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Files moved from old SharePoint to new SharePoint are missing in new SharePoint

Philly 0 Reputation points
2026-05-22T04:43:33.4966667+00:00

My work has created a new SharePoint and we were asked to move files still in used to the new SharePoint and files no longer being used to leave it at the old site to be stored in Archive folder. I moved a folder that had a lot of folders and files in them (some folders went down 4 levels).

Now in the new SharePoint, some folders moved while some didn't. While I can see them in the Recycling bin in the old SharePoint, it's really time consuming for me to go through each and Restore because I have to go through each folder one by one to find out which didn't move, and we're talking about files nested in folders inside folders inside folders. I read somewhere that this could be a synchronisation issue and I could possibly retrigger the synchronisation but how do I do this?

Microsoft 365 and Office | SharePoint | For business | Windows
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  1. Kai-Ex 1,480 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-05-22T06:53:29.5966667+00:00

    Dear @Philly,

    From what you shared, you moved a large folder from the old SharePoint site to the new SharePoint site. After the move, some folders and files showed up in the new site, but some did not. You can still see some of the missing items in the Recycle Bin on the old site.

    A few things may have caused some items not to appear in the new site:

    • The move may not have finished for all files and folders. This can happen when moving a large amount of content.
    • Some file or folder paths may be too long, especially with many nested folders. SharePoint and OneDrive have path length limits.
    • Some file or folder names may contain unsupported characters, which can block the move or sync.
    • If you used OneDrive sync or File Explorer, the issue may also be related to sync not fully refreshing.

    To better assist, could you please confirm following information:

    • Did you move the folders in SharePoint on the web using Move to, or did you move them using File Explorer / OneDrive sync?
    • Are the missing folders also missing when you open the new SharePoint site in your browser, or are they only missing in File Explorer?
    • Do any of the missing folders or files have very long names or special characters in the name?
    • Do you have access as a site owner/admin, or would you need help from your SharePoint admin?
    • About how many files or folders were in the folder you moved? Large moves can sometimes take longer or not complete fully.
    • Did you see any error message during the move or in OneDrive after the move?
    • Are the missing items all inside one specific subfolder, or are they missing from different places in the folder structure?

    In the meantime, I recommend as below:

    1/ If many files are missing

    The quickest option is usually to ask a site owner or admin to use Restore this library. This can restore the whole library to an earlier time within the last 30 days, instead of restoring files one by one.

    2/ If you used OneDrive or File Explorer

    You can try refreshing the sync connection:

    • Click the OneDrive blue cloud icon in the Windows taskbar.
    • Go to Settings > Account.
    • Find the affected SharePoint library and select Stop sync.
    • Then open the SharePoint library in your browser and select Sync again.

    Please note this only refreshes the sync. It does not bring back files that are still sitting in the old site’s Recycle Bin.

    For reference: Sync SharePoint and Teams files with your computer

    Please understand that the initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

    Your detailed response will help me diagnose and investigate the issue more efficiently. If I misunderstood what you’re looking for, feel free to let me know or share a screenshot. I’d be happy to help further!

    Thank you for your cooperation. I'm looking forward for your reply.

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