OneDrive File Issues

How to Move Synchronized Shared OneDrive Folders to Another Drive

Khadija Khan Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to move a large synchronized shared OneDrive or SharePoint folder to a separate, larger local drive without moving the main OneDrive folder.

How to Move Synchronized Shared OneDrive Folders to Another Drive

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing local storage space when working with massive shared folders, such as video production files, synchronized via Microsoft 365.
Observed behavior: Shared folders synchronized through OneDrive are automatically placed on the same local drive as the main OneDrive folder, lacking a built-in option to assign a specific drive exclusively for the shared folder.

Before you start

Verify the available storage capacity on your target drive and ensure that your Microsoft 365 account has the necessary permissions to adjust synchronization settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Entire OneDrive Synchronization Location

Because the OneDrive client does not natively support splitting shared folders onto a different drive than the main folder, the safest approach is to move the entire OneDrive directory to your larger drive.

Microsoft sets the synchronization path at the root level for the OneDrive application. Any SharePoint library or shared folder you choose to sync will default to this same root drive. To utilize a larger drive, you must relocate the primary OneDrive folder.

Unlink your current PC

Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your system tray, select the Gear icon (Help & Settings), and choose 'Settings'. Navigate to the 'Account' tab and click 'Unlink this PC'.

Move the physical folder

Open File Explorer, locate your current OneDrive folder (typically under C:\Users\[YourUsername]), and move the entire folder to your preferred location on the new, larger drive.

Re-link and change location

Sign back into the OneDrive application. When you reach the screen that displays 'Your OneDrive folder is here', click the 'Change location' link.

Select the new drive

Navigate to the new drive, select the folder you just moved, and proceed with the setup. All shared folders will now sync to this new drive.

Change the Entire OneDrive Synchronization Location

Syncing verification: OneDrive will take a few moments to scan the files in the new location to ensure they match the cloud versions. No data will be re-downloaded if the files were successfully moved.

Solution 2

Enable Files On-Demand to Conserve Space

If you cannot move your main OneDrive folder but need to save space on your current drive, enable Files On-Demand. This keeps large shared files in the cloud until you explicitly open them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sync a SharePoint shared folder to a different drive than my personal OneDrive?

By default, the OneDrive sync client places SharePoint shared folders in the same root directory as your personal OneDrive folder. You cannot natively select a different drive solely for a specific shared folder.

What happens if I use a symbolic link to move the shared folder?

While advanced users sometimes use NTFS symbolic links (directory junctions) to point a synced folder to another drive, Microsoft does not officially support this for OneDrive, and it may cause sync errors, missing files, or data duplication.

How do I stop syncing a large shared folder?

Open OneDrive Settings, go to the Account tab, find the shared folder under the 'Sync your shared libraries' section, and click 'Stop sync'. This will halt any future updates and allow you to safely delete the local folder without deleting the cloud copy.

Document & File Issues