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What's the Secret to Solving OneDrive's "Already Syncing Shortcut" Problem That's Frustrating Thousands of Users?
The "You're already syncing a shortcut to a folder from this shared library" error appears when you try to sync a SharePoint folder that already has a shortcut in your OneDrive. This happens because OneDrive prevents you from using both the Sync and Add shortcut to My files features simultaneously for the same SharePoint library. The system blocks this to avoid creating duplicate folders and potential synchronization conflicts.
This isn't actually a malfunction - it's a built-in safety feature. When you already have a shortcut to a folder in OneDrive, the system won't let you sync that same folder again. Think of it like trying to make two copies of the same document in the same location - it just creates confusion.
Understanding the Root Cause
The error occurs in two main scenarios. First, you might have previously created a shortcut using the "Add shortcut to OneDrive" feature from within Microsoft Teams or SharePoint. Second, the conflict arises when OneDrive detects an existing shortcut while you're attempting to establish a new sync connection to the same folder.
I've encountered this issue multiple times, and the solution is straightforward once you know where to look. The key is identifying and removing the existing shortcut before attempting to sync again.
Method 1: Remove Shortcut from Local OneDrive Folder
This approach works directly on your Windows computer and often provides the quickest resolution.
Step-by-step process:
- Pause OneDrive syncing first - Right-click the OneDrive icon in your system tray and select "Pause syncing" for 2 hours. This prevents conflicts while you make changes.
- Locate the shortcut folder - Open your OneDrive folder through File Explorer. Look for folders with a small link icon - these are shortcuts. Sometimes the shortcut name doesn't match exactly what you expect, so check folder contents to verify which SharePoint site it belongs to.
- Delete the shortcut - Right-click the shortcut folder and select "Delete" or "Remove shortcut". Don't worry - this only removes the shortcut, not the actual folder or its contents.
- Resume syncing - After deletion, right-click the OneDrive icon again and resume syncing.
If you can't remove the shortcut immediately, try pausing OneDrive syncing completely, then attempt the deletion again.
Method 2: Use OneDrive Web Interface
When you can't locate the shortcut locally, the web interface provides a clearer view of all your shortcuts.
Here's how I handle it online:
- Access OneDrive online - Navigate to your OneDrive web portal (typically https://[tenant]-my.sharepoint.com)
- Go to My Files - Click "My files" in the left navigation panel
- Identify shortcuts - Look for folders with link icons. The "Sharing" column shows the owner, which helps identify which SharePoint site the shortcut connects to
- Remove the shortcut - Right-click the shortcut folder and select "Remove"
This method works particularly well when dealing with renamed folders or nested shortcuts that are hard to identify locally.
Method 3: Reset OneDrive Connection
Sometimes the sync relationship gets corrupted, requiring a fresh start.
Complete reset process:
- Open OneDrive settings - Right-click the OneDrive system tray icon and click the settings gear
- Unlink your PC - Go to the "Account" tab and select "Unlink this PC"
- Restart your computer - This clears any cached sync states
- Sign back in - Launch OneDrive and enter your credentials when prompted
- Re-establish sync - Navigate to your SharePoint folder and use the "Sync" button to create a fresh connection
This approach resolves deeper synchronization conflicts that simple shortcut removal can't fix.
Prevention Tips
To avoid this error in the future, I recommend choosing one method consistently. Either use shortcuts for quick access or full sync for offline availability - but not both for the same folder. When working with team channels, establish a clear strategy about which folders need full sync versus shortcut access.
The error message might seem confusing initially, but it's actually protecting your data integrity. Once you remove the conflicting shortcut, you can proceed with either syncing or creating a new shortcut as needed.