How do I fix folder redirection issues?
Elijah King
Updated on March 03, 2026
How do I fix folder redirection issues?
Fix Folder Redirection Failed
- Take Ownership of the Folder. If you don’t have the permission to access the folder, you will, of course, encounter the Folder Redirection Failed error.
- Add Authenticated Users or Domain Computers.
- Clear Disk Space.
- Try the Find Target route.
- Change Ownership/Reset Defaults for all user folders.
How do I enable redirected folders?
Open User Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Folder Redirection. Right-click Documents and click Properties. Choose Basic – Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location. Under Target folder location choose Create a folder for each user under the root path.
Is Folder Redirection a good idea why or why not?
Folder redirection remains a popular method of user data and profile management because it can improve the user experience by achieving two things: Faster logons – redirecting AppData out of the profile reduces the amount of data required to be copied locally at user logon.
How do I know if folder redirection is working?
How to verify that folder redirection works
- In a session, navigate to a folder you directed, right-click the folder, and then select Properties.
- In the properties window, navigate to the Shortcut tab and then check the Target field. If the field displays a redirected path, folder redirection works.
How do I clear offline file cache?
If the cache still does not appear to function correctly, an Offline Files reset can be performed using the following procedure:
- In Folder Options, on the Offline Files tab, press CTRL+SHIFT, and then click Delete Files. The following message appears:
- Click Yes two times to restart the computer.
How do I remove redirected drives and folders?
Right-click on one of the redirected folders, choose Properties, and go to the Settings tab. Make note of whether “Move the contents of Documents to the new location” is checked and the “Policy Removal” behavior.
What does do not automatically make specific redirected folders available offline?
In the console tree, under User Configuration, expand Policies, expand Administrative Templates, expand System, and expand Folder Redirection. Right-click Do not automatically make specific redirected folders available offline and then select Edit.
What is the main purpose of setting up folder redirection?
Folder Redirection enables users and administrators to redirect the path of a known folder to a new location, manually or by using Group Policy. The new location can be a folder on the local computer or a directory on a file share.
How folder redirection will ensure the security of the files?
Folder Redirection allows you to store your users’ documents on a file server rather than on their workstations. This results in users being able to easily access their files on any machine. This configuration will ensure that users only have access to their own folders.
Does folder redirection enable offline files?
After you create a GPO for Folder Redirection settings, follow these steps to edit the Group Policy settings that enable and configure Folder Redirection. By default, the Offline Files feature is enabled for redirected folders on Windows client computers, and disabled on Windows Server computers.
Which folders can be redirected?
List of folders/locations being redirected
- Desktop Folder.
- Documents Folder.
- Downloads Folder.
- I Drive.
- H Drive.
Why can’t I redirect a folder to another computer?
If the problem is with a user on any computer, it’s probably a folder permissions or owner issue. The USER needs to be the OWNER of the redirected folder, sub folders and files. 2.) If the problem is for a user only on a certain computer, there’s a good chance the offline cache is corrupt. Easy way to test is to Disable Offline Files.
Who is the owner of the redirected folder?
The USER needs to be the OWNER of the redirected folder, sub folders and files. 2.) If the problem is for a user only on a certain computer, there’s a good chance the offline cache is corrupt.
What is well-known Folder Redirection in Windows Explorer?
Windows Explorer optimizes Well-Known folder lookups by caching the Well-Known folders and their locations. Queries are performed against the cache, and the location is then returned to the application or to Windows Explorer. When you use folder redirection, you receive the folder redirection settings from Group Policy.
What should I do if my well-known folders are not working?
If the problem is not fixed, you can contact support. Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista use the Well-Known folders feature to determine the location of folders in the user profile. By using this feature, Windows redirects Well-Known folders to other locations as needed.