OneDrive File Issues

How to Fix Inconsistent OneDrive Folder Sort Order Across Devices

WPS Content Manager Oct 12, 2026 870 views

Question details

User experiences inconsistent sorting by Date Modified in OneDrive folders when accessing them from different Windows computers.

How to Fix Inconsistent OneDrive Folder Sort Order Across Devices

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows 10, Windows 11
Scenario: Organizing and viewing synced files in OneDrive folders across multiple desktop computers.
Observed behavior: The folder sort order intermittently changes or fails to match between devices, indicating a potential issue with Windows File Explorer settings or user profiles rather than cloud synchronization.

Before you start

Ensure that your Microsoft OneDrive desktop application is fully synced and up to date on all your Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices before adjusting system configurations.

Solution 1Recommended

Test OneDrive with a New Windows User Profile

Determine if the inconsistent folder sorting issue is caused by a corrupted or misconfigured Windows user profile.

Because this sorting behavior is often intermittent, it is frequently tied to local Windows File Explorer preferences rather than an actual failure in OneDrive's synchronization engine. Creating a fresh user profile helps isolate the root cause.

Create a new local account

Open 'Settings' on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer, navigate to 'Accounts', select 'Family & other users', and click 'Add account' to create a new profile.

Sign in and configure OneDrive

Log out of your current session, sign in to the newly created Windows account, and set up your Microsoft OneDrive application.

Verify folder sort order

Open File Explorer, navigate to your OneDrive folder, sort the files by 'Date Modified', and monitor the folder to see if the intermittent sorting changes persist.

Profile Isolation: If the sorting remains consistent on the new profile, your original Windows user profile's File Explorer cache may need to be reset.

Solution 2

Contact Microsoft 365 Support for Diagnostic Logs

Escalate the issue to Microsoft Support if the problem persists across new profiles and multiple devices.

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While troubleshooting Windows File Explorer and OneDrive folder sorting issues, you can rely on WPS Office as a lightweight, fully compatible, and free alternative to Microsoft Office. It integrates directly with major cloud drives, providing a consistent file management and editing experience across all your devices.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download the free suite and install it on your Windows device.
2. Connect Your Cloud Storage: Launch WPS Office, navigate to the 'Open' tab, and select 'Add Cloud Storage' to connect your Microsoft OneDrive account.
3. Organize and Edit Files: Open, edit, and save your documents directly to OneDrive using WPS Office's built-in file manager for a reliable and consistent sorting experience.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my OneDrive folder sort order change on different computers?

This typically occurs because folder view preferences, such as sorting by 'Date Modified', are managed locally by Windows File Explorer on each specific device, rather than being synced by OneDrive. Intermittent changes are often caused by File Explorer resetting its view cache.

How can I force Windows File Explorer to apply the same folder view to all folders?

You can standardize folder views on a single device by sorting a folder to your preference, clicking the 'View' tab, selecting 'Options', navigating to the 'View' tab in the Folder Options window, and clicking 'Apply to Folders'.

Does OneDrive synchronize folder view settings across devices?

No, OneDrive only synchronizes your actual files and their metadata (such as the date created and modified). Your folder view preferences are strictly controlled locally by the operating system on each individual computer.

Document & File Issues