OneDrive File Issues

How to Fix OneDrive Shortcut Still Syncing Issue

Ayan Masood Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where OneDrive continues to report that a shortcut is still syncing, even though the shortcut was already removed from the web interface.

How to Fix a OneDrive Shortcut That Is Still Being Synced

Product: OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Stopping persistent sync warnings caused by lingering OneDrive shortcuts or synchronization metadata.
Observed behavior: OneDrive displays a warning that a shortcut is already being synced, caused by leftover .lnk files or local synchronization metadata in the local OneDrive folder.

Before you start

Log into your OneDrive web portal to confirm that the shared folder shortcuts have been successfully removed from your cloud account before proceeding with local fixes.

Solution 1Recommended

Search for and Delete Remaining Shortcut (.lnk) Files

Locate and manually remove any leftover shortcut files in your local OneDrive directory to clear the sync error.

Even when shortcuts are removed from the web interface, the local Windows File Explorer might retain the physical shortcut files (.lnk). Removing these leftover files usually resolves the syncing conflict.

Open File Explorer

Press Windows Key + E on your keyboard to open File Explorer.

Navigate to OneDrive

Click on your OneDrive folder from the left-hand navigation pane to access your synced files.

Search for .lnk Files

Click inside the search bar at the top right of the window and type '.lnk' to search for all shortcut files within OneDrive and its subfolders.

Review and Delete

Carefully review the search results to identify the problematic shortcuts. Right-click the confirmed shortcuts and select 'Delete' (or the Trash icon) to remove them from your local drive.

Search for and Delete Remaining Shortcut (.lnk) Files

Caution: Ensure you are only deleting shortcut files (.lnk) and not actual documents or folders containing your data.

Solution 2

Unlink and Reconnect Your PC to OneDrive

If deleting the shortcut files does not resolve the error, refreshing your account connection can clear corrupted sync metadata.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneDrive say a deleted shortcut is still syncing?

This happens when a shortcut is removed from the OneDrive web portal, but the physical .lnk files or local synchronization metadata are left behind on your computer, causing the local client to attempt syncing a nonexistent cloud link.

Is it safe to delete .lnk files in my local OneDrive folder?

Yes, .lnk files are simply reference pointers to original files or folders. Deleting them will only remove the shortcut, not the actual source data. However, always double-check the file extension before deleting to avoid removing real documents.

What if unlinking my PC doesn't stop the OneDrive sync warning?

If local troubleshooting steps fail, the issue might be tied to your organization's SharePoint settings. Contact your IT administrator to review the shared library configurations and ensure the 'Add shortcut to OneDrive' feature is functioning correctly.

Document & File Issues