OneDrive File Name Issues

Problem

You may encounter a number of issues with file names and file types when transferring files into your OneDrive account. Here are some examples:

• "Destination Path Too Long"

• "We can't sync this item because the path is too long"

• "# file(s) can't be synced with OneDrive"

• OneDrive is stuck on "Sync pending" Note: "Sync pending" may not necessarily indicate an issue if you are moving a large number of files at once

If you receive an error listed above, or a variation of it, follow the steps below to fix your file name(s) so they can sync with OneDrive.

Renaming Files

If you need to rename your files so they can sync with OneDrive:

On MacOS:

1. Right click on the file you would like to rename and then select Rename.
   
   
   

   Open

   

   
   
   

2. You can now edit the file name and remove/add characters as needed.

On Windows 10:

1. Right click on the file you would like to rename and then select Rename
   
   

   Open

   

    

2. You can now edit the file name and remove/add characters as needed.
   
   
   

Why am I getting an error?

Invalid Characters

If your file name has any of these characters, the characters will need to be removed

If the file name has more than 400 characters then it will need to be shortened.

Invalid File Types

If your file is any of these file types, therefore ends with any of these characters, the file will need to be converted into another file type

Temporary files (TMP) will also not sync to OneDrive

OneNote notebooks can not be synced to OneDrive unless they have been created on OneDrive. OneNote notebooks have their own syncing mechanism independent of OneDrive.

Check the Microsoft guide if you would like to move a OneNote notebook to OneDrive.

Windows Specific

For the sync app to work as designed, the following requirements must be met

• The application must be installed on the local computer

• The user must be able to write to the user profile

• Data that's written to the user profile must be saved to the local hard disk and be available without a network connection

MacOS Specific

Case-sensitive formatted disk volume isn't supported