Mac users in your organization may see a shared library stuck in a pending state in OneDrive. The sync status shows “Pending” or “Processing changes” and never completes. This issue typically occurs because of permission mismatches, macOS security restrictions, or OneDrive cache corruption on the Mac client. This article covers the root causes for Mac-specific shared library sync failures and provides a structured admin checklist to resolve them.
Key Takeaways: Shared Library Sync Pending on Mac
- OneDrive > Preferences > Account > Shared libraries: Verify that the library appears here and that the user has the correct access level (Owner, Member, or Guest) assigned in SharePoint.
- System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files and Folders: Ensure OneDrive has permission to access all the folders it needs, including Desktop, Documents, and Downloads.
- OneDrive > Help & Settings > Pause syncing > Quit OneDrive: Restarting the application after clearing the local cache often resolves pending sync states for shared libraries.
Why OneDrive Shared Library Sync Gets Stuck on Pending for Mac Users
When a Mac user adds a shared library to OneDrive, the client must authenticate against SharePoint and download the library metadata. If the user’s token is expired or the library permissions were changed after the initial sync setup, the client may enter a pending state where it waits for a server response that never arrives.
macOS 13 Ventura and later versions introduced stricter privacy controls. OneDrive now requires explicit permission to access folders outside its own container. If the user denied or never granted these permissions during setup, the sync engine cannot write files to the local cache, causing the pending status.
Another common cause is the OneDrive cache itself. When the cache becomes large or contains corrupted index files, the client cannot resolve the pending state for shared libraries. The cache resides in ~/Library/Application Support/OneDrive/settings/Business1 on macOS. Deleting this folder forces a fresh download of library metadata.
Admin Checklist to Fix Pending Shared Library Sync on Mac
Use the following checklist in order. Each step addresses a distinct layer of the problem — permissions, privacy, cache, and network.
- Verify SharePoint permissions for the library
Open the SharePoint admin center. Go to Active sites and select the site containing the library. Under Site permissions, confirm the user is listed as an Owner or Member. Guest users with limited access may see a pending state. If the user was removed and re-added, ask them to remove the library from OneDrive Preferences and add it again. - Check OneDrive’s folder access on macOS
On the Mac, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files and Folders. Look for OneDrive in the list. Ensure the toggle for Documents, Desktop, and Downloads is ON. If OneDrive is not listed, quit OneDrive, restart it, and grant permissions when the prompt appears. Without this access, OneDrive cannot sync any files to those folders. - Clear the local OneDrive cache
Quit OneDrive completely. Open Finder and press Shift+Cmd+G. Enter~/Library/Application Support/OneDrive/settings/Business1. Delete the entireBusiness1folder. Then restart OneDrive. The client will re-download the library metadata. This often resolves pending states caused by corrupted index files. - Reset OneDrive on the Mac
If the cache clear does not work, reset OneDrive. Quit OneDrive. Open Terminal and run:killall OneDrive. Then run:/Applications/OneDrive.app/Contents/MacOS/OneDrive &. After OneDrive restarts, press Cmd+, to open Preferences. Go to the Account tab, find the shared library, click the three dots, and select Stop sync. Then click Add a shared library and re-add it. This forces a full re-authentication. - Check network proxies and firewall rules
Enterprise Macs behind a proxy may block OneDrive’s connection to SharePoint. Verify that the following URLs are allowed:sharepoint.comand all subdomains,onedrive.comand all subdomains, andlogin.microsoftonline.com. On the Mac, open System Settings > Network > Advanced > Proxies and ensure the proxy is not intercepting HTTPS traffic. If a certificate is required, install it in the Keychain. - Update OneDrive to the latest build
Older OneDrive builds for Mac have known bugs with shared library sync. Open the Mac App Store, go to Updates, and install any pending OneDrive update. Alternatively, download the latest build from the Microsoft 365 portal. After updating, repeat step 4 to reset the sync relationship.
If Shared Library Sync Still Stays Pending After the Checklist
OneDrive shows “Processing changes” for more than 24 hours
This indicates a server-side issue. Check the SharePoint site’s storage quota. If the library is near its limit, the sync may remain pending. Go to SharePoint admin center > Active sites > the site > Storage limit. Increase the limit if needed. Also check if the site has a file size restriction — files larger than 250 GB cannot sync.
User receives a “You don’t have permission” error for the shared library
The user may have been removed from the library’s permission group after the initial sync. In SharePoint, go to the library > Settings > Library permissions. Verify the user is listed. If the user appears but still gets the error, remove them, save, then re-add them. Ask the user to remove and re-add the library in OneDrive Preferences.
Shared library sync works on Windows but not on Mac
This points to a Mac-specific permission or cache issue. Follow the checklist from step 2 (folder access) and step 3 (cache clear). If the problem persists, create a new local user account on the Mac and test OneDrive there. If it works under the new account, the original user’s profile may be corrupted. Migrate the user’s data and retire the old profile.
Shared Library Sync Pending on Mac: Troubleshooting Methods Compared
| Item | Clear Cache Method | Reset OneDrive Method |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Deletes local metadata forcing a fresh download | Stops sync, removes all library connections, then re-authenticates |
| Time required | 5 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Affects other libraries | No — only the Business1 folder is removed | Yes — all shared libraries must be re-added |
| When to use | Single library stuck on pending | Multiple libraries stuck or clear cache did not work |
Use the cache clear method first because it is faster and less disruptive. Only reset OneDrive if the pending state persists across multiple shared libraries.
After completing the checklist, the Mac user should see the shared library sync change from pending to syncing within a few minutes. If the status remains stuck, open a support ticket with Microsoft and include the OneDrive sync logs from ~/Library/Logs/OneDrive. For ongoing monitoring, enable the OneDrive health report in the Microsoft 365 admin center to receive alerts when sync failures exceed a threshold. As an advanced tip, deploy the OneDrive admx templates via Intune to pre-configure shared library sync settings for all Mac users in your organization.