Microsoft 365 Migration

How to Resolve SharePoint Migration Empty Item and Invalid Name Errors

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to troubleshoot errors reporting empty items and invalid SharePoint names when migrating folders and files using the SharePoint Migration Tool.

How to Resolve SharePoint Migration Empty Item and Invalid Name Errors

Product: SharePoint Migration Tool
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating folders and files from a local network path to a SharePoint site.
Observed behavior: The migration tool halts or flags errors, indicating that certain files or folders have empty items or invalid names.

Before you start

Before proceeding, ensure you have administrative access to both the source network path and the target SharePoint site to make necessary file and folder modifications.

Solution 1Recommended

Review and Rename Invalid Files or Folders

Identify and correct files or folders with unsupported characters, reserved names, or excessive path lengths before rescanning.

SharePoint has strict naming conventions. Files or folders containing restricted characters or exceeding path length limits will cause the migration tool to fail.

Identify affected items

Check the SharePoint Migration Tool error logs to find the exact network paths and file names causing the issue.

Remove unsupported characters

Rename the flagged files or folders to remove restricted characters such as ~ " # % & * : < > ? / \ { | }.

Shorten file paths

Ensure the total path length (including the folder structure) does not exceed the SharePoint limit of 400 characters by moving files closer to the root directory or renaming folders.

Rescan source

After making the necessary naming adjustments, run the migration scan again to verify that the errors have been resolved.

Review and Rename Invalid Files or Folders

Tip: Use bulk renaming utilities or PowerShell scripts to quickly clean up unsupported characters across large directories.

Solution 2

Address Empty or Inaccessible Items

Remove or exclude 0-byte files and folders that lack proper read permissions.

Solution 3

Seek Assistance from Microsoft Support

For complex or persistent migration errors, escalate the issue to dedicated SharePoint engineers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What characters are invalid in SharePoint file names?

SharePoint restricts certain characters in file and folder names, including ~ " # % & * : < > ? / \ { | }. Removing these characters will usually resolve invalid name errors during migration.

Why does the migration tool flag empty items?

The SharePoint Migration Tool flags 0-byte (empty) files or empty folders because they may not migrate correctly or hold no data value. You can either delete these files manually or configure the migration tool settings to ignore them.

What is the maximum file path length in SharePoint?

SharePoint Online supports a maximum total path length of 400 characters. If your local network path combined with the file name exceeds this limit, you will encounter errors and must shorten the folder names before migrating.

Migration & Recovery