Forum Discussion
Since April 16, 2026, OneDrive no longer syncs any new .lnk files
Hello, I have a strange issue with OneDrive and Windows shortcut files (.lnk). Since April 16, 2026, OneDrive no longer syncs any new .lnk files I create. All .lnk files created before that date still sync normally. Every new .lnk file immediately shows the “–” status (Not syncing). The target file is inside OneDrive, fully synced and available locally. Older .lnk files in the same folder sync correctly.
The problem persists after full OneDrive reset, clearing cache databases, full resync of about 200,000 files, Windows 11 reinstall (Home, Pro, Insider), Windows 10 test on another PC, Smart App Control disabled, no third‑party antivirus. The issue is identical on all devices.
The problem started exactly on April 16, 2026, right after several Smart App Control warnings that blocked opening documents through newly created shortcuts. Since that date, no new .lnk file has ever synced again, while all older ones still sync. This makes me think that a Defender cloud reputation flag or something similar may have been applied to my account and is now blocking new .lnk files at the server level.
Could someone from the OneDrive team please check whether my account has a cloud security flag or reputation rule incorrectly applied, and reset it if needed? This issue has been going on for almost a month and prevents me from using shortcuts in my OneDrive structure.
Post‑scriptum: Thanks to Copilot for helping me through multiple Windows resets and reinstallations to rule out every local cause. This message was also written with its assistance to request help from the community.
2 Replies
Hello,
Thank you for reviewing my post.
I would like to mention that I previously submitted a more detailed report titled “OneDrive no longer syncs any new .lnk files since April 16, 2026”, but it was automatically flagged as spam and never published.
If needed, I can provide the full technical details again, or send them directly to a moderator or engineer.
Thank you again for your time.Hello,
Thank you for reviewing my post.
I would like to mention that I previously submitted a more detailed report titled “OneDrive no longer syncs any new .lnk files since April 16, 2026”, but it was automatically flagged as spam and never published.
If needed, I can provide the full technical details again, or send them directly to a moderator or engineer.
Thank you again for your time.
