Fix OneDrive People Icons on Unshared Folders
Question details
The user wants to understand why OneDrive shows people icons on unshared folders and how to refresh the displayed sharing status.
- Product
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Folders are no longer shared, but OneDrive still displays a people icon beside them.
- Observed behavior
- The sharing indicator remains visible even though the folders are believed to have no active sharing permissions.
In OneDrive on the web, select an affected folder and open Manage access to check for remaining people or sharing links. Only try temporary sharing if the folder's contents can safely be accessed by a trusted account.
Check permissions and refresh the folder's sharing status
Use this approach when the people icon remains after sharing has been removed and temporary sharing is safe.
A lingering people icon may reflect stale sharing metadata or a display issue rather than active sharing. OneDrive has no direct setting to manually reset or remove this icon.
Temporarily sharing the folder and then removing that permission may refresh its sharing status, but it is not a guaranteed fix.
Open OneDrive on the web, select the affected folder, and choose Manage access from its context menu or details pane. Review listed people and sharing links before concluding that the folder is unshared.
If temporary access is appropriate, select Share. In the sharing settings, choose Specific people or the equivalent option, enter a known account, and send the invitation. Avoid creating an Anyone link.
Select the folder again and open Manage access. Remove the permission you just granted. If the invitation created a sharing link, remove that link as well, then verify that no unintended access remains.
Refresh the OneDrive web page or reopen the folder listing where the people icon appeared. If you are viewing a synced folder, allow OneDrive time to sync before checking again.
Report a persistent OneDrive sharing-icon issue
Use OneDrive feedback if the icon remains after you have verified that sharing permissions are removed.
Use WPS Office to Work with Your Office Documents
WPS Office does not fix OneDrive sharing icons or manage OneDrive folder permissions. For document editing, it offers a free, lightweight Microsoft Office alternative with a familiar interface and support for common Office formats, making it easy to continue working with existing files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a people icon mean my OneDrive folder is still shared?
The people icon is a sharing indicator, but it can remain because of stale metadata or a display issue. Select the folder in OneDrive on the web and open Manage access to check the actual people and links with access.
Can I manually turn off the people icon in OneDrive?
OneDrive has no direct setting to reset or hide an individual folder's people icon. Check Manage access first, then try refreshing the sharing status through temporary sharing and permission removal if it is safe.
Is temporarily sharing the folder guaranteed to remove the icon?
No. Sharing with a known account and then removing its access may refresh the indicator, but a display issue can persist. Skip this method if the folder contains information that should not be shared.
What should I do if Manage access still lists a sharing link?
In Manage access, review the link's permissions and remove it if it is no longer needed. Also review direct access entries; removing a link does not necessarily remove permissions granted separately to a person.
Can WPS Office correct OneDrive folder sharing indicators?
No. OneDrive controls its folder permissions and status icons. WPS Office can edit compatible Office documents, but you must use OneDrive's Manage access and feedback options to investigate this issue.
