How to set up shared folder desktop sync in OneDrive for Business?

July 19, 2017 8:06 AM

OneDrive for Business recently (finally!) implemented shared folder desktop sync - previously you could only sync to your desktop if the folders were created by you but not if they were shared to you. I can't find instructions for setup anywhere despite detailed searching including limiting results to the last month. Any ideas?

This is confirmed on their Office 365 Roadmap site noting "This feature allows users who have folders shared with them from other OneDrive for Business users to be able to take those folders offline in the same way they can take their own files and folders offline today." Details include addition to the Roadmap in June and rollout in July. Various tech news articles are covering it but don't provide instructions.

Ideally I would like to provide simple instructions to my remote colleagues as the folders are mine, shared with them. Normal setup for your own folder involves locating a library URL and pasting it into the desktop app but I have multiple folders shared with each person and I'd prefer that it look like a single mapped drive in Explorer as closely as possible. They're not particularly tech savvy, though I could use TeamViewer to do it for them but I'm hoping for a clean solution. Any help appreciated!

posted by mireille to Computers & Internet (1 answer total)

Response by poster: For anyone landing here with the same question, I found the solution. Each user has to go into the browser OneDrive and click on "Shared with me" on the left-hand navigation, then click on the shared folder. Once the folder loads the sync option becomes available at the top of the screen. The user will need to have OneDrive for Business installed but if they do not, they will be prompted to download it (or update it, if there are issues) at this point. The user can then choose to sync the whole folder or just parts of it. Once complete an entry will appear in Windows Explorer as the domain name of the company whose user shared the folder; clicking on it will bring up the folder but it will be named "Person who shared it - Folder Name". These steps have to be completed individually for each shared folder. Not especially elegant in appearance but it works!
posted by mireille at 1:37 PM on August 30, 2017 [1 favorite]