Forum Discussion
Subfolders not staying on top in one particular OneDrive directory only (web based)
My boss and I both have Microsoft 365 for Business subscriptions. I access my OneDrive through Windows Explorer/File Manager, and I access his OneDrive online via Microsoft Online/Sharepoint (signed in as him). He accesses his OneDrive through Windows Explorer/File Manager on his PC. Everything works normally on his PC as far as how files and directories are displayed. Everything works normally when I access his OneDrive via MS Online, except for one particular subdirectory in his main directory for storing client files. Normally, with his OneDrive sorted Alphabetical Ascending, all of his subdirectories look like this, with sub-subdirectories on top in alphabetical order, and then files underneath in alphabetical order:
But one of his subdirectories instead looks like this, with sub-subdirectories commingled with files, in alphabetical order:
What on earth is going on, and is there some way to fix this? There's little point in having sub-subdirectories if I can't get them to display above the files, rather than being commingled. There are too many files and if I need to get to, for example, a sub-subdirectory called "Miscellaneous" it takes forever to scroll down to it.
Can anyone help with this?
1 Reply
In OneDrive for Business (web view) the way folders and files are sorted is controlled by the “Sort” and “Group by” settings in that particular folder view. Normally:
- With Sort → Name (ascending) and Group by → None, folders are pinned at the top followed by files.
- If Group by or Sort by Item type got changed, or if the view was customized, folders can become mixed in alphabetically with files — which is what you’re seeing in that one subdirectory.
How you can maybe Fix It (in the web app)
Go into the problem directory in OneDrive Online.
On the toolbar above the file list, click Sort.
Ensure it’s set to Name → Ascending.
Then click View options (grid/list icon → top-right) → Group by → set to None.
If it still mixes, check All documents → Manage view → Edit current view and make sure “Folders” is set to show first.
If It Still Misbehaves
Sometimes a folder has a “custom view” stuck to it (SharePoint behavior).
- In that case, go to All documents → Return to classic view (if available), reset sorting/grouping there, and return.
- Or create a new view for that folder:
- Click All documents → Save view as → give it a name.
- In that view, reapply the correct sort/group settings.
- Make it the default for that folder.
Why only this one subdirectory?
Because OneDrive/SharePoint can remember per-folder view settings. So one subfolder might have been accidentally toggled into a “flat alphabetical sort” view (files and folders all mixed), while the rest are still in the default “folders first” mode.
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Hope this will help you.
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