Folders Disappearing from OneDrive – No Trace or Recovery from IT

Hello there, 

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community. I see that folders went missing on your shared OneDrive. I apologize that this has caused problems on your end.  

Starting February 22–24, 2025, users began reporting that shared folders in OneDrive disappeared from local PCs and were replaced with .URL files. These shortcuts directed users to OneDrive’s web interface instead of providing synced local access. The issue: 

• Affected multiple linked devices overnight without any error message or warning. 

Shared folders appear “deleted” locally, often ending up in the Recycle Bin. 

Users confirmed no recent settings changes were made before the issue occurred. 

We have formally acknowledged the issue and this confirmed this is a known issue affecting many users. 

The problem is not caused by user settings—it’s a server-side bug. 

No client-side fix exists yet, but Microsoft is working on a resolution. 

Workarounds & Temporary Solutions 

Since this is a Microsoft service-side issue, traditional troubleshooting like resetting OneDrive or re-adding the shared folder does not work.  

However, users can try the following temporary solutions: 

Access the Shared Folder via OneDrive Web 

Log into OneDrive.com and navigate to “Shared” to view the missing files. 

Avoid Deleting .URL Shortcut Files 

Do not delete the “.URL” shortcut files—Microsoft states that once the issue is resolved, these will automatically convert back to normal folders. 

If a Folder Disappeared, Ask the Owner to Re-Share It 

If the shared folder is completely missing from OneDrive web, the original owner must re-share the folder with you. 

Recover Missing Files from OneDrive Recycle Bin 

️ If files appear deleted, check OneDrive’s Recycle Bin via the web interface. 

Recommended Actions 

1. Check OneDrive Admin Audit Logs 

If you're using Microsoft 365 for Business or Education: 

Go to the Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal. 

Use Audit Search to look for file/folder activity. 

You may need admin privileges to access this. 

2. Use OneDrive Restore Feature 

If enabled, you can use OneDrive’s “Restore your OneDrive” feature to roll back to a previous state (up to 30 days). 

This is available under Settings > Options > Restore your OneDrive. 

3. Contact Microsoft Support 

If folders are missing without logs, escalate to Microsoft Support with: 

Folder names 

Approximate disappearance date 

Affected users/accounts 

Backup Solutions That Work Well with OneDrive 

To prevent future data loss, consider these automated backup tools that integrate with OneDrive: 

1. Acronis Cyber Protect 

Cloud-to-cloud backup for OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams. 

Automated daily backups with versioning. 

2. Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 

Enterprise-grade backup for OneDrive, Exchange, and SharePoint. 

Allows granular recovery of folders and files. 

3. Synology NAS with Cloud Sync 

Syncs OneDrive folders to local NAS storage. 

Supports versioning and offline access. 

4. Spanning Backup 

Cloud-native backup for Microsoft 365. 

Easy restore interface and daily automated backups. 

Best Practices Moving Forward 

Enable version history and activity logging for all shared folders. 

Limit access to critical folders to reduce accidental deletions. 

Schedule regular backups using one of the tools above. 

Educate users on proper file handling in shared environments. 

I hope this helps you. If you need more assistance, please feel free to reply to this thread. 

Cheers! 

Restee M. 

Microsoft Community Contributor