Best Practices for File and Folder Naming to Avoid Path Length Issues

When working with One Drive and SharePoint Online, it's important to follow good naming conventions for files and folders. Poor naming can lead to sync errors, access issues, and broken links, especially when file paths become too long.

The Windows Path Length Limit

Windows has a maximum path length limit of 260 characters for files synced with OneDrive and SharePoint Online. This includes:

The full folder path (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive - Company\Department\Project\...)
The file name and extension (e.g., Final_Report_2025_Q3_v2.docx)

If this limit is exceeded, you may encounter:

Sync failures in One Drive
Inability to open or save files
Errors when moving or renaming files

Best Practices for Naming Files and Folders

1. Keep Names Short and Descriptive

Use concise, meaningful names.
Avoid unnecessary words like 'document', 'file', or 'new'.

Example:
✅ Q3_Report_2025.xlsx
❌ Final_Version_of_the_Q3_Report_for_2025_Updated.xls

2. Avoid Deep Folder Nesting

Limit folder levels to reduce total path length.
Use broader categories instead of many subfolders.

Example:
✅ Projects\2025\Q3
❌ Company\Departments\Marketing\Reports\Quarterly\2025\Q3\Final

3. Use Standard Abbreviations

Use common abbreviations like FY for fiscal year, Rpt for report, etc.

Example:

✅ FY25_Q3_Rpt.docx

4. Avoid Special Characters

Do not use: \ / : * ? " < > | # % & { } ~
These can cause sync issues or be unsupported in SharePoint URLs.

5. Use Underscores or Dashes Instead of Spaces

Improves readability and compatibility across systems.

Example:
✅ Client_Invoice_July.pdf
❌ Client Invoice July.pdf

🔄 How This Affects OneDrive and SharePoint Online

When syncing files:

The One Drive application enforces the 260-character limit.
Files exceeding this limit may fail to upload or sync.
Long paths can also cause issues when sharing links or accessing files via web.

Tips to Stay Within Limits

Use One Drives sync error notifications to identify long paths.
Periodically review and flatten folder structures.

📌 Summary

Don’t

Use short, clear names

Use long, descriptive phrases

Limit folder depth

Nest folders too deeply

Use standard abbreviations

Repeat unnecessary words

Avoid special characters

Use unsupported symbols

Use underscores or dashes

Use spaces or mixed symbols