Skip to main content

OneDrive Sync Client FAQ

Find answers to your OneDrive Sync Client questions in the categories below.

Utilize File Explorer and a web browser. This is more reliable than depending solely on the Sync client.

Navigate to the file share from File Explorer on your PC > open a web browser window and navigate to the target directory in OneDrive on the web > drag and drop the files from File Explorer right into the web browser.

The OneDrive for Business Windows Sync client can synchronize files up to a maximum size of 2 gigabytes (GB) per file.

Each user can synchronize up to 20,000 items (folders and files) in their OneDrive for Business library.

The following table shows the maximum folder and file name lengths (in characters) that the OneDrive for Business Windows Sync client can synchronize.

 

 

For synchronizing Windows with OneDrive for Business in Office 365

For synchronizing Windows with OneDrive for Business in SharePoint Server 2013

Maximum file name length

250

128

Maximum folder name length

250

128

Maximum Windows absolute path (folder and file combination) length

250

250

 

The OneDrive for Business Windows Sync client doesn't synchronize any of the following:

·         Any file that is empty.

·         Any desktop.ini, thumbs.db, or ehthumbs.db file.

·         Any file that has a .tmp or .ds_store extension, such as file.tmp or file.ds_store.

·         Any file that is currently open in an application, such as a .docx file that is open in Word.

·         A folder named "forms" that is at the root level for a list or library.

·         Any folder name that begins with a tilde character (~).

·         For OneDrive for Business in SharePoint Server 2013, any file or folder name that ends with a period character (.), such as myfile. or myfolder..

·         For OneDrive for Business in SharePoint Server 2013, any file or folder that has a name that contains two or more consecutive period characters, such as my..file.

·         File types that are blocked on the SharePoint site. (For SharePoint Server 2013, the file types that are blocked can vary depending on what the administrator sets up. For Office 365, the file types that are blocked are fixed and can't be changed.)

For OneDrive for Business in Office 365, the OneDrive for Business Windows Sync client does not synchronize files or folder names that contain any of the following characters:

% # " * : < > ? / \ |

For OneDrive for Business in SharePoint Server 2013, the OneDrive for Business Windows Sync client does not synchronize files or folder names that contain any of the following characters:

% # ~ " & * : < > ? / \ { }

In addition, for OneDrive for Business in SharePoint Server 2013, a file that begins with an underscore character (_) is visible in the OneDrive for Business Windows Sync client, but it is hidden in Windows File Explorer.

To avoid issues copying folders, it is best to create a new folder in OneDrive and then manually move the contents of the original folder into the newly created folder residing in OneDrive.

For all Villanova IT Support, please contact HelpDesk @ 610-519-7777 or e-mail @ support@villanova.edu

RESTRICTED DATA

Please Note: While the services Office 365 offers can be beneficial for storage of work-related documents, storage of protected and sensitive data in Office 365 is not permitted. All users, particularly faculty and staff, should visit this site for information on the Villanova Cloud Storage Policy.

Downloads

Office 365 download

Office 365 Help Videos

OneDrive help video
Office Online help video