How to Restore the Upload Folder Option in SharePoint Online
Question details
The user needs to restore the missing 'Upload Folder' option in a SharePoint Online document library.
- Product
- SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to upload entire folders to a SharePoint site document library.
- Observed behavior
- The 'Upload Folder' control is missing from the interface because the document library is displaying the classic experience instead of the modern interface.
Ensure you have the necessary site or library permissions (such as Edit or Full Control) to modify the advanced settings of the SharePoint document library.
Switch Document Library to the Modern Experience
Change your library settings from the classic experience to the modern experience to reveal the Upload Folder option.
SharePoint Online offers both classic and modern visual interfaces. The 'Upload Folder' functionality is a feature of the modern experience. If your document library defaults to the classic view, you must update the list experience settings.
Look at the bottom-left corner of the SharePoint page. If you see a link that says 'Exit classic experience', click it to immediately switch to the modern view.
If the quick exit option is unavailable, click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner of the page and select 'Library Settings'.
In the Library Settings menu, locate and click on 'Advanced settings'.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the 'List experience' section. Select the radio button for 'New experience'.
Click 'OK' to save your changes. Close your browser tab and reopen the SharePoint document library to see the 'Upload Folder' option restored in the menu.
Edit SharePoint Documents Seamlessly with WPS Office
While managing your SharePoint libraries online, you can use WPS Office as a free, lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office for editing downloaded Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Install the free WPS Office suite on your desktop or mobile device.
- 2. Open downloaded files: Download your documents from SharePoint and open them directly in WPS Office.
- 3. Edit and re-upload: Edit your files with full formatting compatibility and upload the updated versions back to your SharePoint modern library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the upload folder button missing in SharePoint?
The 'Upload Folder' option is exclusive to the modern SharePoint document library experience. If your site or library is defaulting to the classic experience, the folder upload control will not appear.
Can I drag and drop folders into SharePoint?
Yes, but this is only supported in the modern SharePoint experience. If you are in the classic view, drag-and-drop functionality is limited to individual files.
Does changing the List experience setting affect all users?
Yes, changing the List experience from classic to 'New experience' in the Library Settings updates the default view for all users accessing that specific document library.
