Optimizing Folder Sync Selection in OneDrive Post-Installation

Hello fellow OneDrive users,

I wanted to bring up a topic that I believe could greatly enhance our experience with OneDrive: the setup and synchronization of desired folders post-installation. Many of us may have encountered the time-consuming process of selecting folders to async when switching machines or setting up a new connection to OneDrive. This is especially challenging when dealing with a large number of small files within subfolders, as it can impact the overall performance of our machines, making them temporarily unusable.

Issue Description:
Whenever I change machines or connect to OneDrive on a new device, I find myself spending hours manually selecting folders to async. This process becomes even more cumbersome when dealing with millions of small files scattered across various subfolders. The constant synchronization of these files affects the performance of the machine, particularly the Windows Explorer process, leading to a lag in usability.

Proposed Solution:
To streamline this process and improve user experience, I suggest that Microsoft implement a feature that allows us to pre-select desired folders for synchronization during the initial setup or post-installation of OneDrive. This would save us time and effort, especially when dealing with large amounts of data.

Benefits:

1. Time Efficiency: Users would no longer need to manually select folders every time they set up a new connection or switch devices. This would significantly reduce the setup time and hassle.
2. Improved Performance: By allowing users to pre-select folders, the impact on system resources and performance can be minimized. This is particularly important when dealing with a substantial number of small files.
3. Enhanced Usability: With this feature in place, our machines would remain responsive during the synchronization process, making it easier to continue working without interruptions.

Discussion Points:

1. Share your personal experiences with the current folder sync setup process. Have you encountered similar challenges when dealing with numerous small files?
2. How do you currently manage the synchronization of large folders with subdirectories? Are there any workarounds you've found effective?
3. Do you believe that pre-selecting folders for synchronization during the initial setup or post-installation could improve the user experience? Why or why not?
4. Are there any potential drawbacks or concerns with implementing such a feature? How could Microsoft address these issues?

I'm eager to hear your thoughts and experiences on this matter. Let's discuss ways to enhance the folder sync setup process in OneDrive and make it more efficient for all users.

Looking forward to your insights and suggestions!