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backlit's avatar
backlit
Copper Contributor
Jul 11, 2025

OneDrive for Business Offline folder issue

I have a series of left over OneDrive business offline folders from the companies that I were associated with before. My access were removed and I do not need them now. Yet I am not able to remove them off from my PC. My respective company ITs do not know what they need to do to allow me the deletion on my PC. The problems of these folders have componded to an extent that it started to conflict with my personal OneDrive. Now I cannot open any file or folder on my offline folder using explorer. Something terrible must have happened to that Cloud module that appears on the top ribbon of File explorer. 

On taking this issue with L1 they did a W10 update. after which other cloud services as dropbox have started to malfunction the same way as OneDrive.

Later from the OneDrive forum, 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/onedrive-offline-file-explorer-window-hangs/ed575ad0-54b1-45c5-8318-9ff943e2f819?page=2

I found that by creating a new profile that is an escape. Only I notice that is short lived. As there are differences in the folders synched to offline.

I am trying out with the admin center for a solution other than having to format my hard disk and reinstall everything. 

office 365
onedrive
users

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  • Kidd_Ip's avatar
    Kidd_Ip
    MVP
    Jul 13, 2025

    Please try at the following:

     

    1. Unlink and Reset OneDrive
    •    Open OneDrive settings → Account tab → Click “Unlink this PC.”
    •    Then go to %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive and delete the folder.
    •    Reboot and re-sign into your personal OneDrive only.

     

    2. Remove Orphaned Work Folders via Command Line
    If the folders are stuck due to permission issues:

    takeown /f "C:\Path\To\Folder" /r /d y
icacls "C:\Path\To\Folder" /grant administrators:F /t
rd "C:\Path\To\Folder" /s /q

     

    Run these commands in Command Prompt as Administrator.

    3. Check File Explorer Cloud Integration
    Since the top ribbon cloud module is misbehaving:
    •    Try disabling Cloud Files Integration via Group Policy: 
    o    Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Cloud Files
    o    Set “Enable Cloud Files” to Disabled.
    •    Restart Explorer or reboot.

    4. Use Admin Center to Revoke Sync Relationships
    If you still have access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center:
    •    Go to OneDrive Admin Center → Storage → Locate the user (you) → Remove sync relationships.
    •    Alternatively, use PowerShell to forcibly remove sync associations.


    5. Map Network Drive as a Workaround
    If shared folders are still appearing as links:
    •    Use the CID code from OneDrive web and map it as a network drive manually.

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