Forum Discussion
onedrive sync issues
Hi
We use OneDrive for Business and need a solution for sharing files and folders among a team while maintaining proper access permissions.
Currently, each team member's Desktop and Documents folders are synced with their own personal OneDrive for Business account. In addition, we have a separate common OneDrive account that has been added to all team members' PCs, and all team members have Owner permissions on that account.
When a user creates a folder or saves a file in the shared OneDrive location, it is actually being created under the common OneDrive account, not in the user's personal OneDrive. While this allows everyone to access the same files, we frequently experience synchronization conflicts and sync issues between users.
What is the Microsoft-recommended approach for this type of collaboration? Is using a common OneDrive account with multiple owners a supported best practice, or should we instead use a SharePoint document library (or another Microsoft 365 solution) for shared team files, permissions, and reliable synchronization?
Thanks
1 Reply
The Short, Honest Verdict
Stop using that shared "common" OneDrive account.
It is not a Microsoft-supported practice, and it is the exact reason you are seeing duplicate files, "conflicted copy" errors, and delayed updates. OneDrive for Business is designed for single-user personal storage—not for multiple people acting simultaneously as the same "owner."
Why It's Breaking
When you have 5 people logged into the same account on 5 different PCs, the sync engine has no idea who is who. It treats every save, delete, and rename as coming from the same identity. Because it can't properly merge concurrent actions, it gives up and creates conflicted copies. Furthermore, you lose all audit trails—you can never tell who actually deleted that important folder.
The Microsoft-Recommended Solution
SharePoint Online Document Libraries (which are automatically created when you use Microsoft Teams).
Instead of sharing a login, you share a location.
- Each user syncs the same SharePoint library to their PC.
- But crucially, each user authenticates with their own personal Microsoft 365 credentials.
- The SharePoint backend handles file locking, versioning, and real-time co-authoring properly. If two people edit a Word doc at the same time, they see each other's changes live—no conflicts.
Your Ideal Architecture Going Forward
File Type
Where it lives
How to access
Personal files (Desktop/Documents)
Each user's personal OneDrive
Keep your existing Known Folder Move (backup) as-is.
Team files (Shared projects)
SharePoint Document Library (via Teams)
Sync to File Explorer using your own credentials.
Step-by-Step Migration Plan (Do This)
1. Pause the shared account: Have everyone pause syncing on the generic account to stop the bleeding.
2. Create your team space: Create a Microsoft Team (or a SharePoint Team Site). This automatically generates a "Files" tab—that is your new shared storage.
3. Move your data: Upload your existing shared files from the generic OneDrive into this new SharePoint library (do this via the web browser to keep it clean).
4. Resync properly (Crucial Step):
- Have each user go to that SharePoint library in their web browser.
- Instead of the classic "Sync" button, click "Add shortcut to OneDrive".
- Why? This is Microsoft's newer, more robust method. It avoids the 300,000-item sync limits, reduces local performance hits, and lets users cherry-pick which specific sub-folders they want on their hard drive.
5. Retire the generic account: Sign everyone out of the old shared account and stop using it for collaboration.
One Final Pro Tip for a Smooth Experience
If your team library grows very large (say, over 100,000 files), do not sync the entire thing to everyone's PC. Instead, use the Microsoft Teams app or the SharePoint web interface as your primary way to browse deep folder structures. Only sync the specific folders you are actively working on. This keeps local performance snappy and further reduces the chance of sync hiccups.
This is the exact architecture Microsoft designs for enterprise collaboration. It will eliminate your conflicts, give you proper version history, and allow you to see exactly who changed what. Good luck with the migration
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