SharePoint Document Issues

How to Download SharePoint Folders Without Zipping

Nimra Malik Sep 28, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to download complete folders from SharePoint to a local drive without the system compressing them into a ZIP archive.

How to Download SharePoint Folders Without Zipping

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Backing up or transferring large folders from a SharePoint document library to a local or external drive.
Observed behavior: When attempting to download folders directly via the web browser, SharePoint automatically compresses the content into a ZIP file, which often leads to extraction errors for very large folders.

Before you start

Ensure you have the latest version of the OneDrive desktop application installed on your computer and that you are signed in with the Microsoft account associated with your SharePoint access.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the OneDrive Sync Client to Download Folders

Synchronizing the SharePoint document library with your local OneDrive client bypasses the web browser's ZIP compression and securely transfers files in their native format.

This method establishes a direct connection between your computer and the SharePoint server. Once synchronized, the files reside on your hard drive, allowing you to freely copy or move them to external storage without ever dealing with a ZIP archive.

Open SharePoint Library

Log in to your SharePoint account via your web browser and navigate to the document library containing the folders you want to download.

Click the Sync Button

Look for the 'Sync' button in the toolbar menu located just above the file list, and click on it.

Allow OneDrive Application to Open

A browser prompt will appear asking for permission to open Microsoft OneDrive. Click 'Open' or 'Allow' to launch the sync client.

Wait for Synchronization

OneDrive will begin syncing the SharePoint folders to your local computer. You can check the progress by clicking the OneDrive cloud icon in your system tray or menu bar.

Copy the Folders Locally

Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), locate the newly created SharePoint sync folder, and copy the downloaded folders to your desired offline destination or external drive.

Use the OneDrive Sync Client to Download Folders

Important Backup Tip: If you are strictly trying to back up files, make sure you COPY the files from the synchronized folder to your backup drive. If you MOVE or DELETE them from the sync folder, they will also be deleted from the online SharePoint site.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Edit Downloaded SharePoint Documents with WPS Office

After successfully syncing and downloading your SharePoint files locally, you'll need a fast and reliable office suite to view and edit them. WPS Office is a lightweight, fully compatible, and free alternative to Microsoft Office that allows you to handle Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files effortlessly.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office from the official website onto your PC or Mac.
2. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office, click 'Open', and navigate to the local folder where you saved your synced SharePoint files.
3. Edit and Save: Edit your documents with advanced formatting tools and save them directly in their original Microsoft Office formats.

Seamless format compatibility with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Lightweight architecture ensures large, synced SharePoint documents open instantly.Familiar tabbed interface requiring zero learning curve for regular Office users.Completely free to download and use for essential document creation and editing.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint automatically zip my folder downloads?

SharePoint compresses multiple files or entire folders into a ZIP archive to reduce the total download size and ensure a faster, uninterrupted transfer over the web browser. However, very large ZIP files are prone to extraction errors.

Can I download SharePoint files without zipping them on a Mac?

Yes. The process is identical on macOS. Simply install the Microsoft OneDrive client for Mac, log in, click 'Sync' in your SharePoint library, and access the uncompressed files via Finder.

What should I do if the Sync button is missing in SharePoint?

If you do not see the Sync button, the site administrator may have disabled the offline sync feature for that specific library. You will need to contact your IT administrator to enable 'Offline Client Availability' in the library settings.

Is there a limit to how many files I can sync from SharePoint using OneDrive?

Yes. Microsoft recommends syncing no more than 300,000 files across all synced document libraries and OneDrive accounts combined to prevent performance issues in the OneDrive desktop client.

Document & File Issues