Body
Question
How can you removed syncing without risking loss of the root SharePoint data on a Mac?
Answer
YSU is opting to remove synced SharePoint and Teams files and replacing them with file shortcuts instead. To remove syncing on SharePoint and/or Teams files follow these direction. NOTE: Failure to following these steps in the order may result in unrecoverable data loss.
Stop Syncing
From the desktop Finder options on a Mac (located in the upper right corner):
- Click the OneDrive Cloud icon.
![desktop options located in the upper right corner of the finder home page](https://ysu.teamdynamix.com/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=ea88947e-773b-458e-9d7e-ae7c8f272a1c.PNG&beidInt=251)
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At the top of the OneDrive maintenance window, click Settings (gear icon).
![Settings gear in OneDrive tool](https://ysu.teamdynamix.com/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=d76af0a2-c813-47c6-b156-f91bcb1f9fe6.png&beidInt=251)
- In the drop-down window, select Settings (PC) or Preferences (Mac).
![Preferences from Mac menu for OneDrive](https://ysu.teamdynamix.com/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=f926b136-aa1c-4da8-96ef-883208d2a00c.PNG&beidInt=251)
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The Microsoft OneDrive window will open .
- All synced folders will appear in the Account tab. The example below shows the user’s OneDrive and three SharePoint document libraries.
![](https://ysu.teamdynamix.com/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=3a67f4a8-3899-418e-ac43-8c9759f78fe6.PNG&beidInt=251)
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Locate the SharePoint document library you wish to stop syncing and select Stop Sync to the right.
- The following window will appear confirming you wish to stop syncing the document library. Select Stop Sync.
![Confirm stop sync](https://ysu.teamdynamix.com/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=64e6a186-9df5-49c3-8295-2a9f063e3dfc.PNG&beidInt=251)
Remove the Document Library from Finder (Mac)
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On your Mac, drag the item to the Trash in the Dock or select the item, then press Command-Delete.
If an item is locked, click Continue to confirm you want to move the locked item to the Trash.
Add A Shortcut1
- In OneDrive or Teams, find the folder you want to add and click the circle in the folder's tile to select it.
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Select Add shortcut to My files.
![Add sshortcut to my files](https://ysu.teamdynamix.com/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=8eaba7c4-01f4-46fc-a804-e1346dfd78c9.PNG&beidInt=251)
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Or you can right-click the folder, and then select Add shortcut to OneDrive.
![Add shortcut alternative select more information](https://ysu.teamdynamix.com/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=774f1867-0600-4f13-bee0-aadd4f2bcfdb.PNG&beidInt=251)
Tip: In a shared library in SharePoint or Microsoft Teams, you can select Add shortcut to OneDrive to add a shortcut to the entire library or select the specific folder you want to add, and then select Add shortcut to My files.
Important: The Add shortcut to OneDrive option isn't available when:
- You've already added the folder to your OneDrive, or you have more than one folder selected. (You can't add multiple folders at the same time.)
- The item you're trying to add isn't a folder. (Add shortcut to OneDrive isn't available for individual files or for collections of files such as albums.)
1Referenced articles:
Microsoft. (2024, March 19). Add shortcuts to shared folders in OneDrive for work or school. Retrieved from here.
University of Maryland. (Stop Syncing a Document Library). Retrieved from here.