SharePoint Document Issues

How to Fix Deleted SharePoint Folders Reappearing After Sync

John Wilson Oct 14, 2026 870 views

Question details

Folders that are deleted from a synchronized SharePoint library unexpectedly restore themselves and reappear in the directory.

How to Stop Deleted SharePoint Folders from Reappearing

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Deleting folders from a synchronized SharePoint document library.
Observed behavior: The deleted SharePoint folders continue to reappear, usually due to active sync devices, synchronization conflicts, or organizational retention policies.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, ensure you have administrative access to the Microsoft 365 admin center and Microsoft Purview portal to check organizational data policies.

Solution 1Recommended

Pause Synchronization and Delete from the Web

Prevent other locally synchronized devices from recreating the folder by pausing sync before deleting the folder from the authoritative SharePoint site.

Often, a folder reappears because another connected device still has the folder stored locally. When that device syncs, it assumes the folder is missing from the server and re-uploads it.

Pause syncing on local devices

Open the OneDrive or SharePoint sync app on all connected local devices, click the gear icon (Settings), and select 'Pause syncing'.

Access SharePoint online

Log into your Microsoft 365 account through a web browser and navigate to the authoritative SharePoint document library.

Delete the folders

Select the folders you want to remove and delete them directly via the SharePoint web interface.

Resume synchronization

Go back to your local devices and select 'Resume syncing' to allow the client to register the permanent server-side deletion.

Pause Synchronization and Delete from the Web

Synchronization Conflict Resolved: Deleting from the web while local syncs are paused ensures the server acts as the absolute authority, preventing local copies from pushing old folders back.

Solution 2

Review Retention and Preservation Policies

Check if an organizational policy in Microsoft Purview is automatically preserving deleted items and forcing them to reappear.

Solution 3

Submit a Support Ticket for Diagnostic Logs

If standard troubleshooting fails, contact Microsoft Support to analyze backend diagnostic logs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can the operating system cause SharePoint folders to reappear after deletion?

No. According to Microsoft support, this behavior is generally not caused by differences between Windows and macOS. It is almost always related to synchronization conflicts, offline accounts, or Microsoft 365 retention policies.

What is the Microsoft Purview portal used for in this scenario?

Administrators use the Microsoft Purview portal to enforce data compliance. If folders reappear, the Policy Lookup tool in Purview can determine if a strict retention or preservation policy is forcing deleted SharePoint items to be restored.

How do offline local accounts affect deleted SharePoint folders?

If a user has the SharePoint document library synchronized locally but has been offline, their local drive retains the folder. When they eventually reconnect and sync, their local client might inadvertently upload the folder back to SharePoint, undoing your deletion.

Can I permanently delete a folder if a retention policy is active?

Typically, you cannot permanently delete a folder protected by an active retention policy. The policy must be modified or the specific SharePoint site excluded by an administrator before permanent deletion is permitted.

Document & File Issues