Sync Teams Channels and Shared Folders to Your Computer

Questions

  • How do I sync a Teams channel folder to my computer?
  • How do I sync a folder someone shared with me?
  • Where do synced folders appear on my computer?
  • What happens when I edit or delete a file in a synced folder?
  • How do I choose which folders sync?
  • How do I make synced files available offline?
  • How do I stop syncing, and what happens to the files on my computer?
  • Why won't a synced folder delete, or why does it keep reappearing?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff on Windows 11 or macOS. Files shared in a Teams channel are stored in a connected SharePoint library. OneDrive is what connects those libraries to your computer.

  • OneDrive must be installed and signed in with your Bowdoin account. See Set Up the OneDrive Sync Client in the Related Articles section.
  • Syncing is set up on one computer at a time. If you use more than one, you have to repeat it on each.
  • You can sync folders where you have either Can edit or Read-only permission. Read-only folders appear on your computer but cannot be changed.
  • In some versions of Teams, a channel's Shared tab is labeled Files. They are the same place.
  • Synced folders appear in File Explorer or Finder under Bowdoin College. You cannot choose a different location.

Resolution

Consider a shortcut first

For most people, a shortcut is the better option. It follows you to every computer and device you sign in to instead of being tied to one machine, it performs better on large libraries, and undoing it is a single click that cannot affect anyone else's files. Sync is the right choice for heavy offline work on one computer, for moving large numbers of files into Teams, and for programs that need a fixed folder path. See Choose How Teams and Shared Files Appear on Your Computer and Add a Shortcut to a Teams Channel or Shared Folder in OneDrive in the Related Articles section.

Sync a Teams channel folder

  1. In Teams, open the channel and select the Shared tab near the top. In some versions this tab is called Files.
  2. Open the specific folder you need, rather than staying at the top of the channel.
  3. Select Sync in the toolbar. If you do not see it, select the ... menu.
  4. When prompted, allow OneDrive to start.
  5. Wait for the first sync to finish. On a large folder this can take a while.

Sync a folder shared with you

Use this when a colleague has shared a folder with you directly, rather than through a Team.

  1. Go to https://office365.bowdoin.edu and sign in with your Bowdoin account, then open OneDrive.
  2. Select Shared in the left navigation, then Shared with me.
  3. Select the folder name to open it.
  4. Select Sync in the toolbar.
  5. When prompted, allow your browser to open OneDrive.
  6. If OneDrive asks which folders to include, choose only the ones you need, then confirm.

Best practice: Sync only the channel or folder you actually need. Syncing a whole large library uses more disk space, slows OneDrive down, and makes sync errors more likely. This is the single biggest factor in whether syncing stays reliable.

Find synced folders on your computer

Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on macOS and look under Bowdoin College in the left sidebar. You can also select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar or the Mac menu bar and open the folder from there.

Not to be confused with your own OneDrive. Synced libraries appear under Bowdoin College. Your personal OneDrive, and any shortcuts you have added, appear under the separate OneDrive - Bowdoin College or {Name} - Bowdoin College entry. The two sit near each other in the sidebar and read almost identically, so if you are hunting for a folder, check both.

Understand what syncing does before you work with files

Syncing creates a live, two-way connection between your computer and the Teams or SharePoint library. That has consequences worth knowing before you start:

  • Anything you add, edit, rename, or delete in the synced folder happens in Teams too, for everyone on that channel.
  • Deleting a file from a synced folder sends it to the SharePoint recycle bin. It can be recovered for a limited time, but it disappears from everyone else's view immediately.
  • Renaming or moving synced folders directly in File Explorer or Finder can break the connection. Reorganize in Teams or SharePoint on the web instead.
  • Changes you make offline are held on your computer and only sync when you reconnect. If two people change the same file in the meantime, OneDrive will ask you to sort out the conflict.
  • Version history is kept automatically, so you do not need to save copies named "final" or "v2".

Never right-click and delete a synced folder to "clean it up." The folder is still connected to the cloud, so this deletes the files from Teams and SharePoint for the whole team, not just from your computer. Always stop the sync first, using the steps below.

Choose which folders sync

If a library is larger than what you need, you can sync only part of it, and you can change the selection later.

  1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar or the Mac menu bar.
  2. Go to Settings > Account.
  3. Find the library in the list and select Choose folders.
  4. Check the folders you want on this computer and uncheck the rest, then select OK.

Unchecking a folder removes it from this computer only. It stays in Teams and everyone else keeps their access.

New subfolders are not always automatic. If someone adds a folder to a library you are selectively syncing, you may need to come back to Choose folders and check it before it appears on your computer.

Make files available offline, or reclaim space

By default, synced files stay in the cloud and download when you open them, so a sync uses little disk space until you need something.

  • To keep a file or folder on the computer for offline use, right-click it and choose Always keep on this device.
  • To reclaim the space later, right-click and choose Free up space. The file stays in Teams and downloads again next time you open it.

Stop syncing and free up space

Stopping a sync breaks the connection between your computer and the library. It does not delete anything. The files stay in Teams, and the copies on your computer stay behind as an ordinary, disconnected folder. Removing that local folder is a separate step.

Step 1: Stop the sync

  1. Before you start, confirm that everything has finished uploading. The OneDrive icon should show a green checkmark on Windows, or a solid cloud on macOS.
  2. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar or the Mac menu bar.
  3. Go to Settings > Account.
  4. Find the library in the list and choose Stop sync, then confirm.

Step 2: Remove the local copy (optional)

  1. Wait for OneDrive to finish removing the connection. This can take a few minutes.
  2. In File Explorer or Finder, confirm the folder no longer shows a cloud or sync icon.
  3. Delete the folder as you normally would. Because the connection is gone, this only removes your local copy.

If the folder will not delete or keeps reappearing

  • Restart the computer. OneDrive sometimes needs a restart to release a folder.
  • Check Settings > Account > Choose folders and confirm the folder is unchecked.
  • Confirm the sync was actually stopped, not just paused. A paused sync resumes on its own.
  • As a last resort, unlink the account (Settings > Account > Unlink this PC). Confirm everything important is safely in Teams first, because this affects every synced library on that computer.

Fix sync problems

  • Check your internet connection and that OneDrive is signed in.
  • Look for a warning badge on the OneDrive icon and open it to see what it is reporting.
  • Restart OneDrive, then the computer.
  • A file name with an unusual character or a very long folder path is the most common cause of a stuck sync.

For the full set of fixes, see Troubleshoot Microsoft OneDrive Sync Errors in the Related Articles section. On a Mac, see also Fix Files or Folders That Will Not Sync or Upload to OneDrive from a Mac.

Sync best practices

  • Sync only what you need on that computer. A shortcut to one folder beats syncing a whole library.
  • Treat synced folders as live, shared locations. Anything you change or delete there affects the whole team right away.
  • Stop the sync before removing a folder locally. Never delete a connected folder.
  • Do not sync a library you also hold a shortcut to. The folder will appear twice and it becomes easy to delete the wrong copy.
  • Review your syncs occasionally and remove ones you no longer use.
  • Do not sync on a shared or public computer.
  • Follow department and IT guidance when handling sensitive files.

Bowdoin's limits for file size, path length, item counts, and file naming are listed in one place. See Best Practices and Limitations in Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive in the Related Articles section.

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.

Additional Resources

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