Forum Discussion
MacOS 14.8.1 OneDrive - Timestamped Sync Root directory?
Hello community,
Attempted a plethora of web searches to find someone else who may have seen this. I utilize Shared Libraries with my MacOS OneDrive, and it seems within my ./Library/CloudStorage/ there are two versions of the Sync Root:
OneDrive-SharedLibraries-*Company*/Directories
&
OneDrive-SharedLibraries-*Company* (Timestamp)/Directories
This Timestamped Sync Root has over 140GBytes of 'reported' storage space consumption. Some of the folders already exist in OneDrive-ShareLibraries-*Company*/Directories, but others do not.
Was curious if anyone else has seen this before and knows if the related storage can be 'freed'?
1 Reply
The issue you're encountering with two OneDrive Shared Libraries sync roots (one with a timestamp) on macOS is rare but can occur due to migration, sync conflicts, or backup processes.
Steps maybe You can try…
1. Confirm only one OneDrive app is installed
If you have both the App Store and standalone versions of OneDrive installed, remove one. That avoids confusion and duplicate syncing.
2. Check OneDrive sync status and account settings
Open OneDrive’s menu > Preferences > Account to ensure only the correct shared libraries are syncing. This helps confirm which folder tree is the active sync root.
3. Use Files On‑Demand settings
If you don’t need Always keep on this device for Shared Libraries, turn it off — this can reduce the amount of local data in both the CloudStorage and cache areas.
4. Verify actual disk usage
Use Apple Menu → About This Mac → Storage to see how macOS reports OneDrive usage. This can sometimes show actual used space vs what folder size tools report.
You should not manually delete or remove the timestamped folder or anything inside the OneDrive or Group Containers path.
- Update OneDrive:
Ensure you’re on the latest version (macOS Store > Updates). - Reset OneDrive Cache:
Hold Option while clicking the OneDrive icon > Quit > Re-launch with Command key pressed > Reset. - Check Shared Library Settings:
In OneDrive settings > Account > Choose Folders, ensure only necessary libraries are synced.
These are some things you could try without causing permanent damage. To be honest, I'm also at a loss as to what exactly might be causing the problem... Perhaps this will help you make some progress.
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
- Update OneDrive:
