FAQ

OneDrive

Q: Thumbnails don't seem to work in OneDrive folders. What's wrong?

A: Check your OneDrive settings and disable 'Files on Demand' if required. This option is a trick that OneDrive does to put empty placeholder files on your desktop until you 'demand' a file, thus the file can not be thumbnailed until it is fully downloaded.

Also note that as of some version of Windows 10, OneDrive folder support was broken. Even if you have the files downloaded, they will likely not thumbnail at all, or incorrectly.

WARNING - the following is technical and not guaranteed depending on your Windows version, experience etc. We will not be responsible for any issues you may have if you follow any of this.

Potential work around so that files that are local on your machine in OneDrive still thumbnail:

There is one method to work around this problem which comes with some caveats (some technical knowledge and patience required).

This is called creating a junction folder.

Assuming your OneDrive folder is located at a local drive location - the default is usually C:\Users\<you>\OneDrive - and has an environment variable defined by OneDrive itself - which is %OneDrive%.

Creation of a Junction folder:

At a local drive location that *IS NOT WITHIN OneDrive, create a junction folder using the command line thus (in this example we will use "C:\OneDrive"

- * DO NOT create the junction within the actual OneDrive folder or sub-folders because it could create circular dependencies.

- 1. This creates a junction folder from a non-OneDrive folder to the OneDrive folder. This is the key point. In this example we will use C:\OneDrive as the junction.

In a command line (cmd.exe) enter this command: mklink /J C:\OneDrive %OneDrive%

- Note that %OneDrive% should resolve automatically to something like C:\Users\<you>\OneDrive - as long as OneDrive is installed and running normally. If required you could enter the actual location manually instead of using %OneDrive%.

- 2. Create a generic folder shortcut to this new junction folder by dragging that new folder/junction in Windows Explorer to the Desktop whilst holding the Alt key - this will create a Shortcut on your Desktop.

- Rename the new shortcut if you want to something that reminds you it is a shortcut to the junction.

- Use this convenient shortcut to quickly open the root OneDrive folder.

- You can also create shortcuts into the OneDrive subfolders / files with the same method.

- 3. Double clicking / opening this new shortcut from your desktop (or opening it directly from the junction folder where you created it) will open the root OneDrive folder - but files that are downloaded / available on your local device - will now have thumbnails created.

Caveats and Important information to keep in mind to maintain the junction folder:

- 1. In the command line, you can 'dir' to get a folder listing of the parent where you created the junction. It should have an entry showing '<JUNCTION> OneDrive [C:\Users\<you>\OneDrive]' - so you know it is there.

- 2. Be very careful about deleting the junction folder using command line functions such as 'del' (with recursion especially) - as it may delete the contents of the OneDrive actual folder instead of just the folder junction. Deleting it in Windows Explorer should work, or using the command line 'rmdir OneDrive' at the parent folder of the junction.

- 3. When browsing the junction folder, thumbnails should work as long as the files are resident on your local machine, and not just OneDrive placeholders. You can check / change this using the 'Always keep on this device' for the file/folder or the OneDrive setting to always keep files local.

- 4. Whilst browsing through the junction, you will not have access to OneDrive specific context menus that are usually available when browsing through the OneDrive actual folder, such as 'Always keep on device'. If you want to manage the files, browse to the OneDrive location manually not through the junction.

- 5. Whilst browsing through the junction, OneDrive / cloud overlays may not appear or be inconsistent compared to when you browse it through the actual folder.