Before I start
If you are not familiar with or not currently using Folder Redirection, you can simply ignore this blog post. It’s not my intention to evangelize Folder Redirection with Work Folders. This blog post is only for enterprises that have specific dependencies (such as work flows) on these Windows special folders and want to continue redirecting them as they migrate to Work folders.
Note: If you’re currently using Offline Files with Folder Redirection, there are some additional steps that need to be performed which are covered in the Offline Files to Work Folders migration guide.
Why and why not?
I often get questions on why we didn’t integrate Folder Redirection with Work Folders. When we were designing Work Folders, we debated this topic at length. There is no simple right or wrong, and it really depends on the individual customer IT culture. I’d like to share our thought on this, and open to hear yours.
We started by looking at the other file sync technologies offered at the time, which had a simple user experience by designate a specific folder which enables user to access the same content no matter which device they are using. We wanted to provide a similar user experience: a consistent view no matter on what devices. Because Work Folders is designed to work with non-domain joined devices, and non-Windows device (iPAD and iPhone for now), user can access data on their home PC, iOS devices, if using Folder Redirection on work PCs, imagine how confusing it could be to remember the different paths for file access on different devices, why not avoid it?
As we hear from customers requesting Folder Redirection integration with Work Folders, one common pattern emerges among these customers. They operate a very tightly controlled client environment: where the clients are all domain joined Windows PCs; IT doesn’t allow BYOD in the environment; or not allow those devices to access corporate files. For these customers, they like Work Folders’ file sync experience, but their users are accustomed to use Windows special folders or they may even have applications that default to save to those locations. And since they aren’t embracing personal devices, there is no confusion about access of those data.
How?
Folder Redirection setting is mostly managed through Group policy. Users can also manually configure Folder Redirection on the client, but that solution is not scalable nor manageable. If you want to simply test out the user experience without the hassle of creating GPOs, you can open File Explorer, right click on one of the special folders, such as Documents, open Properties, click on the Location tab and to define the new location.
Group Policy
This blog covers two examples when using the Folder Redirection group policy:
- Redirecting the Documents folder to a subfolder under Work Folders path. Use this configuration if you want to redirect more than one special folder under Work Folders
- Redirecting the Documents folder to Work Folders. Use this configuration if you only want to redirect the Documents folder.
For the following GPOs, the assumption is, Work Folders has been already configured on the client, and your client setup for Work Folders is using the default path: C:\users\%username%\Work Folders.
Redirecting multiple special folders to Work Folders
In this example, I’m only showing redirecting Documents folder, but you can configure the other special folders by changing the GPO for other special folders. Make sure you redirect the special folders to a subfolder under the Work Folders path.
Create a GPO, and navigate to User Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Folder Redirection -> Documents, change
- The settings to: Basic – Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location;
- Target folder location: Redirect to the following location
- Root Path: %systemdrive%\users\%username%\Work Folders\Documents
Once the user gets the GPO, the Documents folder will be redirected to a subfolder to the Work Folders.
Redirecting Documents to Work Folders
In this example, you only want to redirect the Documents folder, and nothing else. You can map point the root path in the GPO to the Work Folders itself. User can get a consistent view whether to access through Documents folder or Work Folders path.
Create a GPO, and navigate to User Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Folder Redirection -> Documents, change
- The settings to: Basic – Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location;
- Target folder location: Redirect to the following location
- Root Path: %systemdrive%\users\%username%\Work Folders
Once the user gets the GPO, the Documents folder will be redirected to the Work Folders. Please note that, in Windows File explorer, user will not see the Work Folders folder. The folder is present in cmd window. User will access the files through Documents folder.
Which folders to be redirected?
All special folders can be redirected to the local Work Folders directory except for AppData (Roaming). Redirecting this folder can lead to conflicts and files that fail to sync due to open handles. The data stored in the AppData\Roaming folder should be roamed using Enterprise State Roaming (ESR), UE-V or Roaming User Profiles.
- Contacts
- Desktop
- Documents
- Downloads
- Favorites
- Links
- Music
- Pictures
- Saved Games
- Searches
- Start Menu
- Videos
Known issues
The following issue has been identified when redirecting special folders to the Work Folders directory:
Folder | Issue | Cause | Solution |
Favorites | Unable to open Favorites in Internet Explorer when using Windows Information Protection | Internet Explorer does not support encrypted favorite files | Use Edge or a 3rd party browser |
Conclusion
Although this blog post covers how you can redirect Windows special folders to Work Folders, I’d like to raise the awareness again that doing so can introduce user confusion once IT starts to embrace BYOD, as user will need to remember different file access path on different devices. However, if your environment does require this, let’s explore. What I have covered here is the very basic configuration. I’d like to see your comments to learn your needs, what works, and what’s not.
What I would like to happen is that MS enables OneDrive for Business, Work Folders and redirected folders to all be simply managed through Group Policy and treated as one solution. Too many competing technologies.
+1 RichardP
Why can’t we sync enterprise users settings in OneDriveForBusiness on Premise like a consumer account with OneDrive ? It’s so simple for end users, why is it so complicated for enterprise users ??
In testing OneDrive and OneDrive for business sync technology with a number of users over an extended period is almost unusable. It cannot handle special characters in file names and has confusing warnings and errors in office apps when offline and saving
documents. Have to often repair or completely resync the libraries causing excess hours of user support and frustration. All of which does not happen with other more reliable sync programs.
Tried redirecting desktop and my documents into OneDrive for Business and it did not turn out well. Tried the same with Google Drive and Dropbox and it works without issue by editing reg paths to test.
Work Folders so far appears to be a better solution to tie into your own file server. Sync is not always immediate but better solution than offline files.
Microsoft really needs to either buy a cloud sync company like dropbox that actually works or really take a hard look and re-do their OneDrive product.
Totally agree with the previous posts. All three solutions should work together if desired. We have Off365 with OneDrive for Business and I’ve tested Folder Redirection to it. It’s a complete mess. I can see reasons for and advantages to all the possible
combinations of the three. MS should work it out or create one product that combines the capability of all three.
What environment variables do I need to change? I am trying to redirect the Documents folder to Work Folders but am getting the following error %systemdrive%users%username%Work FoldersDocuments – The specified target location is not valid?
Thanks
@Mark, are you setting the location on the client through the file explorer folder property page? If so, you will need to replace the %username% to the user name you have. You can change it to the absolute path as well.
I’m using the path in GPO to set the folder redirection.
Is there any means of limiting how much data is synchronised by Work Folders ? For example, let’s say I follow the advice of this article and redirect my user’s Desktop/Documents/Downloads folders, If a user dumped 1Tb of data in their Desktop/Documents folder then I may want a mechanism to prevent all of this data automatically synchronising up to the server. With ‘Offline Files’ you can implement a maximum size restriction via Group Policy.
Wayne,
For Work Folders, you configure quotas on the sync share on the Work Folders server (no client setting). After you install Work Folders, open Server Manager, go to Work Folders and there’s a section in the UI to configure quotas against a sync share. You can also use the File Server Resource Manager UI to configure the quotas.
Thanks,
Jeff
We currently using Windows 7 Folder Redirection and Offline Files which is working well.
Now we are on planing Win 10 and the question is “…. why using Work Folders…”? What is the benefit, if sync to iPhone etc is not required…?
thanks in advance
Mike,
The primary reasons to migrate to Work Folders are documented in the following blogs:
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/filecab/2016/08/12/offline-files-csc-to-work-folders-migration-guide/
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/filecab/2016/08/29/work-folders-and-offline-files-support-for-windows-information-protection/
Thanks,
Jeff
This post recommends redirecting to this path:
* Root Path: %systemdrive%\users\%username%\Work Folders\Documents
I recommend redirecting to this path, including the quotes:
* “%USERPROFILE%\Work Folders\Documents”
There are situations where the user’s real profile directory does not map as the post suggests, such as if there is a preexisting local user with the same name as a domain user.
Hello ,
I dont understand,
We would like to redirect 2 folders. Documents and Favorites
you say :
In this example, I’m only showing redirecting Documents folder, but you can configure the other special folders by changing the GPO for other special folders. <<>>
Why can we redirect Documents to the Root of work folders and Favourites to Work Folders\Favorites ?
Why Can’t *
Regarding the comment “Please note that, in Windows File explorer, user will not see the Work Folders folder” under the “Redirecting Documents to Work Folders” headline – this is not the case in our testing on Windows 10, but it would actually be the ideal scenario since the end user might be confused when seeing the same files under both Documents and Work Folders. He/she might start removing files from one of the locations, only to shortly after discover that they are the same.
Can anyone please confirm if the Work Folders item in Windows Explorer does disappear when redirecting Documents to Work Folders? Did you do anything special for this to happen?