How to Check KFM Status From OneDrive Sync Reports

You need to verify whether Known Folder Move is active for users in your organization. Known Folder Move redirects Windows known folders such as Desktop, Documents, and Pictures to OneDrive. Without checking the status, you cannot confirm that backup is running correctly or that data is protected. This article explains how to use the OneDrive Sync Reports in the Microsoft 365 admin center to check KFM status for individual users and across your entire tenant.

What the OneDrive Sync Report Shows About KFM Status

The OneDrive Sync Report is a built-in usage report in the Microsoft 365 admin center. It shows the sync status for each user’s OneDrive client. The report includes a column called “Known Folder Move” that displays one of three values: Protected, Not Protected, or Unknown. A value of Protected means that Desktop, Documents, and Pictures are all being backed up to OneDrive. Not Protected means that at least one of these folders is not redirected. Unknown means the client has not reported status in the last 30 days.

The report pulls data directly from each Windows device where the OneDrive sync app is installed. It does not rely on group policy or configuration settings alone. This makes the report a reliable source of truth for actual device behavior. If a user has KFM enabled via policy but their device shows Not Protected, the report reveals a compliance gap that needs investigation.

The sync report also includes columns for sync health, last sync date, and device name. You can use these columns to cross-reference KFM status with overall sync health. A device with a Not Protected status and a Last Sync Date older than seven days likely has a connectivity or client issue.

Steps to Access and Use the OneDrive Sync Report

You need the Reports Reader, Global Reader, or Global Administrator role to view the sync report. Follow these steps to locate the report and check KFM status.

1. Open the Microsoft 365 admin center
   Go to admin.microsoft.com and sign in with your admin account.
2. Navigate to Reports
   In the left navigation pane, select Reports then Usage.
3. Open the OneDrive report
   Under the Select a report section, click OneDrive. The report page loads with a chart showing daily active users and a table of user-level data.
4. Find the Known Folder Move column
   Scroll the table horizontally to locate the Known Folder Move column. If you do not see it, click Choose columns at the top right of the table and add Known Folder Move to the visible columns.
5. Filter by KFM status
   Click the filter icon in the Known Folder Move column header. Select Not Protected to see all users whose folders are not fully backed up. You can also filter for Protected to confirm compliant devices.
6. Export the report for offline analysis
   Click Export at the top of the table. Choose CSV format. The export includes all columns, including Known Folder Move with the values Protected, Not Protected, or Unknown. Open the CSV in Excel and use auto-filter to sort or count devices by KFM status.
7. Check individual user KFM status
   In the table, click any user name to open the user details panel. The panel shows the same KFM status along with sync health, files synced, and last sync time. Use this view for one-off checks during support calls.

What to Do When KFM Status Shows Not Protected

A Not Protected status means the OneDrive client on that device is not backing up one or more known folders. The most common causes are: the user declined the KFM prompt, the device is not running a supported Windows version, or a group policy conflict blocks the redirect.

1. Verify the device meets requirements
   KFM requires Windows 10 version 1809 or later or Windows 11. The OneDrive sync app must be version 19.192 or later. Check the OS and OneDrive version columns in the sync report export to confirm compatibility.
2. Re-enable KFM via the OneDrive admin center
   Go to Microsoft 365 admin center > Settings > Org settings > OneDrive > Sync. Under Known Folder Move, select Show notification to users and check Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. Click Save. Users will see a prompt to move their folders on next sync.
3. Use group policy to force KFM silently
   If your organization requires silent enablement, deploy the group policy setting Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > OneDrive > Silently move Windows known folders to OneDrive. Set it to Enabled and specify the folders to move. After the policy applies, run gpupdate /force on the target device and restart the OneDrive process.
4. Check for conflicting policies
   A group policy that redirects Desktop or Documents to a network share will prevent KFM from working. Remove any Folder Redirection policies for Desktop, Documents, and Pictures before enabling KFM.

Common Issues When Checking KFM Status

KFM column shows Unknown for all users

The Unknown status appears when a device has not reported sync data in the last 30 days. This can happen if the device is offline, the OneDrive client is uninstalled, or the user has not signed in. Check the Last Sync Date column. If the date is more than 30 days old, ask the user to open OneDrive and verify they are signed in with their work or school account.

Sync report shows Protected but user says folders are not in OneDrive

The report only confirms that the folders are redirected. It does not show that all files have finished uploading. Open the OneDrive client on the user’s device and check the sync status. Large files or file name conflicts can delay upload. Instruct the user to open File Explorer, right-click the OneDrive icon in the notification area, and select View sync problems to see any errors.

Filter or export does not include KFM column

The KFM column is only available in the OneDrive usage report, not in the SharePoint admin center or the Microsoft 365 admin center’s device compliance reports. Ensure you are on the Reports > Usage > OneDrive page. If the column still does not appear, click Choose columns and add Known Folder Move.

OneDrive Sync Report vs OneDrive Admin Center: KFM Management Methods

Item	Sync Report (Usage)	OneDrive Admin Center (Settings)
Purpose	Audit and verify actual device compliance	Configure KFM policy and enable notifications
Data source	Client telemetry from each device	Tenant-level policy settings
Shows per-user status	Yes — Protected, Not Protected, Unknown	No — only policy state
Shows device name	Yes	No
Exportable	Yes — CSV with all columns	No
Allows policy change	No	Yes — enable or disable KFM tenant-wide

Use the sync report to audit compliance after you configure KFM policy in the admin center. The report tells you whether the policy actually reached each device.

Conclusion

You can now check KFM status for any user by opening the OneDrive usage report in the Microsoft 365 admin center. The Known Folder Move column shows Protected, Not Protected, or Unknown for each device. Export the report to CSV and use Excel filters to find unprotected devices across your organization. For users showing Not Protected, verify device requirements and re-enable KFM via the OneDrive admin center or group policy. Use the sync report weekly to catch devices that fall out of compliance before data loss occurs.