OneDrive Sync Stops After Site Rename: Fix

After renaming a SharePoint site, OneDrive sync may stop working for users who had synced libraries from that site. The sync client shows errors like “Sync stopped” or “This library cannot be synced.” This happens because the sync relationship is tied to the old site URL, and renaming the site changes the URL path. This article explains why the sync breaks and provides a step-by-step fix to restore sync without losing local files.

Why OneDrive Sync Breaks After a Site Rename

When you rename a SharePoint site, the site URL changes from https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/oldname to https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/newname. OneDrive for Business uses the site URL to identify the sync relationship. The sync client stores the old URL in its sync database. After the rename, OneDrive cannot find the site at the old URL, so it stops syncing and reports an error.

The sync client does not automatically update the URL. Microsoft designed it this way to prevent accidental data corruption. The rename operation only changes the site name and URL in SharePoint. It does not propagate the change to existing sync connections. Users must manually stop the old sync and start a new one.

Files already synced to the local computer remain intact. The sync relationship is broken, but the local folder and its contents are not deleted. This means you can restore sync without re-downloading all files. The fix involves stopping the broken sync, clearing the local cache if needed, and re-syncing from the new site URL.

Steps to Fix OneDrive Sync After a Site Rename

Follow these steps in order. Do not skip any step. The process requires the user to be signed in to OneDrive with the same work or school account used for the original sync.

1. Open OneDrive sync settings
   Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray (near the clock). Select Settings. Go to the Account tab.
2. Stop syncing the renamed site
   Under Manage synced sites, find the site that was renamed. Click Stop sync next to that site. Confirm the action when prompted. This removes the broken sync relationship. The local folder is not deleted.
3. Pause and resume OneDrive sync
   After stopping sync, pause OneDrive sync by right-clicking the cloud icon and selecting Pause syncing > 2 hours. Wait one minute, then right-click again and select Resume syncing. This clears any stale cache entries.
4. Open the renamed SharePoint site
   Go to the SharePoint site using its new URL. Navigate to the document library that was previously synced.
5. Start a new sync
   Click the Sync button in the library toolbar. If prompted, choose Sync now. OneDrive creates a new sync relationship using the new site URL.
6. Choose the local sync folder
   In the OneDrive setup window, select Sync files to this computer. You can point to the existing local folder that contains the previously synced files. OneDrive will match the files and avoid re-downloading them. If you choose a new folder, OneDrive downloads all files from the library.
7. Verify sync status
   After setup, check the OneDrive cloud icon. It should show a green checkmark. Open the local folder and confirm that files are present and syncing. Right-click a file and select View online to ensure it opens in the renamed site.

If OneDrive Sync Still Has Issues After the Main Fix

OneDrive reports “This library cannot be synced”

This error may appear if the rename was very recent and SharePoint has not fully propagated the change. Wait 15 minutes and try again. If the error persists, clear the OneDrive credentials cache. Go to Windows Credential Manager. Under Windows Credentials, remove any entries that contain OneDrive or SharePoint. Restart OneDrive and repeat the sync steps.

Local folder shows duplicate files after re-syncing

This happens when you point the new sync to a different local folder than the original one. To avoid duplicates, always select the existing folder during step 6. If duplicates already exist, delete the duplicate folder and re-sync to the original folder. OneDrive will reconcile the files.

Sync stops again after a few minutes

This can occur if the site rename also changed the site collection URL or if the site was moved to a different tenant. Contact your SharePoint administrator to verify the site URL is correct. If the site was moved, you must stop sync and re-sync using the new tenant URL.

Stop Sync vs Unlink PC: Key Differences

Item	Stop Sync	Unlink PC
Description	Removes sync relationship for one site only	Removes all sync relationships and disconnects the PC from OneDrive
Effect on local files	Local folder and files remain on the computer	Local folder and files remain on the computer
Effect on cloud files	Cloud files are not deleted	Cloud files are not deleted
When to use	After a site rename or when a single library needs re-sync	When you want to fully remove OneDrive from a computer or change accounts

After following these steps, OneDrive sync should work with the renamed SharePoint site. The key action is to stop the old sync and start a new one using the new site URL. Always point the new sync to the existing local folder to avoid re-downloading files. If you manage multiple users, consider using the OneDrive Admin Center to push re-sync policies or notify users after a site rename.