Sync Folders Shared with You in OneDrive to Your Computer

Questions

  • How do I sync a OneDrive folder that someone shared with me to my computer?
  • How do I get offline access to files shared with me in OneDrive?
  • Someone shared a OneDrive folder with me. How do I add it to my computer?
  • Where do synced shared folders appear on my computer?
  • How do I choose which shared folders sync to my computer?
  • How do I stop syncing a shared OneDrive folder?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students using the OneDrive sync client with a Bowdoin Microsoft 365 account. It covers folders that another person has shared with you, not the folders in your own personal OneDrive.

  • You can sync folders for which you have either Can edit or Read-only permission, but you cannot modify anything in a read-only synced folder.

Resolution

By default, the OneDrive sync client only syncs the folders in your personal OneDrive to your computer. You can also sync folders that others have shared with you, which gives you offline access to those files as well as your own.

Sync a shared folder

Once you have been given Can edit permission to a folder and it has been shared with you, follow these steps to sync that folder's content.

  1. Log in to OneDrive online by going to https://office365.bowdoin.edu and then selecting the OneDrive icon in the launch menu.
  2. On the left, select the category Shared with me.
    Navigation menu with the "Shared with me" option outlined in red.
  3. Select the folder name to browse into the folder.
    A shared folder outlined in red on a file management interface.
  4. Above the list of subfolders and files there is a menu bar. Select the Sync icon.
    Toolbar with New, Upload, Share, Copy link, Download, Flow, and Sync options. The Sync button is outlined in red.
  5. A new window will appear letting you know that the system is getting ready to sync. This window may be pushed behind the next notification.
    Dialog instructing the user to sign in to OneDrive with their account and update OneDrive if syncing does not start.
  6. A dialog window will open asking for your permission to allow the website to open an application on your computer. Select Allow.
    Browser prompt asking to allow bowdoin-my.sharepoint.com to open a program, with the Allow button outlined in red.
    Note: The notification looks slightly different on macOS, but the concept is the same. You must allow the browser to open an application on your local computer.
  7. The local OneDrive application will open and let you select which subfolders and files inside the shared folder you want to sync to your local computer. If there are no subfolders, choose Files not in a folder.
    OneDrive sync setup window with options to sync all files or select individual folders, and a Start sync button.
  8. The files will now start to sync to your computer. These files DO NOT sync into your regular OneDrive - Bowdoin College folder. They go into a new folder called Bowdoin College located at the base of your user folder (for example, C:\Users\UserName\Bowdoin College).
  9. A quick way to get to the folder containing the synced files is to select the OneDrive icon in the Task Tray.
    Windows system tray with the OneDrive icon highlighted in red.
  10. Then in the menu in the upper right, select Open your Bowdoin College folder.
    Context menu with "Open your Bowdoin College folder" highlighted under OneDrive options.

Manage synced shared content

If more subfolders are added to the original shared folder, they may not sync automatically. You will need to manage what is synced manually.

  1. Select the OneDrive icon in the Task Tray.
  2. Select the three vertical dots in the upper right to open the menu, then choose Settings.
  3. You will see two or more sync locations in the "X locations are syncing" box in the middle (X is the number of locations that are syncing). Select the Choose folders link.
    OneDrive sync settings showing a highlighted shared folder being synced, with options to choose folders or stop syncing.
  4. Select or de-select any folders that you would like to change, then select OK. Any additional files will sync, or synced files will be removed, as necessary.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
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Set Up the OneDrive Sync Client
Instructions for installing and configuring the OneDrive sync client on Windows and macOS so that files sync between a computer and OneDrive online. Covers checking whether the client is already installed, downloading it if needed, signing in with a Bowdoin account, choosing the sync location, and locating the synced folder.