Microsoft is deploying a new OneDrive synchronisation engine for macOS, aimed at enhancing performance, stability, and user experience, with the rollout set to complete worldwide by November.
Microsoft is rolling out a new OneDrive synchronisation engine for macOS from the end of August, with completion due by the end of November worldwide. The update is designed to bring the client closer to the way macOS itself handles files, and it will install automatically without any action from users.
According to the company, the revised engine should shorten the first sync, reduce CPU load and improve battery life on MacBook models. Microsoft also says the simplified architecture should remove several stability bugs. OneDrive folders will appear immediately in Finder, while files set to remain online-only will continue to behave in the same way unless a user chooses to keep them locally.
The change also brings a practical shift for organisations using SharePoint libraries. Instead of appearing under a single combined entry in Finder, each synchronised library will now have its own place in the sidebar. Microsoft has advised administrators to warn staff about the new layout. Support for external drives, introduced in June 2025, is also expected to become more reliable under the new engine.
Users can check whether their Mac has moved over by opening OneDrive settings and selecting the About tab. A build number ending in a letter, such as 26K, indicates the migration has taken place. The rollout follows a difficult period for the macOS client: Microsoft has previously acknowledged freezing problems on macOS Sequoia, including issues affecting open and save actions in Desktop and Documents folders, and offered temporary workarounds while it investigated the fault.
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