OneDrive for Business shared library sync troubleshooting for Mac users: stays pending

You added a shared library in OneDrive for Business on your Mac, but the sync status shows “Pending” and never completes. This usually happens because the Mac client handles shared libraries differently than personal sync folders, and the initial metadata download can stall due to permissions, network restrictions, or large file counts. This article explains why shared libraries get stuck on pending and provides a series of steps to resolve the issue on macOS.

Why a Shared Library Sync Stays Pending on macOS

When you add a shared library in OneDrive for Business on a Mac, the client must download the library’s metadata before any files can sync. This metadata includes folder structure, file names, permissions, and version history. If the library contains thousands of items, the metadata download can take a long time and may appear stuck at “Pending.”

The pending status also appears when the OneDrive client cannot communicate with the server. Common causes include a network proxy that blocks the required endpoints, a VPN that interferes with the sync connection, or an expired authentication token. If your organization uses Conditional Access policies, the Mac client may be blocked from syncing shared libraries unless the device meets compliance requirements.

Another frequent cause is a conflict between the personal OneDrive sync folder and the shared library. The Mac client can only maintain one sync relationship per library at a time. If you previously synced the same library with a different account or in a different location, the client may be unable to establish a new pending link.

Steps to Resolve a Stuck Pending Shared Library Sync

1. Open OneDrive Preferences
   Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Select Preferences from the dropdown menu. If the icon is not visible, open OneDrive from the Applications folder.
2. Remove the shared library from your account
   In the Preferences window, click the Account tab. Under “Shared libraries,” find the library that shows Pending. Click the three dots next to the library name and select Remove library. Confirm the removal when prompted. This does not delete the library from the server or from other users.
3. Restart the OneDrive client
   Open Activities Monitor from the Utilities folder. Search for OneDrive in the process list. Select the OneDrive process and click the X button in the toolbar, then choose Force Quit. Wait 10 seconds. Open OneDrive again from the Applications folder. Sign in if prompted.
4. Re-add the shared library
   In OneDrive Preferences, go to the Account tab. Click Add a shared library. Browse or search for the library name. Select it and click Add. The sync status should change from Pending to Syncing within 30 seconds. If it stays Pending for more than 5 minutes, proceed to the next step.
5. Check network and proxy settings
   Open System Settings from the Apple menu. Go to Network and select your active connection. Click Details then Proxies. Ensure no proxy is enabled unless required by your organization. If a proxy is required, verify it allows connections to onedrive.com and sharepoint.com and all subdomains. Temporarily disconnect any VPN and test the sync again.
6. Reset OneDrive sync
   Open Terminal from the Utilities folder. Type killall OneDrive and press Enter. Then type rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/OneDrive/settings and press Enter. Restart OneDrive from the Applications folder. Sign in and re-add the shared library. This clears the local sync database without removing your files.
7. Verify tenant sync settings
   If the library still stays Pending, ask your Microsoft 365 admin to check the sync settings in the admin center. The admin should go to Microsoft 365 admin center > Settings > Org settings > OneDrive > Sync. Ensure sync is enabled for shared libraries and no file type restrictions block the library contents.

If OneDrive Still Shows Pending After the Main Fix

OneDrive Shows Pending Only for Certain Shared Libraries

Some libraries may have unique permission settings that prevent your Mac client from syncing. Verify that you have at least Read access to the library. If the library owner removed your access, the sync will remain Pending indefinitely. Ask the library owner to confirm your permissions in the SharePoint site settings.

Pending Status After macOS Update

macOS updates can change security settings that affect OneDrive. After a macOS update, OneDrive may need to re-authenticate. Open OneDrive Preferences, go to the Account tab, and click Sign out. Restart your Mac, then sign back into OneDrive. Re-add the shared library after signing in.

Library Has More Than 30,000 Items

OneDrive for Business has a sync limit of 300,000 items across all synced locations. A single shared library with more than 30,000 items can cause the initial sync to stay Pending for hours. If you suspect this is the case, ask the library owner to split the content into sub-libraries or folders with fewer items. You can also choose to sync only specific folders within the library instead of the entire library.

OneDrive Personal Sync vs Shared Library Sync on Mac: Key Differences

Item	Personal Sync	Shared Library Sync
Initial setup	Automatic after sign-in	Must be added manually in Preferences
Metadata download	Fast, usually under 1 minute	Can take several minutes for large libraries
Permission dependency	Only your own files	Requires explicit access from the library owner
Sync limit	Part of the 300,000 item limit	Part of the same 300,000 item limit
Effect of network changes	Resumes automatically	May stay Pending until re-added

Now you can resolve a shared library sync stuck on Pending by removing and re-adding the library, checking network settings, and resetting the sync database if needed. If the problem persists, verify library permissions and item count with the owner. For advanced troubleshooting, use the OneDrive sync health report in the Microsoft 365 admin center to check server-side sync status.