Disable document library sync button

[ashmelburnian]

We had a situation where an end user accidentally deleted thousands for files under a SharePoint document library via OneDrive.

The document library itself is accessible to everyone within the company.

Is it possible to disable/remove the Sync button within a document library at the root level, only allowing subfolders to be synced?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Hi @ashmelburnian - you can disable sync for the entire library in library settings > toggle 'allow items to be downloaded to offline clients' to no. If you don't want to turn off sync for the entire library, but need to prevent accidental deletion, set users permissions to Read at the top level of the library. Then for subfolders, grant Contribute level.

As far as I know, there's no ability to allow/disallow sync at sub-folder levels, just the SharePoint permission levels.

[#3]

@Kelly_EdingerThanks for the quick reply.

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@Kelly_Edinger wrote:

 set users permissions to Read at the top level of the library. Then for subfolders, grant Contribute level.

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Would this be just one permissions settings change at the top level (apply to this folder only), without affecting the current permissions on the subfolders?

[#4]

Hi @ashmelburnian - it depends. if the sub-folders are already set to not inherit permissions from the parent library, then no. You can change the library permissions to read-only. However, if the sub-folders still inherit permissions from the library, once read is set for the library itself, you'll need to hit each sub-folder and adjust its permissions.

[#5]

If you change the permissions in the root folder, the change is going to be propagated to all the subfolders contained

[#6]

Not really answering your actual question - but I wonder whether it might be better to split the contents of that single document library into multiple libraries (perhaps in multiple SharePoint sites), and / or whether it is necessary or appropriate for everyone in the company to have the access to the whole of the existing library.

[#7]

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@Kelly_Edinger wrote:

Hi @ashmelburnian - it depends. if the sub-folders are already set to not inherit permissions from the parent library, then no. You can change the library permissions to read-only. However, if the sub-folders still inherit permissions from the library, once read is set for the library itself, you'll need to hit each sub-folder and adjust its permissions.

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This is a bit of pain as there quite a lot of sub-folders, all of which are inheriting permissions from the parent. :(