Two Free Ways to Sync SharePoint Document Library with Local Folder

How Do I Sync a SharePoint Library with a Local Folder?

SharePoint is a web-based collaboration and document management platform developed by Microsoft. It enables businesses to store, organize, share, and access information from anywhere, at any time. SharePoint offers a wide range of features that help businesses collaborate more effectively, streamline their workflows, and improve productivity across teams.

With SharePoint, businesses can work together more efficiently, reduce duplication of effort, and gain valuable insights into their operations. However, accessing document library on SharePoint requires you to always be online. So there are many users who want to let SharePoint sync files with local folder. On this page, we are going to introduce two free methods for you to sync SharePoint to local drive easily.

Benefits of SharePoint Sync Files with Local Folder

Syncing SharePoint document library with local folder offers several benefits for businesses:

🧸 Offline Access: By syncing a SharePoint document library with a local folder, users can access their files even when they are not connected to the internet. This is particularly useful for employees who work remotely or travel frequently.
🍧 Faster Access: Syncing enables faster access to the documents in SharePoint. Users can open and edit files directly within the local folder, without having to log in to SharePoint every time they need to access a file.
🍇 Improved Productivity: Syncing SharePoint document library with a local folder makes it easier to collaborate with team members. Users can quickly share files and folders, and see real-time updates made by others. This helps reduce duplication of effort and improves overall productivity.
🍒 More Control: Syncing SharePoint document library with a local folder gives users more control over their files. They can choose which files to sync, how frequently to sync them, and where to store them on their local device.
🌼 Backup and Recovery: Syncing also provides an additional backup copy of important documents. In case of accidental deletion, data loss, or server downtime, users can still access their files from the local folder.

How to Sync SharePoint Document Library with Local Folder using OneDrive Client

You can sync Microsoft SharePoint and Teams files to folders on your computer with the OneDrive desktop app. This allows you to work and access files directly in File Explorer, even when you are offline. Any changes you make to these files will be synced automatically when you go back online.

Everything you add, edit, or delete from your online SharePoint library or desktop folder is also automatically synced to your local folder. Follow the steps below to sync SharePoint document library with local folder:

1. Open the SharePoint site in your web browser and sign in with your Microsoft 365 credential. Navigate to the SharePoint document library or folder you’d like to sync locally.

2. Click on the Sync button from the command bar. Then, choose Open Microsoft OneDrive.

3. Click Allow when prompted by the OneDrive app permission pop-up window.

4. In the Choose where to sync your SharePoint files pop-up window that appears, select a location on your computer for your SharePoint folder and click Next.

5. Once the wizard finishes setting up the sync, you’ll find the folder locally from the file explorer left-hand tree view. Then you sync SharePoint folder to File Explorer successfully.

6. Your SharePoint document library will now sync with the selected folder on your computer, and any changes made in either location will be reflected in the other (i.e. if you add or delete files from one location, those changes will be copied to another location).

Sync SharePoint to Local Folder Automatically with AOMEI Backupper

Looking to simplify your file syncing process? Give AOMEI Backupper Standard a try! It's one of the best automatic sync software for all Windows PCs. It offers you a Schedule Sync feature to make the sync task automatic and you can automatically sync SharePoint libraries with local folders in daily, weekly, or monthly, not only files currently in it but also any changes made later.

• It offers multiple sync options, including Basic Sync, Real-Time Sync, Mirror Sync, and Two-Way Sync (the latter three are available in the paid version), helping you perform SharePoint sync to local folder flexibly.
• It is able to sync files in Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, XP, and Vista. For server users, it offers AOMEI Backupepr Server.

1. Be sure you log in with Microsoft 365 and OneDrive desktop app on your computer. Download and install AOMEI Backupper Standard on your computer.

2. Open AOMEI Backupper, and click Sync and Basic Sync in order.

3. Click Add Folder and select SharePoint folder or library in File Explorer. Then select the local folder as the destination.

4. Click the Schedule Sync button and choose a schedule in the pop-up window.

5. Then click Start Sync and AOMEI Backupper can sync SharePoint document library with local folder according to the plan.

Notes:

• By default, the Basic Sync method will not sync deletions from the source directory to the destination. If necessary, please enable it in Options.
• Don’t modify the source folder, otherwise, this software will not sync anymore.

FQAs about Syncing SharePoint with Local Folder

#1. Why is SharePoint not Syncing to File Explorer?

The common reasons for SharePoint files not syncing to File Explorer are improper OneDrive/SharePoint sync status, wrong SharePoint sync settings, long file path, OneDrive cache, etc. You can check these reasons and perform SharePoint sync to local drive again to solve it.

#2. How to stop Sync SharePoint Document Library with Local Folder?

To stop syncing SharePoint document library with local folder, you can run the OneDrive desktop app, and open OneDrive Sync. Then, click Account, hit Stop sync next to the folder you want to stop syncing, and click OK.

Conclusion

Sync SharePoint document library with local folder is an easy way to keep your files up-to-date in both locations. By following the steps above, you can ensure that any changes made to files in one location will be reflected in the other location as well. This makes it easy to collaborate with team members and keep offline copies of your files.

Besides, this software is an excellent backup utility. It provides system backup, partition backup, disk backup, and file backup to fully protect your data security, which helps you restore data whenever needed. You can download this software to explore more useful functions.