OneDrive File Issues

Why OneDrive Shows %20 in an Excel File Name and How to Fix It

John Wilson Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to understand why the characters '%20' appear in their Excel file names stored on OneDrive instead of normal blank spaces.

Why OneDrive Shows %20 in an Excel File Name

Product: Microsoft Excel / OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Viewing, opening, or sharing an Excel workbook stored on OneDrive.
Observed behavior: The file name displays '%20' in place of spaces, often appearing in the web browser URL, shared links, or the Excel title bar.

Before you start

Verify whether the '%20' appears only when viewing the file link through a web browser or if the actual file name has been permanently altered in your local File Explorer.

Solution 1Recommended

Identify File Location and Correct URL Encoding Display

Determine if the '%20' is merely a visual URL encoding artifact or an actual file rename, and adjust your file name if needed.

The characters '%20' represent standard URL encoding for a blank space. Web browsers and cloud storage links use this encoding to ensure web addresses do not break, as URLs cannot contain actual spaces. If this only appears in a web address bar or a shared link, it is completely normal and not a software error.

Check the local File Explorer

Open your local OneDrive folder on your computer and locate the Excel file. If it has normal spaces here, the file is perfectly fine and no action is needed.

Check the Excel title bar

If you open the file from a web link into the Excel desktop app and it shows '%20' in the top title bar, use 'File' > 'Save As' to save a fresh copy locally. This will strip the web encoding.

Rename the file to avoid spaces

If you want to prevent '%20' from appearing in shared links entirely, right-click the file in OneDrive, select 'Rename', and replace any spaces with hyphens (-) or underscores (_).

Identify File Location and Correct URL Encoding Display

Web Display vs. Local File: It is perfectly safe for a shared URL to contain '%20'. This encoding will not corrupt your spreadsheet, alter your data, or affect the functionality of your Excel workbook.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does %20 corrupt my Excel file?

No, %20 is simply a standard web encoding for a space character. It only affects how the file name is displayed in a web browser's address bar and does not alter or corrupt your spreadsheet data in any way.

How can I prevent %20 from appearing when sharing OneDrive links?

You can avoid the %20 encoding by using hyphens (-) or underscores (_) instead of blank spaces when originally naming your Excel files in OneDrive.

Why does the Excel desktop app sometimes show %20 in the title bar?

This happens when opening a file directly from a SharePoint or OneDrive web link, causing Excel to inherit the URL-encoded name. Downloading the file locally before opening it will ensure it displays with normal spaces.

Document & File Issues