Stop syncing a library with the OneDrive for Business app

Created by Ryan Harnwell, Modified on Sun, 19 Nov, 2023 at 10:21 AM by Ryan Harnwell

If you’ve synced OneDrive for Business or a SharePoint site library to folders on your computer, you can stop syncing these folders at any time. When you stop syncing a folder, you disconnect the folder on your computer from the library on the server. You can always sync the library to your computer again later.


Why stop syncing a library?


Usually, you stop syncing when you no longer need to sync updates between the folder and the library on the server, or because you’ve completed a project. If something goes wrong with the connection between the folder and the library on the server, you can often fix the problem by stopping the current sync relationship, and Sync files with OneDrive in Windows, as if for the first time.


Steps to Stop Syncing


  1. Right-click the OneDrive for Business icon in the notification area of the Task Bar, and select Settings



  2. On the Account tab, click Stop Sync next to the library that you no longer want to Sync



  3. Click Stop Sync on the confirmation dialogue box



  4. At this stage, you should wait a few minutes for OneDrive to catch up on the new setting
  5. Verify that your library is no longer syncing - the status column should be blank in Windows Explorer.



  6. You may then delete the folder from Windows Explorer.

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