Planning a Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Migration? What Should You Consider?
Hi everyone, Has anyone recently migrated from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365? I’m interested in knowing what challenges you faced during the migration, especially around mailbox data, calendars, contacts, user mapping, or the final cutover process. For those planning the migration, what are the key things you recommend preparing before getting started? Would like to hear your experiences and suggestions.
SPMT Needs True Mirror Mode and Resource Throttling
Subject: SPMT Needs True Mirror Mode and Resource Throttling SPMT incremental migration does not behave like a true synchronization or mirror operation. New and modified files are copied, but deleted, renamed, or moved files are not reconciled at the destination, often resulting in orphaned content and duplicates. Microsoft has previously confirmed this as expected behavior. Administrators have had reliable mirror-style functionality available since the circa 1990s through tools such as Robocopy. In comparison, SPMT's incremental migration capability feels incomplete for modern enterprise migration scenarios. Requested enhancements: Optional mirror mode similar to robocopy /MIR Delete destination content that no longer exists in the source Detect and process renames Detect and process moves Pre-migration analysis and dry-run reporting Configurable safeguards for deletions Additionally, SPMT appears to consume storage resources aggressively. During migrations, disk I/O activity can become saturated and disk idle time can fall close to zero regardless of migration batch size. This behavior can negatively impact file servers and production workloads. Requested performance controls: I/O throttling CPU throttling Concurrency controls Bandwidth limits Scheduling and business-hours policies Dynamic backoff based on source-server load Current behavior requires administrators to perform manual cleanup and reconciliation after incremental migrations while also managing significant infrastructure impact during migration runs. A modern migration tool should provide both synchronization intelligence and resource governance controls. Frankly, from an infrastructure perspective, your complaint about the I/O behavior is probably the stronger one. Many migration tools deliberately maximize throughput, but not providing an obvious way to cap I/O, threads, or overall system impact can be problematic in production environments. The lack of mirror semantics combined with aggressive scanning/copy behavior is what tends to frustrate admins the most.
😅 OneDrive Upload/Download Speed Help
Does anyone know of how I can improve my OneDrive download speeds? I cannot get my computer to download from OneDrive faster than 3.5-4.7Mbps. I've ensured my OneDrive settings do NOT limit my downloads I went so far as to plug my computer directly into my modem; even with 350Mpbs download and 650Mbps upload - still limited to really sub-4.0Mbps download speed from OneDrive. I understand my laptop hardware isn't limiting anything: CPU - 11th gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1135G7 @2.40GHz Memory - 2x 16gb DDR4 Thank you for any and all recommendations, exploratory questions, or knowledge sharing!!!AutoSave disabled when opening SharePoint-synced files from Finder after macOS Tahoe 26.6 update
Files stored in SharePoint Online and synchronized locally through OneDrive are opened as local documents when launched from Finder. Office applications display "Saved to my Mac" and AutoSave is turned off by default. However, opening the exact same files through Word/Excel > Open > Sites, or via SharePoint "Open in Desktop App", correctly identifies them as cloud documents. In that scenario, AutoSave is enabled and collaboration/version history features work as expected. Troubleshooting already performed: OneDrive reset and re-linked SharePoint library re-synced Signed out and back into both Office and OneDrive Removed Microsoft credentials from macOS Keychain and re-authenticated Recreated local OneDrive sync relationships Verified OneDrive File Provider extensions are enabled Verified Office applications and OneDrive are fully up to date Tested with newly created files and existing files Tested "Always Keep on This Device" with no change in behavior The issue appears to be specific to the Finder-to-Office launch path after upgrading to macOS Tahoe 26.6. Before upgrading to macOS Tahoe 26.6, opening the same SharePoint-synchronized files directly from Finder correctly preserved cloud document identity and AutoSave was enabled as expected. I discussed this issue in detail with Apple Support, but they quickly dismissed it, saying that the problem is not on Apple's side and that I should contact Microsoft instead.
Microsoft Purview | Share block at external users
Hello community. I have an issue with Microsoft Purview DLP policies. I am trying to create a policy that prevents documents from being shared through OneDrive with external users, while allowing certain exceptions. However, when I select the option "Block Access to external domains and users" and assign a specific email address to be blocked, it does not work. The configured email address is not being blocked. I was reviewing this with Copilot, and it mentioned that if the external user you are sharing with already exists in Entra ID, the tenant may treat the user differently (not necessarily as an external user). My external user exists in Entra ID as a Guest account. The external user is registered as follows: Displayname: User Name Userprincipalname: user.name_external.domain#EXT#@company.onmicrosoft.com User Type: Guest Has anyone else experienced this issue? I am sharing evidence of the policy configuration.Simple, Smart, and Secure: The next step in sharing files in Microsoft 365
Today at the Microsoft 365 Community Conference, we announced the next generation of sharing for Microsoft 365. Not just an experience refresh, this year we are improving the underlying model that enables collaboration within oM365. We are making it simpler to use, more intelligent, and ensuring that users can keep their content secure by default. In 2011, the cloud revolutionized collaboration and SharePoint Online launched with direct permissioning to enable sharing. Three years later, the on-going cloud transformation led to the invention of “link-based sharing” to allow users to forward and share URLs that grant access within defined, yet secure scopes. Over the last decade, collaboration flourished with over 1.2 Billon people using the share dialog in M365 per month. But as we look ahead, we see new demands emerging to meet the needs of collaborative, agentic workplaces. We are excited to give you a walkthrough of the third generation of sharing in Microsoft 365 and introduce the hero link, the power behind the next decade of collaboration. Meet the hero link The next generation of sharing makes you the hero of collaboration! Each file gets a single hero link which controls all access to the file. Whether you’re clicking “Copy Link”, sending an e-mail, or yes, even copying the URL out of the address bar, it’s all the hero link! This removes the need to create, delete, and manage multiple links on your files, creating a vastly simpler experience. Sharing files with your company has never been easier: simply update the hero link and anyone with the link in your company will get access. Need to lock down a file? Change the link to only allow access for people you directly add, keeping your files secured. We know that users don’t always check file permissions before they send out a link, which can lead to frustrating “Access Denied” page. With hero links, users are empowered to update the link that they already sent, enabling them to quickly increase or decrease the scope of the hero link to match their needs. Secure by default Every hero link starts by working for only the people who have already been added to the document. As users embark on their collaboration journey, they can add more people and teams directly to the document or update the hero link as needed to broaden access. For files that are shared externally, the new share experience explicitly tags external users and guests to make sure they stand out and can be managed appropriately. Administrators will be able to change this default on a per-site collection or OneDrive basis, as needed. With the next generation of sharing, users can further secure their content by controlling who can add people or update access of the file or folder, which gives users the granular control they need to protect their most important content. At a glance access The next generation of sharing requires easy understanding of not only who has access to a file, but how they have access. The Share Dialog and Manage Access experiences are now unified into a single, powerful interface, ensuring users can see and manage their documents and folders with effortless precision. Updates to permissions now appear in real-time, giving users confidence and real-time feedback as they share! With this new sharing model, you can now update permissions in bulk. It is now easier than ever to change or remove permissions for multiple people in a single session. Changes appear instantly, helping you stay in control! If a user wants additional granularity, they can even create additional sharing links to be used for specific purposes. These links can even be named, to help users track and assign them to specific tasks. Copilot + Sharing Save time for your coworkers and keep your team up to speed by using Copilot when you share. With a single click, generate a summary of your document that will be included in the notification mail. Recipients can now understand what the file is about, without needing to open it and read the content. This is a great way to save time and help get your collaborators up to speed! Choose when you notify Have you ever had those days where your notifications are going crazy from teammates adding you to files? We hear your frustration-and we are happy to tell you that you can now choose whether to send an e-mail notification or not when you add people to your file. This update puts you in control of how you share and notify teammates – simply check the box or not based on your preference! This control is critical when you’re bringing a colleague up to speed on multiple documents, or just want to make sure that your file is shared correctly before incorporating into a SharePoint News Post or Amplify! Looking Ahead This new sharing experience and model will be rolling in late 2025! You can track the latest timelines and updates via the Microsoft 365 Message Center or the Microsoft 365 Roadmap (ID: 492622). We know change management is top of mind with any product change, and especially one’s as critical to your organization as collaboration.In addition to the standard updates at Microsoft Docs, we’ll also be uploading how to videos for end users and IT Pros to the Microsoft Community Learning YouTube Channel, walking through the changes in depth on the Sync Up Podcast and in the OneDrive Customer Office Hours. We’re excited to share the future with you! Frequently Asked Questions We know how important collaboration is to your organization! Here are answers to a few of the common questions we’ve heard! If you have others, let us know in the comments below! Q - What do I need to do to prepare for this change? A – For now, keep an eye on the roadmap id and Message Center for more information! As we get closer to release, we’ll ensure you have the content you need to update and prepare your users, admins and security teams. Q - What happens to my existing collaboration experience? A – Nothing! The new sharing model is fully backwards compatible. All the links and permissions you have today will continue to work and will show up in the “Other Links” section of the dialog! Q - Where will this change happen? A - Everywhere! OneDrive powers the sharing experience across 64 apps in M365. This change will be updated consistently across the entire ecosystem.Recycle Bin and Site Content Hidden for Site Members and Site Visitors
I posted this before but made a mistake with my write up, so I am reposting. I have a requirement that the Recycle bin and Site Contents should be be hidden from the Site Members and Site Visitors. Please how can I achieve this because the Server Infrastructure activation is not working for me. Any workarounds? Please helpMaking Mac OneDrive Faster and More Reliable
OneDrive on macOS is getting a major update to how it syncs! The Native Sync Engine is rolling out to Insiders today with version 26.098. It's up to 2x faster on initial sync and on-disk state changes, uses less CPU, memory, and battery, and removes the hidden cache folder that's been the source of most reliability issues since 2022. It's the latest in an ongoing effort to make OneDrive feel native on Mac. Earlier this year we shipped a redesigned Activity Center with Liquid Glass and native dialogs, and the Native Sync Engine is a major step in that journey. The cache folder problem When we moved OneDrive to Apple's File Provider platform in 2022, we needed a way to bridge the existing sync engine with how File Provider expected things to work. Broadly, there are two parts to OneDrive sync: the sync engine itself, and the code that OneDrive uses to work with files. To support File Provider, we had to change how OneDrive interacted with the file system. However, to reduce risk, we decided to use a hidden cache folder that mirrored your OneDrive contents, so the sync engine could remain largely unchanged. That cache folder solved the immediate problem and unlocked features like Known Folder Move. Over time, however, feedback and telemetry showed us that it was root cause of many of the reliability and performance issues users have reported since. The Native Sync Engine removes it. What’s changed Over the past several years, we’ve been working behind the scenes on the Native Sync Engine. Building it required us to completely rebuild large portions of our code and build a new sync platform that allows OneDrive to work better with the File Provider system. The Native Sync Engine provides the fastest, most reliable experience we’ve ever delivered on the Mac. It has a simplified architecture, eliminates entire classes of errors, and integrates more deeply with macOS. In our performance testing, the new system is about 2x faster for initial sync and on-disk state changes. It also uses fewer system resources, helping preserve your Mac’s battery life while improving overall responsiveness. We’ve also put the new system through multiple tests that simulate usage well beyond what the average user would ever do, and it has held up extremely well in those scenarios. It’s a massive improvement, and one we are very excited to bring to you. On the surface, the Native Sync Engine looks and feels very similar to what we had before, but there are a few important changes. Let’s walk through a few of them. Hidden folders no longer hold data OneDrive's hidden folders now contain metadata only. Your file data only lives in the OneDrive folder you interact with directly. There are a few cases where a copy of file data will exist in the hidden folder: Files you've created or changed that haven't uploaded yet. The copy is removed once the file has fully synced to the cloud. OneNote shortcuts and similar "link" file types. These are typically a few hundred bytes at most, and we retain them in the hidden folder indefinitely. Some kinds of macOS packages, such as GarageBand files, .app bundles, and certain older iWork files. Copies of these files are retained for longer than most files. Files and folders are always browsable Files in a folder used to be created on disk only the first time the folder was accessed. That led to Finder showing "Loading..." while you browsed and apps hanging while they waited for folders to materialize. Now, every folder and file is always browsable on disk. Navigating your OneDrive folder feels like navigating any other folder. It’s snappy, responsive, and just works. Note that Files On-Demand is unchanged with the Native Sync Engine. Files you haven't opened remain online-only unless you either open them or mark them Always On This Device. External drive support The Native Sync Engine also supports external drives, such as USB drives you can plug into your Mac. If your system and your external drive meet the requirements, all of your files and OneDrive's metadata folder will be placed on this drive. On older versions of macOS and on drives that don't meet the requirements, your files and OneDrive metadata will be stored on the home volume. Syncing shared folders and libraries If your organization has disabled the “Sync” button on SharePoint and your users are using “Add shortcut to My Files”, you can skip this section, as you are already in the ideal state! If you are still using synced libraries, each synced library now appears as its own root in the Finder sidebar, instead of nested under a single tenant entry. Add shortcut to OneDrive remains the modern way to access shared content. Admins can hide the Sync button via aka.ms/HideSyncButton. Identifying the Native Sync Engine You can identify whether your Mac is using the Native Sync Engine by inspecting the OneDrive version in the Preferences dialog: If the version ends with a value such as "(26K)", you are running the Native Sync Engine. If the version ends with the version of macOS, you are not yet running the Native Sync Engine. Rollout Starting today, we’ll be gradually rolling out this new experience to our Insiders audience. This rollout will take several weeks to complete. If you aren't already in Insiders and want to try the new update, simply open OneDrive preferences, click on the About tab, and check the box to join the Insiders program. Your Mac will upgrade to the Native Sync Engine automatically when it receives the update. It might take a couple of minutes for OneDrive to complete the upgrade, and a little while longer for File Provider to finish with the upgrade, but you can still use your OneDrive while this is taking place. We would love to hear your feedback, good or bad. Just click “Send Feedback” in the OneDrive Activity Center and share your thoughts! To learn more, watch the latest Sync Up podcast below:
How much of your Microsoft 365 environment can you actually see at once?
Not how many users you have. Not how many sites, teams, apps or flows you have. How much of it can you actually see connected together? I've been working across Microsoft 365 environments for a while, and I kept running into the same thing. There is no shortage of information. If anything, there is probably too much of it. Users, groups, permissions, SharePoint, Teams, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Dataverse, OneDrive, Exchange, Intune, licensing, configuration... It's all there. But when you're actually trying to understand how everything fits together, it can be a different story. You open one blade. Find something. Open another. Cross-check it. Go back. Open something else. Before long, you're jumping between different parts of the tenant trying to build the bigger picture in your head. And if you're working with larger environments, that gets difficult pretty quickly. The information isn't necessarily missing. The relationships between the information are what can be difficult to see. That got me thinking about a slightly different question: Instead of "where do I find this information?" "Show me what's connected to this." That's where VisibleState started. Start anywhere. Follow the connections. Imagine starting with a single user. Instead of seeing that user simply as a record with a list of properties, imagine being able to explore the relationships around them: User → Groups → SharePoint → Teams → Power Apps → Power Automate → Power BI → Dataverse → OneDrive → Exchange → Intune Then the questions become different: What does this user have access to? Is that access direct or coming through a group? What resources are connected to them? What depends on something they're associated with? Which licenses are involved? Are there relationships that look unusual? If something changes, what else might be affected? Those questions aren't necessarily about finding another piece of information. They're about putting information that already exists into context. A report can tell you that something exists. A connected view helps you understand what it is connected to. Illustrative example below — not a real customer environment. I'm not suggesting Microsoft 365 doesn't already give us this information Quite the opposite. Microsoft 365 already gives administrators an incredible amount of information and tooling. The thing I've been thinking about is what happens when you want to look across those boundaries. Sometimes I don't want another export. I don't want another list. I don't necessarily want another dashboard. I want to start with something I'm looking at and ask: "What's connected to this?" And then keep following the trail. That's the idea I'm exploring with VisibleState. The interesting part is what happens when you change the viewpoint The same relationships can be useful for completely different reasons. For example: Administrators may want to understand access, permissions and dependencies. Security and governance teams may want to find unusual relationships or exceptions. Compliance teams may need to understand who can access something and why. People managing multiple environments may want a consistent way to understand what's there without rebuilding the picture manually every time. Leadership may not need to see the graph at all. They may simply want to know what's important, what's exposed and what could be affected. It's still the same underlying environment. You're just looking at it from a different angle. And that's where I think things get interesting. Where I'm at with it VisibleState started as something I was building to make my own work easier. I was spending a lot of time investigating environments, tracing access and putting information together for reports. The individual tasks weren't necessarily difficult. It was the jumping between different places and reconstructing the bigger picture that took the time. So I started building something that would let me approach the environment through the relationships instead. It's grown quite a bit from where it started, and I'm continuing to build it. I'm not posting this as a product launch, and I'm not looking for people to sign up. I'm genuinely interested in whether the problem I'm seeing is familiar to other people working with Microsoft 365. So I'm curious... If you could start with any object in your Microsoft 365 environment and immediately see what it's connected to, where would you start? Would it be: Users and access Groups and permissions SharePoint and Teams Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI and Dataverse Licensing and resources Governance and unusual relationships Something completely different Maybe you've already got a good way of doing this. Maybe you still find yourself jumping between different services and piecing things together manually. Or maybe I'm looking at the problem from the wrong direction. What's the one relationship in your Microsoft 365 environment that you wish you could see instantly?
