As an IT administrator, you need to verify which devices in your organization have Known Folder Move enabled for OneDrive for Business. KFM automatically redirects the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to OneDrive, which ensures data backup and compliance. Without a clear view of enabled devices, you cannot confirm that critical user folders are protected. This article explains how to use the Microsoft 365 admin center and PowerShell to check which devices have KFM enabled and active.
Key Takeaways: Checking KFM Device Status in OneDrive for Business
- Microsoft 365 admin center > Reports > Usage > OneDrive: View per-user KFM status and last sync date.
- SharePoint Online Management Shell: Run Get-SPOSite and Get-SPUser to extract per-device KFM configuration from OneDrive site properties.
- OneDrive Sync Admin Reports (ODSA): Download detailed CSV logs showing KFM status for every client device in your tenant.
How Known Folder Move Works in OneDrive for Business
Known Folder Move is a policy-driven feature in OneDrive for Business that redirects the Windows default folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures) to OneDrive. When KFM is enabled on a device, the folders are moved to the user’s OneDrive under the path OneDrive – TenantName. The user sees the folders in File Explorer as if they were local, but the content is synced to the cloud. KFM can be deployed via Group Policy, Intune, or manually by the user. The feature also supports silent move, which does not require user interaction. To check which devices have KFM enabled, you must examine the OneDrive sync status per device, not just the user account. One device can have KFM active while another device for the same user does not.
Requirements for Checking KFM Device Status
Before you start, ensure the following prerequisites are met:
- You must be a Microsoft 365 Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator.
- PowerShell 5.1 or later is required for the SharePoint Online Management Shell.
- The OneDrive Sync Admin Reports feature must be enabled in your tenant. This is on by default for commercial tenants.
- Devices must be running Windows 10 or Windows 11 with the OneDrive sync app version 19.002.0101 or later.
Method 1: Check KFM Status in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center
This method provides a per-user overview of KFM status but does not show individual device names. Use it for a quick check.
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center
Go to https://admin.microsoft.com and sign in with your admin credentials. - Navigate to Reports
In the left navigation, select Reports and then Usage. - Open the OneDrive report
Under the Select a report section, click OneDrive. The report shows a list of users with their KFM status in the Known Folder Move column. - Interpret the KFM status
The column displays one of the following values:- Enabled – KFM is active on at least one device for this user.
- Disabled – KFM is not enabled on any device for this user.
- Not configured – The user has not been targeted by a KFM policy.
This report does not show the device name or the number of devices with KFM. For device-level detail, use Method 2 or Method 3.
Method 2: Use PowerShell to Check KFM per Device
PowerShell allows you to extract the KFM status from each user’s OneDrive site properties. The property KnownFolderMoveStatus returns a value for each device that has synced with that site.
- Install the SharePoint Online Management Shell
Open PowerShell as administrator and run:Install-Module -Name Microsoft.Online.SharePoint.PowerShell. If prompted, confirm the installation. - Connect to SharePoint Online
Run:Connect-SPOService -Url https://[tenant]-admin.sharepoint.com. Replace[tenant]with your tenant name. Sign in with your admin credentials. - Get all OneDrive site URLs
Run:$sites = Get-SPOSite -Template "SPSPERS" -Limit All | Select-Object Url. This retrieves all OneDrive personal sites. - Loop through each site and check KFM status
Run the following script:foreach ($site in $sites) { $kfmStatus = Get-SPOSite -Identity $site.Url | Select-Object -ExpandProperty KnownFolderMoveStatus; Write-Output "Site: $($site.Url) - KFM Status: $kfmStatus" } - Parse the output for device details
TheKnownFolderMoveStatusproperty returns a JSON object that includes per-device information. Look for entries like"DeviceId":"device123"and"Status":"Enabled".
This method requires some familiarity with JSON parsing in PowerShell. For a simpler approach, use the OneDrive Sync Admin Reports.
Method 3: Download OneDrive Sync Admin Reports
The OneDrive Sync Admin Reports provide a CSV file with detailed per-device sync status, including KFM state. This is the most direct way to check KFM on each device.
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center
Go to https://admin.microsoft.com and sign in with your admin credentials. - Navigate to Reports > Usage
In the left navigation, select Reports and then Usage. - Select OneDrive Sync Reports
Scroll down to the OneDrive section and click Sync. This opens the OneDrive Sync Admin Reports page. - Download the device report
Click Export and choose Device report. A CSV file is downloaded to your computer. - Open the CSV file
Open the CSV in Excel or a text editor. Look for the column Known Folder Move Status. Each row represents a device and user combination. The value is either Enabled or Disabled.
The device report also includes the device name, last sync date, and sync errors. Use this data to identify devices that have KFM enabled and those that do not.
If the KFM Status Appears Inaccurate
KFM shows as disabled but the user says it is working
The OneDrive Sync Admin Reports may take up to 24 hours to reflect the current state. If a user recently enabled KFM, wait one day and download the report again. Also verify that the device is running a supported version of OneDrive. Older versions do not report KFM status correctly.
No KFM data appears for some users
Users who have never signed in to OneDrive on a device will not have any KFM data. The user must first sign in and sync at least one folder. If the user has a device but no data appears, check that the OneDrive sync app is installed and running on that device.
Known Folder Move Status: Admin Center vs PowerShell vs Sync Reports
| Item | Admin Center | PowerShell | Sync Reports CSV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data granularity | Per user | Per site (user) | Per device and user |
| Device name included | No | Yes, in JSON | Yes |
| Ease of use | Click only | Requires scripting | Click and filter CSV |
| Update frequency | Near real-time | Real-time | Up to 24-hour delay |
| Best for | Quick check | Automated audits | Detailed device inventory |
Now you can verify which devices have KFM enabled using three different methods. Start with the admin center for a quick overview, then use the Sync Reports CSV for a complete device list. For automated audits, use the PowerShell method and export the results to a JSON or CSV file. As an advanced tip, set up a scheduled PowerShell script that runs weekly and emails the KFM status report to your IT team.