6 Quick Fixes to SharePoint Not Syncing Issue

About SharePoint Not Syncing Issue

“Sharepoint stopped syncing with File Explorer and there's no Sync button to restart over the last couple of days, a couple of weird folders were showing up in file explorer in the wrong place. Today, I copied a folder in Sharepoint and it didn't sync with FE. I found the instructions to reset OneDrive. That dropped the folder structure from FE and I can't get it back.
When I go to OneDrive, it claims it is sync'd, but it's only showing the Teams chat folder. When I'm in Sharepoint, the "Sync" button is not on the toolbar, so I can't click that. How do I go about re-attaching the Documents section of a Group to File Explorer?”

SharePoint is an effective tool for collaboration, so many users may want to sync SharePoint to OneDrive to enjoy it. However, you may meet different sync issues during the process, for example, the SharePoint sync button missing issue. Besides, you may also encounter the following ones:

• SharePoint not updating with the latest version of a document.
• You cannot open the file directly in SharePoint online (I can only work with the file within the browser).
• Specific files do not sync and the status is displayed as red x in File Explorer instead of a green checkmark or blue sync symbol.
• ...

Anyway, you need to understand your situation (listed above) and the reasons for it. And then, you can fix the SharePoint not syncing issue effectively.

Why Is SharePoint Not Syncing?

You may encounter different SharePoint not syncing situations, it does not matter, you can fix it as long you find the reaons for it. Here we will list some of them for corresponding situations:

• The SharePoint Sync button missing. This may be a permission issue, or the library is set to be offline.
• SharePoint not updating with the latest version of a document. This may be caused by conflicts or failed uploads.
• You cannot open the file directly in SharePoint online. This may be due to the IRM library settings or open behavior for documents in the Browser.
• You cannot sync specific folders properly. This may be conflicting files in your SharePoint and OneDrive or File Explorer.
• ...

How to Fix SharePoint Not Syncing to OneDrive Effectively

Before starting to fix the SharePoint not syncing to OneDrive, please be sure the following three things:

✍ First, check you are not syncing too many files, for example, you have more than 100000 files or the SharePoint sync seems to be stuck for a long time. You may also see the status shows “Processing 0KB of xMB”. To confirm it, check the Properties of OneDrive folder.

✍ Second, be sure you sync the supported filenames and file types. Here are 3 unsupported types below:

• The files are larger than 15GB.
• The file path, including the file name, contains more than 400 characters.
• Your files contain any illegal or characters, such as <, >, :, ", |, ?, *, /, \ or that the folder includes any unsupported file types (eg: tmp files, desktop.ini or .ds-store, etc).

✍ Third, make sure you install the latest version of OneDrive and download the latest Windows Updates.

Then, follow the methods below to fix SharePoint Not Syncing to OneDrive. And they are applicable to SharePoint Not Syncing to File Explorer.

Way 1: Check the SharePoint and OneDrive Permission

If you find the SharePoint Sync button missing, you may lack of permission. To check if you have permission, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Go to SharePoint Admin Center and Select Settings under it.

Step 2. At the right pane, select OneDrive, click on Sync and be sure the option Show the Sync button on the OneDrive website is checked.

Note: The Sync button might not show right away and it will take some time before that.

Step 3. You can also check your permission with the Site Owner in the library. Go to the folder location, click on the three dots button and select Manage access.

Step 4. Scroll down to Advance, click it and Check Permissions.

Step 5. In the Check Permissions window, type the UPN and click on Check Now. If you don’t have permission, you can ask the Site Owner to grant your permission to at least Edit.

Way 2: Verify if the SharePoint Library Offline

Besides the permission issue, for the SharePoint Sync button missing issue, there is a possibility that the SharePoint library is offline. Contact your SharePoint administrator if you are not an administrator. If you are, follow the corresponding steps below to check if the SharePoint folder is offline.

For site administrator:

Step 1. Go to the SharePoint site. Choose the Settings gear and Site Settings.

Step 2. In the Search section, choose Search and Offline Availability, and be sure the Offline Client Availability is set to Yes, click OK.

For library administrator:

Step 1. Go to the library. Choose the Library tab and Library Settings. If you don't have the Library tab, select the Gear icon for the Settings menu and then select Library settings.

Step 2. This is a section to insert various notes. Select Advanced Settings in the General Settings section, and Scroll down to the Offline Client Availability option, then click Yes and OK

Way 3: Check If There Are Complicts or Failed Uploads

If your problem is that SharePoint not updating with the latest version of a document or you cannot sync specific folders properly, it may be caused by conflicts or failed uploads. Try the following steps and check:

Step 1. Go to View > All Items, and select Items that need attention.

Step 2. If there are conflicts, refresh the page and try the update again. If not, or the conflicts appear again, check Microsoft contacting support.

Way 4: Modify the IRM Library Settings or Open Behavior

If you cannot open the file directly in SharePoint online, try to modify the IRM library settings or open Behavior and see if it is helpful.

Step 1. Go to Library settings and Information Rights Management.

Step 2. Scroll down to the Set additional IRM library settings section, and see if the option Prevent opening document in the browser for this Document Library is checked. If yes, please uncheck it.

Step 3. You can also check the open behavior in the Library settings. Go to Library settings > Advanced settings > Opening Documents in the browser and check if it is set to “Open in the client application”. If not, check it.

Way 5: Resync the SharePoint Online

If you cannot sync a specific folder properly, you can choose to move files with the Read x button and try again. Besides, if you modify a file in the local sync folder, please try to resync the document library.

Step 1. Right-click the OneDrive icon, select Settings >Account, then find the document library and click Stop Sync.

Step 2. Move the affected folder out of this document library and save it to another location.

Step 3. Go to SharePoint online, select the synced folder and click the Sync button in it to start the resync process.

Step 4. Wait until the sync process is complete and put back the modified files in the documents folder.

Way 6: Reset the OneDrive Sync Client

If you still cannot resolve the SharePoint not syncing issue, try to reset the OneDrive sync client and see if it is helpful.

Step 1. Press Win + R together to open the Run window.

Step 2. Type %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset and press OK.

Step 3. Start OneDrive again and see if you are able to Sync SharePoint to OneDrive.

How to Sync SharePoint Library to OneDrive Automatically

After fixing the SharePoint not syncing issue, you may want to sync the SharePoint library or folder to OneDrive. The Sync feature in it is helpful, but if you want to make it run automatically, you need to learn certain professional knowledge. It is really not kind for most users.

To sync the SharePoint library to OneDrive automatically and easily, you’d better try automatic sync software - AOMEI Backupper Standard. automatic sync software - AOMEI Backupper Standard to help you. It offers you a Schedule Sync feature to make the sync task automatic and you can sync files in the local SharePoint folder daily, weekly, or monthly, not only files currently in it but also any changes made later.

Step 1. Be sure you log in with Microsoft 365 and OneDrive for Business. Download, install and Open AOMEI Backupper Standard on your computer for file sync.

Step 2. On the main page of AOMEI Backupper, click Sync and Basic Sync in order.

Step 3. Click Add Folder and select the local SharePoint folder or library in File Explorer.

Step 4. Click Select a cloud drive at the lower location and choose OneDrive, click OK to add it.

Step 5. After selecting the SharePoint folder or library and OneDrive, click the Schedule Sync option below. Then, enable it and choose the Daily, Weekly, or Monthly setting. And you can also tick Wake the computer to run scheduled tasks to free up your hands. Then, click Start Sync to sync the SharePoint library to OneDrive automatically.

Notes:

• By default, the Basic Sync method will not sync deletions from the source directory to the destination. If necessary, please enable it in Options.
• Don’t modify the source folder, otherwise, this software will not sync anymore.
• In the advanced edition, you can also enjoy Real-Time Sync, Mirror Sync, or Two-Way Sync, depending on the sync frequency, direction, or data security.

Summary

If you are looking for a way to fix the SharePoint not syncing issue, try the given methods above and I hope it is helpful for you. After fixing it, you can continue to sync the SharePoint library to OneDrive automatically for better collaboration. The easiest way is to use automatic sync software - AOMEI Backupper Standard.

If you want to sync files in real-time, mirror a folder, or perform two-way data synchronization, try its Professional version or higher. For users who use Windows Server 2008, 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2022, including the R2 version, try AOMEI Backupper Server or TechPlus edition.