OneDrive Shared Folder Issue – Ongoing Problem Needs Immediate Fix

Question

Dear Microsoft Support Team,

I am writing to express my extreme frustration regarding the ongoing OneDrive shared folder issue, where shared folders have turned into internet shortcuts instead of syncing properly in Windows Explorer. This issue has been widely reported by many users for months, and despite ongoing complaints, no real fix has been provided.

As a paying customer, I rely on OneDrive for seamless file collaboration, and this issue has significantly disrupted my workflow, causing unnecessary delays and inefficiencies. Having to constantly access files via the browser instead of File Explorer is not a viable solution for professionals who need direct file access for editing, syncing, and organizing work.

Key Issues:

• Shared folders are now internet shortcuts instead of actual folders.
• Files cannot be accessed, edited, or managed directly in File Explorer.
• Workarounds like removing/re-adding shortcuts or mapping OneDrive as a network drive do not restore functionality.
• This issue has persisted for months, yet Microsoft has not provided a clear resolution or timeline for a fix.

Our Expectations:

• Immediate acknowledgment from Microsoft on the root cause and whether a permanent fix is in progress.
• A clear timeline for when this issue will be resolved.
• A public update in the Microsoft Community or support pages addressing this major problem.
• Better communication with affected users instead of vague responses and temporary workarounds.

This is a critical issue affecting productivity and business operations, and it is unacceptable for a paid service to have such a major flaw with no resolution for so long. If Microsoft expects users to continue trusting OneDrive, we need urgent action and transparency.

Please escalate this issue immediately, and I expect a real update on a solution soon.

Sincerely,

Answer 1

No, it didn't fix the issue, and is the same solution you tried giving me on March 5th. I'm not sure why you are playing with us paying users, to try unhelpful sideways for an issue your system caused, and make us crazy. Just fix the issue or refund and say that it will not be resolved. This is horrible!!!

Answer 2

Hi,

We are still having issues with One Drive.  Any shared folders continue to be **internet shortcuts** instead of actual folders.  We have been patiently waiting for the fix since March 2025 and our business is affected by this unresolved issue and Microsoft does not seem to care about it.  Files cannot be accessed, edited, or managed directly in File Explorer.  We also aren't able to do global searches across documents.

**This issue should have been marked as critical and should be given immediate attention.**  One Drive has been the heart of a lot of business users because Microsoft wanted it to be the solution for any business collaboration.  Please let me know when we can expect this issue to be resolved.

Sincerely,

Answer 3

I tried that, and it did not work! Only my folders are showing up, not the Shared folders............

Answer 4

Anyone got this issue fixed? I can't even create any new shared folder which would by able to sync. The option add to my onedrive has disappeared and now i can only add a shortcut. This effectively means I am no longer able to use onedrive.

Answer 5

Hello Dear User

Welcome to the Microsoft Community. 

I understand that you are having trouble on OneDrive shared folders, and I understand your confusion. 

We were inspired by the persistent issue of OneDrive shared folders rendering URLs in File Explorer (Only for Windows). We've considered insights from JasonChodora and Filipe Costa in the following threads, and here's an additional details of their scenario. Please refer to it**:<we have fix to onedrive shortcut on file explorer - Microsoft Community>**

1-> Launch browser to access and sign in to OneDrive for the web: onedrive.live.com In the address bar, find and copy the CID code after cid= in the link. As shown in the image:

2-> Now press Windows+E opens the file explorer, right-click this PC, and select Map Network drive.

3-> Combine the CID code with the following address to form the mount path for the OneDrive network drive: https://d.docs.live.net/code>

4-> This maps the contents of OneDrive directly to the local network drive. In the pop-up window, select or fill in the following information, and then click ok

5-> Select an unused drive letter for easy differentiation and use. The Y-drive letter is used here

6-> Fill in the mount path for the OneDrive network drive, check "Reconnect at sign-in" to automatically mount the OneDrive network disk when you log in to Windows.

7-> Sign in to your OneDrive account in the pop-up window. This is usually the password for your Microsoft account, as shown in the figure:

8-> If Microsoft Account have two-step verification turned on, you'll need to get and use an App Passwords when you sign in**.<How to get and use app passwords - Microsoft Support>**As shown in this screenshot:

9-> Once you've signed in, you'll be able to see your OneDrive's network drive in File Explorer.

10-> For shared folders, they will also be displayed in Explorer as the actual folder instead of the URL

Please feel free to let me know if you have any further updates, thanks.

Best Regards.Lee-MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist