OneDrive File Issues

Fix Microsoft Office Changing Special Characters in OneDrive File Names

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 8, 2026 874 views

Question details

Users find that Microsoft Excel or Word automatically replaces certain special characters, such as plus signs or ampersands, in file names when opening documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint.

How to Fix Microsoft Office Changing Special Characters in OneDrive File Names

Product: Microsoft Office, OneDrive, SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Opening and saving files containing special characters in their names from OneDrive or SharePoint using Microsoft Office applications.
Observed behavior: Special characters in the file names are unexpectedly replaced, removed, or modified by the application during synchronization or upon opening.

Before you start

Verify that your OneDrive sync client and Microsoft Office applications are fully updated, as older versions (such as Office 2010) have known compatibility issues with characters like ampersands.

Solution 1Recommended

Rename Files to Avoid Unsupported Characters

The most reliable way to prevent Office and OneDrive from altering file names is to strictly avoid using restricted or problematic characters.

OneDrive, SharePoint, and Windows operating systems have specific limitations regarding which characters can be used in file names. When an unsupported character is detected, the system may automatically replace it to prevent a synchronization failure.

Identify problematic characters

Locate files containing special characters such as the plus sign (+), ampersand (&), quotation marks ("), asterisks (*), colons (:), angle brackets (< >), question marks (?), slashes (/), or backslashes (\).

Rename the file

Right-click the affected file in your OneDrive or SharePoint folder and select 'Rename' from the context menu.

Use safe alternatives

Replace the special characters with universally accepted alternatives, such as hyphens (-) or underscores (_), and press Enter to save.

Rename Files to Avoid Unsupported Characters

Character Support Variations: While newer versions of Microsoft 365 support the ampersand (&), older versions of Office or specific SharePoint server configurations may still struggle with them and trigger an automatic rename.

Solution 2

Review OneDrive Synchronization Logs

Determine if the OneDrive sync client itself is automatically renaming files to resolve cloud sync conflicts.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which special characters are strictly prohibited in OneDrive and SharePoint file names?

Microsoft strictly prohibits characters like quotation marks ("), asterisks (*), colons (:), angle brackets (< >), question marks (?), slashes (/), and backslashes (\). Avoid using these to prevent sync errors or automatic file renaming.

Why did my files with an ampersand (&) work before but now show errors?

Support for the ampersand character depends heavily on your specific Office version and SharePoint configuration. While newer Microsoft 365 versions support it natively, legacy versions like Office 2010 often encounter errors or automatically rename the file to force compatibility.

Does WPS Office have the same strict filename limitations as Microsoft Office?

WPS Office generally relies on your local operating system's file naming rules (e.g., Windows or macOS). However, if you are saving files directly into a synced OneDrive folder, you must still adhere to OneDrive's cloud sync restrictions regardless of the office suite you are using.

How can I find a list of files that were automatically renamed by OneDrive?

You can check the OneDrive Activity Center by clicking the OneDrive cloud icon in your taskbar. It displays a notification log detailing which specific files were renamed due to invalid characters so you can track the changes.

Document & File Issues