MS Endpoint Security

OneDrive for Business offers a robust solution for managing and synchronizing files across multiple devices seamlessly. By configuring OneDrive to automatically redirect folders and synchronize files without user intervention, organizations can enhance productivity and ensure data is always backed up. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide on how to achieve this using Group Policy. The same can be achieved with Intune policy but that’s for another day.

Prerequisites

Latest OneDrive Policy Template:

1. Download OneDrive Group Policy Templates:
   • Download the latest OneDrive Group Policy administrative templates from the OneDrive official documentation.
2. Copy ADMX/ADML files:
   • Copy the OneDrive.admx file to the C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions folder.
   • Copy the OneDrive.adml file to the corresponding language folder within C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions (e.g., en-US for English).

Step 1: Create and Link a Group Policy Object (GPO)

Open Group Policy Management:

• On a domain controller or a machine with Group Policy Management tools installed, open Group Policy Management.

Create a New GPO:

• Right-click on the domain or an appropriate organizational unit (OU) where you want to apply the policy. As with anything you should test in a non-production environment/OU before moving to production.
• Select “Create a GPO in this domain and Link it here…” and name it something descriptive, such as “OneDrive Folder Redirection”.

Edit the GPO:

• Right-click the newly created GPO and select “Edit”.

Step 2: Configure Folder Redirection

Navigate to OneDrive Policies:

• In the Group Policy Management Editor, go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > OneDrive.

Enable Known Folder Move:

• Locate the policy Configure team site libraries to sync automatically and enable it.
• Enter the appropriate URL for your OneDrive for Business library.

Enable Silent Move for Known Folders:

• Locate and enable Silently move Windows known folders to OneDrive.
• This policy automatically moves users’ Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to OneDrive without user intervention.

Prevent Users from Redirecting Known Folders Back to Their PC:

• Enable the policy Prevent users from redirecting their Windows known folders back to their PC.
• This ensures that users cannot opt out of the folder redirection.

Step 3: Configure Silent Account Configuration

1. Enable Silent Account Configuration:
   • In the same OneDrive policy section, enable Silently configure OneDrive using the primary Windows account.

This policy allows OneDrive to set up automatically using the user’s Windows credentials, reducing the need for manual sign-in.

Step 4: Deploy the GPO

Force Group Policy Update:

• On user machines, you can manually update the Group Policy by running gpupdate /force in Command Prompt.
• Alternatively, the policy will apply automatically during the next Group Policy refresh cycle.

Step 5: Verify Configuration

Check OneDrive Status:

• Ensure that OneDrive is running and that the folders are syncing correctly.
• Users should see their Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders under OneDrive in File Explorer.

Test with a New User:

• Create a test user and log in on a new machine to verify that the policies apply as expected and that OneDrive redirects and syncs folders automatically.