Updated name of folder isn't replicated in SharePoint search

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Updated name of folder isn't replicated in SharePoint search

Angharad Davies 40

A user created a folder in a document library and later renamed it. At a later date, when she used search, she couldn’t find the folder using the new name, but could still find it using the old name.

Initially, I thought this might be because the timer job hadn’t yet synchronised the change. However, it has now been over a month and the folder name returned in search has still not updated.

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Answer 1

Daniel-Vo 5,245 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Angharad Davies,

This behavior is usually related to how search indexing works in Microsoft SharePoint. Even though the folder has been renamed, search results may still return the old name if the index has not been updated yet. You can try the following steps to resolve the issue:

1/ Verify the folder name

• Go to the document library

• Confirm the folder shows the updated name

2/ Reindex the document library

• Go to Library Settings

• Select Advanced settings

• Click Reindex Document Library

3/ Allow time for indexing

• After triggering reindex, wait up to 24–48 hours for the search index to refresh

4/ Test search again

• Try searching using the new folder name

Additional note:

I found a similar case discussed on the Microsoft forum, you can refer to it here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-sg/answers/questions/2279648/after-rename-library-document-how-long-does-it-tak

In that case, Microsoft also confirmed that after renaming items, search results may still show the old name until the index is refreshed, and reindexing the library is the recommended solution.

If the issue still persists after reindexing, you can also try testing in an InPrivate window or from another user account to rule out caching behavior.

Hope these will help.

Daniel-Vo 5,245 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-18T11:33:26.2566667+00:00

Hi,

May I know if you have got any chance to check my answer? I am glad to help if you have any other questions.
Angharad Davies 40 Reputation points

2026-03-19T16:06:21.86+00:00

I re-indexed the document library and nothing has changed in the last 24 hours. Should I be waiting a little longer?
Daniel-Vo 5,245 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-20T04:31:13.04+00:00
Hi,

Thanks for the update.

After triggering a reindex, it can sometimes take longer than 24 hours for search results to fully reflect the changes, especially depending on the size of the library and overall indexing load. In some cases, it may take up to 48 hours or slightly longer.

In the meantime, I would recommend the following checks:

1/ Test in a private browsing session

Open an InPrivate/Incognito window

Search again using the new folder name (This helps rule out cached search results)

2/ Try from another user account

Check if the behavior is consistent across different users

3/ Reindex the site (if possible)

Go to Site Settings > Search and offline availability

Click Reindex site

If the issue still persists after additional time and reindexing, it may indicate that the search index has not properly picked up the change. At that point, I would recommend raising a support ticket so the indexing process can be further investigated on the backend.
Daniel-Vo 5,245 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-23T11:14:27.97+00:00

Hi,

I have not heard from you for a couple of days. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help here.
Angharad Davies 40 Reputation points

2026-03-23T16:19:58.3433333+00:00

It didn't work. I'll try re-indexing the list.
Daniel-Vo 5,245 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-24T07:50:50.6266667+00:00
Hi,

Thanks for the update.

If reindexing both the document library and the site does not resolve the issue, then this is likely related to how the search index is being processed on the backend in Microsoft SharePoint.

At this point, further investigation would require access to internal indexing logs and crawl status, which are not available through the forum.

I would recommend raising a support ticket with Microsoft so the support team can:

Check the search crawl status

Verify if the item is being indexed correctly

Perform deeper backend diagnostics if needed

This will allow the issue to be properly investigated and resolved.
Angharad Davies 40 Reputation points

2026-03-24T14:08:55.6833333+00:00

I couldn't re-index the site as it's a subsite, it doesn't give me the option. Should I re-index the root site?
Daniel-Vo 5,245 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-26T03:19:04.73+00:00

Hi,

Reindexing the root site is generally safe. It won’t delete anything or change permissions; it just tells SharePoint to re-crawl the content.

That said, because it applies more broadly, it can sometimes cause temporary search inconsistencies or take a while before results settle again.

Since you’ve already tried reindexing the library and the issue is still the same, I’d probably recommend opening a Microsoft Support ticket at this point rather than continuing with broader reindexing.

The reason is that if the rename still isn’t being picked up in search, it may need a backend indexing check, and that’s something the support team would be able to investigate further.

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Updated name of folder isn't replicated in SharePoint search

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