OneDrive in Explorer not showing recently uploaded files

JohnnyGui · May 7, 2022

When uploading files from a phone to OneDrive, I can see them in the web version of OneDrive (in the browser) but they don't appear in explorer of Windows 11 until I reboot the PC.

I have already enabled in OneDrive settings to sync files to explorer. Using Windows 11 Pro 21H2 22000.613.

Is this issue reproducible for anyone else?

Dru2 · May 7, 2022

JohnnyGui said:
When uploading files from a phone to OneDrive, I can see them in the web version of OneDrive (in the browser) but they don't appear in explorer of Windows 11 until I reboot the PC.

Check that you're logged into OneDrive automatically when you log into Windows. That setting can be found by right clicking the OneDrive icon and clicking properties, Settings, and going to the Settings tab. While there you might also check the "Network" tab, and check that Upload and Download rates are not limited.

All that said, I can't explain why things suddenly work after rebooting the PC other than to say there is going to be a time delay, so perhaps by the time you re-boot, the files are there?

JohnnyGui · May 7, 2022

Dru2 said:
Check that you're logged into OneDrive automatically when you log into Windows. That setting can be found by right clicking the OneDrive icon and clicking properties, Settings, and going to the Settings tab. While there you might also check the "Network" tab, and check that Upload and Download rates are not limited.

All that said, I can't explain why things suddenly work after rebooting the PC other than to say there is going to be a time delay, so perhaps by the time you re-boot, the files are there?

Thanks for the fast reply.

I'm always logged in automatically into OneDrive at boot. The files are already there before reboot as I can see them in the web version of OneDrive. They just don't appear in the explorer version of Windows 11 until I reboot. I didn't have this issue with Windows 10.

Does this happen to you when uploading a file from your phone to OneDrive?

Dru2 · May 7, 2022

JohnnyGui said:
Thanks for the fast reply.

The files are already there before reboot as I can see them in the web version of OneDrive. They just don't appear in the explorer version of Windows 11 until I reboot. I didn't have this issue with Windows 10.

Yeah, you said "uploading files from a phone to OneDrive". That means they will be posted to the web first, then synchronize to the other PCs with that account. It is possible they there "may" have been a sync delay, it happens, even to me, that said, per your question...

JohnnyGui said:
Does this happen to you when uploading a file from your phone to OneDrive?

I just sent a photo from my Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and the image instantly appeared in my OneDrive folder on my PC - Windows 11 Pro 21H2 (build 22000.652). Did that as I was typing this.

If this is a consistent issue, I don't have an answer other than I don't have the issue.

JohnnyGui · May 7, 2022

Dru2 said:
Yeah, you said "uploading files from a phone to OneDrive". That means they will be posted to the web first, then synchronize to the other PCs with that account. It is possible they there "may" have been a sync delay, it happens, even to me, that said, per your question...

I just sent a photo from my Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and the image instantly appeared in my OneDrive folder on my PC - Windows 11 Pro 21H2 (build 22000.652). Did that as I was typing this.

If this is a consistent issue, I don't have an answer other than I don't have the issue.

Thanks a lot for testing this.

It's weird that it's not working in my case. No idea what might cause this.

Dru2 · May 7, 2022

JohnnyGui said:
It's weird that it's not working in my case. No idea what might cause this.

Are you sure this isn't just a delay? Have you waited for say 10-15 minutes before rebooting?

Also, have you checked your internet connection isn't an issue?

JohnnyGui · May 9, 2022

Dru2 said:
Are you sure this isn't just a delay? Have you waited for say 10-15 minutes before rebooting?

Also, have you checked your internet connection isn't an issue?

It's not a delay, it usually comes up immediately. I have reinstalled OneDrive and it worked but here's the weird part.

When I log in the browser version of OneDrive, this issue in explorer comes back again. (I also noticed that the name changes to OneDrive - Personal in explorer for some reason).

Have you logged into the browser on OneDrive before and tested this afterwards?

Dru2 · May 9, 2022

JohnnyGui said:
Have you logged into the browser on OneDrive before and tested this afterwards?

I've done it a few times, usually to empty the Recycle bin there, but yes files moved to OneDrive will show there, no issue.

JohnnyGui said:
(I also noticed that the name changes to OneDrive - Personal in explorer for some reason).

Now you're confusing me. Are you sure you aren't running two OneDrive accounts???

Typically, Office/Windows install a personal OneDrive account and the older will simply be named "OneDrive"; however, if you've installed a school or business version of Office 365 account, it will also install a "Business" OneDrive account typically with the account name, and your "personal" OneDrive account will change to "OneDrive - Personal" to distinguish the folders from one another as in the example below....

Here these are my OneDrive accounts, one is my personal account, the other my school account.

If you have two OneDrive accounts and are transferring files, you need to state which account you want to place a file in. Also note the accounts don't share with each other so one won't see the other and vice versa. Also note, that even if you remove the business account, the name remains for the personal account - "OneDrive - Personal". Don't have an answer for why.

All that said, is it possible you have two accounts? If so, which are you using, and which is problematic?

Also note you will also have two online accounts - your personal account, and the business account - each with their own login credentials. Again, they are separate accounts.

JohnnyGui · May 9, 2022

Dru2 said:
I've done it a few times, usually to empty the Recycle bin there, but yes files moved to OneDrive will show there, no issue.

Now you're confusing me. Are you sure you aren't running two OneDrive accounts???

Typically, Office/Windows install a personal OneDrive account and the older will simply be named "OneDrive"; however, if you've installed a school or business version of Office 365 account, it will also install a "Business" OneDrive account typically with the account name, and your "personal" OneDrive account will change to "OneDrive - Personal" to distinguish the folders from one another as in the example below....

View attachment 28755

Here these are my OneDrive accounts, one is my personal account, the other my school account.

If you have two OneDrive accounts and are transferring files, you need to state which account you want to place a file in. Also note the accounts don't share with each other so one won't see the other and vice versa. Also note, that even if you remove the business account, the name remains for the personal account - "OneDrive - Personal". Don't have an answer for why.

All that said, is it possible you have two accounts? If so, which are you using, and which is problematic?

Also note you will also have two online accounts - your personal account, and the business account - each with their own login credentials. Again, they are separate accounts.

Thanks for the extensive info. No I don't have 2 OneDrive accounts nor have I installed Office school or business version but Professional. I have deliberately excluded OneDrive business out of the install and it's not shown in the Programs list.

It seems that when I log into the browser version of OneDrive, Windows sees it as a "different" OneDrive location and changes its name in explorer, even though I just have 1 OneDrive account.

The sync issue is solved now, even when logging into the browser. It needed a restart after reinstalling OneDrive.

Dru2 · May 9, 2022

JohnnyGui said:
I have deliberately excluded OneDrive business out of the install and it's not shown in the Programs list.

That why your OneDrive is named OneDrive - Personal... it recognized there was the Business app, even though its not installed.

JohnnyGui said:
It seems that when I log into the browser version of OneDrive, Windows sees it as a "different" OneDrive location and changes its name in explorer, even though I just have 1 OneDrive account.

I'm not really clear on what's going on than to say it is possible you're in the business account online but looking at the "Personal" folder on the PC. That doesn't make sense to me, and that's not the way it's supposed to work, but all I have it what you post, so...

BTW, do you log into the online account with the same credentials as your Windows login credentials?

JohnnyGui · May 9, 2022

Dru2 said:
That why your OneDrive is named OneDrive - Personal... it recognized there was the Business app, even though its not installed.

I'm not really clear on what's going on than to say it is possible you're in the business account online but looking at the "Personal" folder on the PC. That doesn't make sense to me, and that's not the way it's supposed to work, but all I have it what you post, so...

BTW, do you log into the online account with the same credentials as your Windows login credentials?

But it's the same content in the Browser. I'm positive it's the same Onedrive account. Yes, I log with the same credentials.

Guess I'd have to deal with the name change.

BrianInEngland · May 9, 2022

Dru2 said:
I've done it a few times, usually to empty the Recycle bin there, but yes files moved to OneDrive will show there, no issue.

Now you're confusing me. Are you sure you aren't running two OneDrive accounts???

Typically, Office/Windows install a personal OneDrive account and the older will simply be named "OneDrive"; however, if you've installed a school or business version of Office 365 account, it will also install a "Business" OneDrive account typically with the account name, and your "personal" OneDrive account will change to "OneDrive - Personal" to distinguish the folders from one another as in the example below....

View attachment 28755

Here these are my OneDrive accounts, one is my personal account, the other my school account.

If you have two OneDrive accounts and are transferring files, you need to state which account you want to place a file in. Also note the accounts don't share with each other so one won't see the other and vice versa. Also note, that even if you remove the business account, the name remains for the personal account - "OneDrive - Personal". Don't have an answer for why.

All that said, is it possible you have two accounts? If so, which are you using, and which is problematic?

Also note you will also have two online accounts - your personal account, and the business account - each with their own login credentials. Again, they are separate accounts.

I've only ever used a Personal account with OneDrive, but my OneDrive shows as 'One Drive - Personal'. It's been like this for some time now. I have neither a School nor Business One Drive account.

Dru2 · May 9, 2022

JohnnyGui said:
Guess I'd have to deal with the name change.

Realize its only name change; it does not affect functionality. You may have functionality issues, but it's not because of a name change.

Good luck :)

johnlgalt · May 9, 2022

The same OneDrive app can log into both personal accounts as well as work / school accounts.

I have both - my personal and my work account - they ostensibly show up as 2 icons in the system tray, one white (personal) and one blue (work) but I added the work account *through* the personal account, using the Add account button on the Accounts tab of OneDrive Settings panel.

If you keep changing the name to remove the word 'personal' that may be the reason why the updates are not showing up. Otherwise, it should *stay* as personal, and not change to something else - mine has said OneDrive - {workplace account name} and OneDrive - Personal for years now.

Dru2 · May 9, 2022

johnlgalt said:
The same OneDrive app can log into both personal accounts as well as work / school accounts.

Of course, you can do it that. I've done it in adding my school account, but they will still be separate entities. And adding an account will also create a folder for it under Windows Explorer for said added account (did for me).

Also, per Microsoft, you can only have one personal account, but multiple school or work accounts - How to add an account in OneDrive

johnlgalt said:
mine has said OneDrive - {workplace account name} and OneDrive - Personal for years now.

Yep, just as I'd shown in post #8 :)

johnlgalt · May 9, 2022

Yeah, I was not disagreeing with you - I was merely restating what you'd said to illustrate the actual point.

He specifically states that upon logging in via browser, it changes the name:

JohnnyGui said:
(I also noticed that the name changes to OneDrive - Personal in explorer for some reason).

Indicating that either something changes it back after he is done using the web interface, or he is changing it himself to remove the - Personal part of the name.

And while it should not affect anything, whatever causes it to change with the removal of that part of the name of the folder could, in fact, be the cause of the files not showing up immediately when uploading via the web interface.

Dru2 · May 9, 2022

Yeah, I didn't take it that way John, it's my OCD habit of replying. All good

johnlgalt said:
And while it should not affect anything, whatever causes it to change with the removal of that part of the name of the folder could, in fact, be the cause of the files not showing up immediately when uploading via the web interface.

Not clear on what you mean, but if he's constantly changing the name back, yeah, that could cause an issue. Agree. Didn't stop to think he may be changing the name. This would also explain the need to reboot to get the files sync'd

JohnnyGui · May 9, 2022

Dru2 said:
Yeah, I didn't take it that way John, it's my OCD habit of replying. All good

Not clear on what you mean, but if he's constantly changing the name back, yeah, that could cause an issue. Agree. Didn't stop to think he may be changing the name. This would also explain the need to reboot to get the files sync'd

johnlgalt said:
Yeah, I was not disagreeing with you - I was merely restating what you'd said to illustrate the actual point.

He specifically states that upon logging in via browser, it changes the name:

Indicating that either something changes it back after he is done using the web interface, or he is changing it himself to remove the - Personal part of the name.

And while it should not affect anything, whatever causes it to change with the removal of that part of the name of the folder could, in fact, be the cause of the files not showing up immediately when uploading via the web interface.

Plot twist; I haven't even changed it myself

. When I clean installed Windows 11 it was just named "OneDrive", but the moment I logged into OneDrive via the browser, it added the "- Personal" part to the name. And now after reinstalling OneDrive to fix the sync issue, the name went back to "OneDrive" but turned into "OneDrive - Personal" after logging in via the browser again. I don't have any other OneDrive accounts just like @BrianInEngland described.

johnlgalt · May 10, 2022

Interesting. One question - once it is changed to OneDrive - Personal, does it ever change back to just showing OneDrive on its own?

JohnnyGui · May 10, 2022

johnlgalt said:
Interesting. One question - once it is changed to OneDrive - Personal, does it ever change back to just showing OneDrive on its own?

No it never changes unless I reinstall OneDrive, and even then it's just temporarily. I found 2 threads, here and here with the same "bug". Quite a few of them never had a 2nd OneDrive account.

Reinstalled it it again and it changed to - Personal after a few days even without logging in via the browser. It's no biggie at all, but I'm just curious why it does that.

OneDrive in Explorer not showing recently uploaded files

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