community support expert from MSFT