Accessing folders on OneDrive

Cole Anastasia 0 Reputation points
2026-08-23T23:25:34.08+00:00

Hi, unfortunately, I too have a problem with the synchronization of the company onedrive, until recently everything worked correctly and I could easily open the onedrive folders and the folders present in the onedrive backup as normal folders. From a week to today it takes about 1 min to open the same folders and makes it impossible for me to work. I have already unlinked my OneDrive account but, the problem remains. The folders on my desktop and documents work normally again, but of course I don't have access to the corporate onedrive folders.

Thank you

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For business | Windows
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  1. Alina Le 4,890 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-24T00:06:43.47+00:00

    Hello @Cole Anastasia

    First, I would like to summarize my understanding of the situation to make sure I am on the right track.

    • Your OneDrive for Business folders used to open normally in File Explorer, but over the past week they have started taking about a minute to open.
    • You unlinked your OneDrive account, and afterward your Desktop and Documents folders became responsive again.
    • However, the corporate OneDrive folders are currently unavailable or were very slow to access before they were disconnected.

    Second, to better understand your setup, could you please help clarify the following?

    1. Are these folders stored in your personal OneDrive for Business account, or are they SharePoint/Teams libraries synced through OneDrive?
    2. Does the delay occur with all corporate folders or only specific ones?
    3. When you say you no longer have access to the corporate folders, are they: -> Missing from File Explorer? / Visible but slow to open?/ Showing an error when opened?
    4. If possible, please share a screenshot of the issue (with any personal or company information removed). This may help identify where the process is getting stuck.
    5. Has anyone else in your company experienced the same issue? User's image

    Third, While I wait for your reply, here are a few common situations that can lead to this type of behavior:

    • The connection between OneDrive and the business library needs to be refreshed.
    • The synced library contains a large number of files or folders.
    • OneDrive is still processing recent changes or updates.
    • File Explorer is taking longer than expected to retrieve information from the cloud location.

    To help identify whether the issue is related to the sync connection or the library itself, please try the following:

    1/ Make sure OneDrive and Windows are up to date

    • Select the OneDrive cloud icon near the bottom right corner.
    • Click "Help & Settings" > "Settings" > "About".
    • Check whether any update is available and install it if prompted.

    Download the latest Windows updates

    Download the latest version of OneDrive

    2/ Reconnect and sync the business library again

    • Select the OneDrive cloud icon.
    • Click "Help & Settings" > "Settings" > "Account".
    • Add your work account if it is no longer connected.
    • Open the affected SharePoint site or OneDrive for Business library in your browser and select "Sync".

    -> This rebuilds the connection between OneDrive and the corporate library.

    3/ Compare the folder's performance in the browser

    • Open the same folder in OneDrive for Business on the web.
    • Check whether it opens normally there.

    -> This helps determine whether the slowdown is specific to File Explorer or affects the library generally.

    4/ Reset OneDrive if the issue persists

    • Press Windows + R.
    • Type: %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /reset -> Press "Enter".
    • Wait for OneDrive to restart automatically. If it does not, start OneDrive manually from the Start menu.

    User's image

    For your reference:

    Fix OneDrive sync problems

    Reset OneDrive | Microsoft Support

    Kind regards,

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-23T23:25:56.1266667+00:00

    Since unlinking already restored normal behavior for Desktop and Documents, the remaining issue is likely the local sync relationship for the corporate library rather than the local Windows folders themselves.

    Try this end-to-end recovery path:

    1. Reconnect the work account in OneDrive
      • Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows notification area.
      • Go to Help and Settings > Settings > Account.
      • If the work account is missing, add it again and complete sign-in.
      • When prompted that the OneDrive folder already exists, select Use this folder.
    2. Re-establish sync for the corporate library
      • Open the relevant SharePoint site, Teams Files tab, or document library in a browser.
      • Select Sync.
      • Allow the site to open in OneDrive.
      • Wait for the library to appear again in File Explorer.
    3. If the corporate folders are shared folders rather than a full library
      • Open OneDrive on the web.
      • Go to Shared.
      • Select the folder and use Add shortcut to My files.
      • Allow time for OneDrive to sync it back into File Explorer.
    4. If File Explorer still shows folders as constantly syncing
      • Check the OneDrive folder for hidden or temporary files.
      • Remove hidden files and folders that are not related to files currently being edited.
      • Close open Office files and clear the Office document cache.
      • If temporary Office files remain, only delete them if they can be safely removed.
      • If files cannot be removed, move them out of the OneDrive folder and check whether performance improves.
      • Warning: deleting temporary Office files can cause data loss if the files are still needed.
    5. If many sync errors remain, start over for that library
      • Stop syncing the affected library.
      • Then sync it again to get fresh data.
      • Do not rename the synced folder after sync is established, because that breaks the sync relationship.
    6. If OneDrive itself is not starting correctly or does not prompt for sign-in
      • Check whether a Group Policy is blocking OneDrive startup.
      • In the registry, the documented location is: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive
      • If DisableFileSyncNGSC = DWORD:1, OneDrive for work or school is blocked.
      • This is typically an admin-managed policy. If it is set by Group Policy, the policy must be removed by the organization; manual changes can be reverted automatically.
      • Warning: registry changes are risky and can cause serious problems if done incorrectly.

    If the issue is only with the corporate library and not with Desktop/Documents anymore, the most likely fix is step 2: sync the SharePoint or OneDrive for Business library again from the web location so the local File Explorer connection is rebuilt.

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