OneDrive File Issues

How to Sync Large SharePoint Folders With OneDrive Without Delays

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing severe, multi-day delays when attempting to synchronize a large, approximately 1 TB SharePoint library to their local machine using OneDrive.

Product: OneDrive and SharePoint
Device & OS: Windows 11 Pro
Scenario: Downloading and syncing massive enterprise libraries from SharePoint to a local desktop environment.
Observed behavior: The synchronization process takes several days to complete, appearing to hit a 1 TB storage allocation or transfer throttling limit, resulting in severe sync delays.

Before you start

Verify your current Microsoft 365 storage quota online to ensure you have sufficient local and cloud storage space before attempting to sync large directories.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Selective Sync Instead of Full Library Synchronization

Avoid triggering service throttling or file-count limits by only synchronizing the specific folders you need for offline access.

Syncing an entire 1 TB SharePoint library forces OneDrive to process thousands of file metadata requests simultaneously, which often leads to background transfer throttling by Microsoft. Using selective sync drastically reduces this processing load.

Open OneDrive Settings

Click the OneDrive cloud icon located in your Windows system tray, click the gear icon, and select 'Settings'.

Navigate to Account Details

In the Settings window, click on the 'Account' tab on the left sidebar to view your connected services.

Choose Folders to Sync

Locate the SharePoint site in the list and click 'Choose folders'. Uncheck the large, unnecessary directories to stop them from downloading to your local drive.

Alternative Method: You can also use the 'Add shortcut to OneDrive' button directly in the SharePoint web interface to link specific folders rather than syncing the entire document library.

Solution 2

Verify Microsoft 365 Service Limits and Update OneDrive

Check if a temporary service degradation is occurring and ensure your OneDrive client is up to date.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum file sync limit for OneDrive and SharePoint?

Microsoft strongly recommends syncing no more than 300,000 files across all synced OneDrive and SharePoint libraries. Exceeding this file count will severely impact performance and cause long delays, even if you are under the 1 TB storage limit.

Does Microsoft throttle SharePoint to OneDrive sync speeds?

Yes. Microsoft may apply transfer throttling to preserve backend service health if a tenant or user generates excessive traffic, such as attempting to sync a massive 1 TB library all at once.

How do I fix a SharePoint sync that is stuck for days?

The most effective fix is to pause the sync, switch to 'Selective Sync' to uncheck massive folders, and only sync the directories you actively use. Alternatively, use the web browser for accessing large, infrequently used archives.

Document & File Issues