One Drive error message - Can't reach your shortcut "Folder name "

Question

Hi,

One of our staff members is using the OneDrive desktop app on Windows 11 to access shared folder shortcuts from Microsoft Teams easily. However, this month she reported an issue where some of her Teams shortcuts in OneDrive are displaying an error message. Despite her attempts to re-add the shortcut folders, they keep disappearing.

What should be the permanent fix for this kind of issue?

Answer 1

Hi @ARB,

Based on your sharing, the error message means that the shortcut object still exists in that user’s OneDrive, but the actual Teams/SharePoint folder behind it is no longer reachable. It can happen due to:

• That user no longer has the right access to that Teams/SharePoint folder
• Source folder/library was changed, archived, moved, locked, or delete
• The sync client is holding onto a broken shortcut.

I suggest follow these steps to narrow down the situation:

Step 1: Check whether the folder still works in Teams / SharePoint / OneDrive web

• Have the staff member try the same folder in the browser first by via Teams > the team/channel > Files or via the corresponding SharePoint site or go to OneDrive on the web > Shared
• If the folder does not open in the web, then this is not a OneDrive desktop sync problem but a permission/source-folder issue that needs the Team owner or SharePoint admin to fix.

Then you can ask the Team owner / SharePoint site owner to verify:

• The folder still exists and was not archived, deleted, or moved
• The user still has access and sufficient permissions to use the shortcut feature.

Step 2: Remove the broken shortcut from OneDrive on the web

• Sign in to OneDrive on the web > go to My files > find the shortcut folder > Remove shortcut
• Re-add the shortcut (only after access is confirmed)
• Open the folder in OneDrive web/Teams/SharePoint > choose Add shortcut to My files > wait for OneDrive desktop to resync.

Please understand that my initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, you can try these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to find a solution.

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.    

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I'm looking forward to your reply.

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Answer 2

The issue is caused by problems with OneDrive shared folder shortcuts, not by the local OneDrive client itself. Some shared folder shortcuts in the My files section can become invalid or turn into .url internet shortcuts and then fail with errors when accessed from File Explorer.

For a durable fix, use these approaches:

1. Verify that the underlying Teams/SharePoint folder still exists and that the user still has Edit access. If the folder was locked, archived, deleted, or permissions were changed by the owner/admin, the shortcut will continue to fail until access is restored.
2. If the folder and permissions are correct but the shortcut is broken, remove the shortcut from OneDrive and re-add it from the original shared location:
   • In OneDrive on the web, go to Shared.
   • Open the shared Teams/SharePoint folder.
   • Use Add shortcut to OneDrive to add it back to My files.
3. Be aware of the current OneDrive service behavior:
   • Some shared folder shortcuts in My files may temporarily appear as .url internet shortcuts and open in a browser instead of as folders in File Explorer.
   • This is due to backend service changes. These .url shortcuts will automatically convert back to normal folder shortcuts when the service-side issue is resolved.
   • While in this state, the content remains accessible via OneDrive on the web (sign-in may be required).
4. If the organization wants to avoid shortcut-related issues entirely, a SharePoint/OneDrive admin can disable the Add shortcut to OneDrive feature tenant-wide so users rely on direct sync of the Teams/SharePoint library instead of shortcuts:
   • Run in SharePoint Online PowerShell:

          Set-SPOTenant -DisableAddShortcutsToOneDrive $True
     

   • This prevents new shortcuts from being created and avoids future shortcut corruption, at the cost of losing that convenience feature.
5. If File Explorer shows incorrect shortcut overlays or behavior after fixing shortcuts, restart Windows Explorer to refresh the OneDrive shell integration:
   • Press CTRL + ALT + DEL → Task Manager → More details → under Processes, right-click Windows Explorer → Restart.

In summary, a permanent fix requires ensuring the shared folder and permissions are stable, recreating any broken shortcuts from the Shared view, and optionally disabling the shortcut feature at the tenant level if it continues to cause issues.

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References:

• Add shortcuts to shared folders in OneDrive
• OneDrive shared folders shortcuts showing up as Internet Shortcuts
• What do the OneDrive icons mean?