Issues with Shared Folders

Question

Issues with Shared Folders

Daniela 0

I use OneDrive with my University account. There are two folders that have been shared with me a long time ago. I've managed, when they were shared with me, to create a shortcut to my OneDrive, which means that I can access them in the desktop app, without needing to use the browser. However, now they a) don't appear in the web version of my onedrive (if I go to shared, it says no one is sharing anything with me), b) files (and subfolders) other people are uploading to those shared folders are not visible in my desktop - they need to share with me a new link, which I can only open via browser. I cannot make another shortcut to my desktop onedrive because to do so, I need to go to the web version, to "shared", but there is nothing there.

The folders are shared with me, I've checked that when you check people with access to the folders, my email is there, so I don't know how to fix this.

I don't want to work on the browser because I don't like to use office on the browser, plus the only way for me to access the folder is with a link on my email and it is bothersome to have to search for the link everytime. Is there a way to fix things?

Jonathan Clifford 0 Reputation points

2025-11-28T20:05:27.7866667+00:00
Hi Daniela — could you try this?

In File Explorer, right‑click the shortcut you created earlier.

If you see a OneDrive menu, choose “View online.”

If that opens the shared folder in your browser, use “Add shortcut to My files” there to create a fresh shortcut.

Sometimes items shared with you get hidden or the shortcut goes stale, and recreating it is the quickest fix.

If you don’t see “View online,” please check that you’re signed into the OneDrive sync app and that it’s actively syncing (click the OneDrive cloud icon → Help & Settings → Settings).

Please let me know if this works!
Jay Tr 12,960 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-01T14:59:37.6966667+00:00

Hi @Daniela,

I hope everything is going well on your end.

I’m following up on the support thread we've been working through together. I wanted to check in and see if the information I shared in my previous answer helped resolve the issue you were experiencing.

If you're still experiencing any issues or have further questions, please feel free to reach out at any time. I’m always happy to help if you need anything else.

We want to ensure everything is functioning smoothly and that your experience remains seamless.

Thank you again for your collaboration throughout the troubleshooting process.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Warm regards,

1 answer

Your answer

Jonathan Clifford 0 Reputation points

2025-11-28T20:05:27.7866667+00:00

Hi Daniela — could you try this?

In File Explorer, right‑click the shortcut you created earlier.

If you see a OneDrive menu, choose “View online.”

If that opens the shared folder in your browser, use “Add shortcut to My files” there to create a fresh shortcut.

Sometimes items shared with you get hidden or the shortcut goes stale, and recreating it is the quickest fix.

If you don’t see “View online,” please check that you’re signed into the OneDrive sync app and that it’s actively syncing (click the OneDrive cloud icon → Help & Settings → Settings).

Please let me know if this works!
Jay Tr 12,960 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-01T14:59:37.6966667+00:00

Hi @Daniela,

I hope everything is going well on your end.

I’m following up on the support thread we've been working through together. I wanted to check in and see if the information I shared in my previous answer helped resolve the issue you were experiencing.

If you're still experiencing any issues or have further questions, please feel free to reach out at any time. I’m always happy to help if you need anything else.

We want to ensure everything is functioning smoothly and that your experience remains seamless.

Thank you again for your collaboration throughout the troubleshooting process.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Warm regards,

Answer 1

Hi @Daniela,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Thank you for raising this to our attention and sharing your experience.

I understand how inconvenient it is when shared folders do not appear in OneDrive as expected. I tried to reproduce the issue on my side, and it does not occur for me.

The steps below worked successfully here and may help resolve the problem:

Verify Account and Tenant

Make sure you are signed into the correct University account in both the OneDrive desktop app and OneDrive web. If you have multiple accounts, confirm that the shared folders belong to the University account.

Remove Broken Shortcuts

Go to OneDrive web and open My Files. Locate any old shortcuts that show a globe or shortcut badge and delete them. This will not remove access to the original folder.

Re-add Shortcut or Sync

Open the original shared folder link in your browser. Click Add shortcut to My files. If the folder is part of a SharePoint site, use Sync instead to connect the entire library to the desktop client.

Unlink and Relink Account

On the desktop app, open OneDrive settings, go to Account, and select Unlink this PC. Sign back in with your University account and allow time for shortcuts to reappear as folders in File Explorer.

User's image

Check if the folder owner is outside your organization.

If yes, ask them to:

Share the folder using your exact University email.
Avoid anonymous links; use “Specific people”.

Confirm tenant settings with IT admin.

Ensure external sharing is allowed for OneDrive and SharePoint and that guest access is enabled.

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Daniela 0 Reputation points

2025-12-02T09:30:08.25+00:00

Hello:

I am using the correct university account.

I don't see any such files.

It's a sharepoint. When I click on sync, it opens a folder, but I don't see an option to add it to my onedrive.

Didn't work.

The owner is in the same organization, using an email from the same domain.

Yeah, I am still waiting for their reply.

Regarding the other comment "In File Explorer, right‑click the shortcut you created earlier. If you see a OneDrive menu, choose “View online.” If that opens the shared folder in your browser, use “Add shortcut to My files” there to create a fresh shortcut." - It says it's not found. So where are the files stored?
Jay Tr 12,960 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-02T20:53:05.27+00:00

Hi @Daniela,

Thank you for your response. If the file owner is in your organization, please follow these steps to confirm permissions and check if the folder has been moved or renamed:

Confirm Permissions with the Owner

Contact the folder owner directly to verify your access level (View, Edit, or Full Control).

Ask the owner to review the Manage Access settings in OneDrive or SharePoint.

Ensure your email address is listed under People with Access and confirm if permissions apply to subfolders.

Check for Folder Moves or Renames

Confirm with the owner if the folder was renamed or moved to a different location.

If changes occurred, request a new sharing link to the updated folder.

Remove any old shortcuts in your OneDrive (look for the chain-link icon) before adding the new shortcut.

Reset OneDrive

Press Windows + R, enter wsreset.exe.

Click OK.

Thank you for your efforts in addressing this matter. Please proceed with the suggested steps and share the outcome at your earliest convenience. Should the issue persist, we will collaborate to identify an alternative solution. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or require further assistance, do not hesitate to reach out.
I look forward to continuing our discussion.

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Issues with Shared Folders

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