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To enable synchronization, open the SharePoint document library, select Sync, approve the handoff to OneDrive, and complete sign-in. To block synchronization for everyone, an owner changes Offline Client Availability to No in the library’s Advanced Settings, or applies the same policy to the whole site. To disconnect only one computer, use OneDrive Settings > Account > Stop sync; use Pause syncing when the interruption is temporary. Stopping synchronization normally leaves local copies in place, while deleting a synced file is a separate action that can remove it from the cloud and other devices.
How do I enable sync for a SharePoint document library?
Synchronization starts from the SharePoint library itself. OneDrive then creates a local connection so the library appears in File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac.
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What you need before starting
- A Microsoft 365 work or school account with permission to open the SharePoint site and target library.
- The current OneDrive client installed and signed in on the computer you want to use.
- Permission to approve the browser handoff from SharePoint to OneDrive when your browser requests it.
Turn on sync step by step
- Sign in to the SharePoint site with your work or school account.
- Open the document library you want to use offline.
- Select Sync in the library toolbar. In some SharePoint layouts, open the ellipsis menu (…) first and then choose Sync.
- Approve the browser prompt that hands the request to OneDrive.
- Sign in to OneDrive if prompted and finish the setup screens.
- Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac and verify that the SharePoint location appears in the OneDrive area.
The first synchronization can take time when the library contains many files. Keep the computer connected while OneDrive establishes the relationship and downloads the items selected by its settings.
What if SharePoint offers “Add shortcut to My files”?
When it is available, Microsoft recommends OneDrive shortcuts as the more versatile option. Add shortcut to My files exposes shared content through OneDrive across devices, whereas Sync creates a connection tied to the particular computer where you configure it. Choose Sync when you specifically need a device-local library view; choose a shortcut when the same shared content should follow your OneDrive account to other devices.
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What is the difference between SharePoint Sync and Add shortcut to My files?
Both options make shared SharePoint content easier to reach, but they have different scope and administration implications.
| Characteristic | Sync | Add shortcut to My files |
|---|---|---|
| Where it starts | From the SharePoint document library’s Sync command. | From the shared content option that adds the library or folder to OneDrive. |
| Device reach | Specific to the computer on which it is configured. | Designed to be available across devices through the user’s OneDrive files. |
| Local experience | Creates a synced view in File Explorer or Finder. | Appears through the user’s OneDrive file structure and follows the shortcut relationship. |
| Best fit | A workstation that needs a direct local connection to a library. | Shared content that should remain convenient on multiple devices. |
| Removal | Use OneDrive’s account controls to stop the computer’s connection. | Remove the shortcut from OneDrive without treating that action as a deletion of the SharePoint content. |
A shortcut does not turn the user into an owner and does not bypass SharePoint permissions. The account still needs access to the underlying site or library.
How do I disable sync for one SharePoint library for everyone?
A library owner or administrator can block offline synchronization with the library’s Offline Client Availability setting. This changes what users can do with that library; it is not the same as stopping sync on one person’s computer.
Block sync at the library level
- Open the SharePoint site and the library you administer.
- Open Library Settings.
- Select More library settings if that link is shown.
- Open Advanced Settings.
- Find the Offline and sync section.
- For Allow people to sync this document library to their computers with Microsoft OneDrive and access it offline?, select No.
- Save the setting.
Setting the value to Yes restores the library’s ability to be synchronized. The policy affects other users of that library, so confirm the impact with the site owner or service administrator before changing it.
Block sync for every library in a site
- Open the site’s Site Settings.
- Choose Search and offline availability.
- Set Offline Client Availability to No.
- Save the change.
This site-level control applies to all document libraries in that site. Set Offline Client Availability back to Yes to restore site-wide availability.
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Who can change these controls?
These are policy controls, not ordinary file-user options. If Advanced Settings does not show the offline setting, or Site Settings is unavailable, ask the SharePoint site owner or Microsoft 365 administrator to make the change. A user can have permission to edit documents without having permission to alter synchronization policy.
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How do I stop syncing a SharePoint library on one computer without deleting files?
Use the OneDrive account controls when only one computer should disconnect. Microsoft describes this as disconnecting the folder on the computer from the library on the server; it does not by itself delete the local copies.
Stop the connection in the current OneDrive client
- Select the blue OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows notification area or Mac menu bar.
- Open Settings.
- Open the Account tab.
- Find the SharePoint site and library in the list of locations.
- Select Stop sync and confirm.
After the relationship is stopped, the synced view is removed from File Explorer or Finder, while the files normally remain on the computer. Check the local folder before deleting anything, especially if the device is being handed to another person or prepared for disposal.
What happens to the online library?
The SharePoint library remains available online to users who still have permission. Stopping the local connection does not remove the library, change its permissions, or erase other users’ copies. If you later need the files on that computer again, start a new connection from the library’s Sync command.
Why stopping sync is not the same as deleting files
Unsyncing removes the synchronized view from the computer but leaves the online content available in SharePoint or OneDrive. Deleting a file from a synced location is different: when the item is online-only and synchronized, deletion can remove it from the cloud and from other connected devices. A cloud deletion may be recoverable from the SharePoint or OneDrive recycle bin, but recovery should not be treated as a substitute for stopping synchronization.
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Should I pause syncing or stop it?
Pause when you expect the interruption to be temporary and want the connection to remain. Stop when that computer should no longer maintain a relationship with the library.
| Action | Use it when | Scope | What happens next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pause syncing | You need transfers to stop temporarily, such as during a short network or bandwidth interruption. | That OneDrive client on the current computer. | Choose 2, 8, or 24 hours from the OneDrive menu, then use Resume syncing when ready. |
| Stop sync | You no longer want this computer connected to the SharePoint library. | The selected site or library on the current computer. | The relationship is disconnected. Local copies normally remain, and a new Sync setup is required to reconnect. |
| Disable Offline Client Availability | An owner or administrator must prevent users from syncing a library or site. | One library or every library in a site, depending on where the policy is changed. | Users are blocked from starting or maintaining offline synchronization under that policy. |
Pausing does not change the SharePoint policy and does not disconnect the account. It is therefore the safer choice when you merely need OneDrive to stop transferring data for a defined period.
What changes, and what does not, when sync is stopped?
The effect depends on whether you changed a local OneDrive connection or an owner-level availability policy.
| Change | Local files on the computer | Online SharePoint or OneDrive files | Other users and devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stop sync on one computer | Copies normally remain, although the synced folder view is removed. | Remain available online. | Unaffected; their connections continue. |
| Pause sync | Remain in place while transfers wait. | Remain available, but new local changes do not transfer until syncing resumes. | Unaffected by the local pause. |
| Set library Offline Client Availability to No | Existing local copies on already-connected computers are not automatically described as deleted by this policy. | Remain online in SharePoint. | Users are prevented from using offline synchronization for that library. |
| Delete a synchronized file | The local item is removed. | The cloud item can also be removed. | Other synchronized devices can receive the deletion. |
Before removing a local copy after stopping sync, verify that the online version is present and that no unsent edits remain on the computer. Stopping the connection is a relationship change; it is not a file-cleanup command.
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A missing command usually points to access, library policy, or a OneDrive client problem. Work through these checks in order so you can identify whether the issue is controlled by SharePoint or by the computer.
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- Confirm the account and permissions. Sign in with the Microsoft 365 work or school account that can open the site and library. A personal account or an account without library access may not receive the Sync command.
- Check the library policy. Ask the owner to open Library Settings > More library settings > Advanced Settings > Offline and sync and confirm that the library allows users to sync. If the site-wide setting is disabled, check Site Settings > Search and offline availability as well.
- Check the OneDrive client. Update or reinstall OneDrive if the browser handoff does not launch. If the client’s connection is stale, unlink and relink the work or school account, then try the library’s Sync command again.
- Review library restrictions. Checkout requirements, validation rules, required metadata, or read-only restrictions can interfere with synchronization. The owner may need to adjust the library design or explain which files cannot be edited offline.
- Check names and paths. Shorten problematic folder paths or filenames and remove unsupported characters when individual files fail to sync. A library can open successfully in the browser while a particular path still prevents local synchronization.
When should an administrator intervene?
Escalate when the user can open the library but cannot see its offline setting, when several users lose the Sync command at once, or when site-wide policy appears to override the library setting. The owner or Microsoft 365 administrator can verify policy, permissions, and client configuration together instead of changing files blindly.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do I restore sync after disabling it?
Restoration depends on what was disabled. A local stop requires a new connection; an owner-level block requires the policy to be changed first.
Restore a library that was blocked
- For one library, open Library Settings > More library settings > Advanced Settings.
- Under Offline and sync, set the library option to Yes.
- If the whole site was blocked, open Site Settings > Search and offline availability and set Offline Client Availability to Yes.
- Have the user refresh SharePoint, reopen the library, and select Sync.
Reconnect a computer after Stop sync
- Open the SharePoint library in the browser.
- Select Sync and approve the handoff to OneDrive.
- Sign in with the account that has access to the library.
- Wait for the new location to appear in File Explorer or Finder before moving or deleting any old local copies.
If the old local folder is still present, compare its contents with the online library before cleaning it up. Keeping two similarly named folders can lead to editing the disconnected copy by mistake.
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What should an owner check before changing sync policy?
Changing Offline Client Availability affects how people work with the library, so make the decision at the narrowest scope that solves the problem.
- Use a library-level setting when only one library should be restricted.
- Use the site-level setting when every library in the site must follow the same offline rule.
- Use Stop sync when the requirement concerns one computer rather than all users.
- Use Pause syncing when the issue is temporary and the relationship should remain intact.
- Explain local-copy handling before asking users to remove folders, because stopping synchronization does not itself delete those files.
- Document the recovery path by noting whether users should resume, reconnect with Sync, or wait for an owner to restore the policy.
Choosing the smallest effective scope limits disruption: a temporary transfer problem belongs in OneDrive, a single-device retirement belongs in Stop sync, and an organization-wide restriction belongs in SharePoint policy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enable sync again after stopping it on my computer?
Yes. Open the library in SharePoint and start the Sync command again, then complete the OneDrive sign-in and setup. Treat any old local folder as a separate copy until you have verified which location is connected.
Does pausing OneDrive stop other people from editing the SharePoint library?
No. Pause applies to transfers handled by OneDrive on the current computer. Other users can continue using the online library and their own synchronized connections.
Why can I open a library online but still be unable to sync it?
Browser access and offline synchronization are controlled separately. An owner may have disabled Offline Client Availability, or the library may contain restrictions such as required metadata, checkout, validation, or read-only rules.
What should I do with local files after a library is unsynced?
First confirm that the needed files and latest edits exist in SharePoint or OneDrive. Only then archive or delete the disconnected local folder, because Stop sync leaves local copies and does not identify which copy is the authoritative one.
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