How to sync a SharePoint site

SharePoint is a powerful tool for storing, managing, and sharing documents within organisations. By syncing a SharePoint site to your computer, you can access files directly from your file explorer, even when offline. This guide walks you through syncing a SharePoint site, making it easy to work with your files without needing to open a web browser.

Table of contents

1. Why syncing a SharePoint site is useful
2. Step-by-step guide to sync your SharePoint site
3. Troubleshooting common issues
4. Managing your sync settings
5. How to stop syncing a SharePoint site

Why syncing a SharePoint site is useful

Syncing a SharePoint site allows you to:

• Access files from your computer without opening your browser.
• Work on files offline, which automatically syncs when you're back online.
• Quickly open, edit, and save documents like any other file on your PC.

Step-by-step guide to sync your SharePoint site

Before syncing a SharePoint site, make sure you:

• Have a Microsoft 365 account that includes access to SharePoint.
• Have the OneDrive app installed on your computer (OneDrive is used to sync SharePoint files).

Once these are in place, you’re ready to sync your SharePoint site.

Step 1: Open the SharePoint site in your browser

• Open your preferred web browser.
• Sign in to your Microsoft 365 account at https://www.office.com.
• Click on “SharePoint” from the list of available apps.

• Navigate to the SharePoint site you want to sync.

You should now see the SharePoint site with all the files and folders displayed.

Step 2: Start the sync process

• On the SharePoint site, locate the “Documents” library or any other library you want to sync.

• At the top of the page, click the “Sync” button. The icon looks like two revolving arrows.

If this is your first time syncing, you may be prompted to open OneDrive. This happens because SharePoint and OneDrive work together for the sync feature.

Step 3: Allow OneDrive to sync the files

• After clicking “Sync”, a pop-up will ask for permission to open OneDrive. Click “Open”.
• OneDrive will now handle syncing your SharePoint files. A new window will appear, confirming the sync.

Depending on the number of files, the sync process may take a few minutes. During this time, you’ll see a notification indicating that the sync is in progress.

Step 4: Access synced files on your computer

Once synced, your SharePoint files are accessible in your Windows file explorer:

• Open “File Explorer” from your taskbar or by pressing “Windows + E”.
• On the left-hand side, you’ll see a new folder named after your organisation. If you click into that, you will see the SharePoint site you’ve synced.

Step 5: Working with synced files

You can now manage your SharePoint files directly from your computer:

• Open and Edit Files: Double-click any file to open it in the relevant application (e.g., Word, Excel, etc.).
• Add or Remove Files: Drag and drop files into this folder, and they’ll automatically sync back to SharePoint. You can also create new files and save them into this location, and they will automatically sync back to SharePoint.

Step 6: Make files available offline

You can make files available offline to work on them without an internet connection. Follow these steps:

• Open File Explorer from your taskbar or by pressing Windows + E.
• On the left side, find the folder named after your organisation and navigate to the file you want to make available offline.
• Right-click the file.
• From the menu, choose “Always keep on this device.” This ensures the file or folder stays available offline.

• You’ll see a green circle with a white checkmark next to the file, showing it’s now available offline.

Troubleshooting common issues

Sometimes, the sync process doesn’t go as planned. Here’s how to address common problems:

• Sync Button Not Appearing: Ensure that you’re in the correct document library. The sync button is only visible in document libraries.
• OneDrive Not Opening: Make sure you have the latest version of OneDrive installed. You can download it from the Microsoft Store if needed.
• Sync Conflicts: If a file has been edited in multiple places, OneDrive will ask you to resolve the conflict by choosing which version to keep.

Managing your sync settings

You can control how and when files are synced through the OneDrive settings:

• In the system tray (bottom-right corner), click the “OneDrive” icon.
• Click on the “gear” icon in the right-hand corner, then select “Settings”.
• Within the “Sync and Backup”, you can pause syncing. Under "Advanced settings", you have the option to limit the download and upload rate.

How to stop syncing a SharePoint site

If you no longer need to sync a SharePoint site:

• In the system tray (bottom-right corner), click the “OneDrive” icon.
• Click on the “gear” icon in the right-hand corner, then select “Settings”.
• Under the “Account” tab, find the site you want to stop syncing.
• Click “Stop Sync” and confirm your choice.

Stopping the sync will the connection to the SharePoint site and you can now delete that folder and files using Windows Explorer. You will only be deleting the files from your computer but won’t delete any files from the SharePoint site.

Conclusion

Syncing a SharePoint site to your computer makes accessing and managing files much easier. You can work offline, seamlessly sync changes, and avoid relying solely on your web browser. Following this guide should help you sync your SharePoint site quickly and troubleshoot any issues that arise.

At Texaport, our Microsoft-certified experts are here to help you maximise the potential of Microsoft products, ensuring a seamless, secure, and efficient workflow for your business. Learn more about how Texaport can help you unlock the potential of Microsoft 365, or contact us today to explore what we can do for you.