How to Map a SharePoint Drive

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SharePoint is one of the most popular collaboration platforms. Web applications are available to access your SharePoint data and files, but it’s sometimes difficult to know how to map a drive within the system. Here’s what you need for mapping drives on an existing SharePoint site.

The “map sharepoint as network drive windows 10” is a step by step guide on how to map a SharePoint Drive.

How to Map a SharePoint Drive

If you use SharePoint, it’s likely that you’re utilizing it as a document repository. You’re presumably using a web browser to access your document libraries. There’s another method to get to your SharePoint files. That is, you must link SharePoint to your PC as a network disk.

You’ll discover how to set up SharePoint as a network drive on your PC in this post. As a result, you may view the contents of your SharePoint site from Windows Explorer, PowerShell, and even the command prompt.

Prerequisites

This article includes step-by-step instructions. There are various conditions that you should have in place if you follow the instructions in this tutorial.

  • A machine running Windows 10 with Windows PowerShell 5.1 or PowerShell 7+ installed. When executing commands, the examples in this article utilize PowerShell 7.1, although you should be OK with Windows PowerShell 5.1.
  • You’ll need access to a SharePoint Online site and document library to map as network drives. The example workspace for this course will be at poshlab2.sharepoint.com. ITOps is the SharePoint site, and Case Review is the document library, which has just one document.
  • The OneDrive Sync App must be installed. This is only necessary in the portion of this article titled “How to Map SharePoint Document Libraries with the OneDrive Sync App.”
    • OneDrive may already be installed on your computer. How to validate your OneDrive sync app installation may be found in the Which OneDrive app page.

WebDav for SharePoint Drive Mapping

Clients may access distant web content via WebDav, an older technology. You’ll learn how to map SharePoint disks using Windows Explorer and the command prompt in this section. To access mapped distant web contents, both rely on WebDav.

Because WebDav relies on the WebClient service, you must make sure it is enabled and operating on your machine. User PCs seldom have the WebClient service deactivated. You may use one of the procedures below to check the status of the WebClient service.

  • Get-Service WebClient is a PowerShell command that you may use.

Get-Service returns the status of the WebClient service.Get-Service returns the status of the WebClient service.

  • sc query WebClient is a command that may be run from the command prompt or PowerShell.

Using the Services management console, you can check the status of the WebClient service.Using the Services management console, you can check the status of the WebClient service.

  • Open the Services management console (Start —> Run —> services.msc), and look for the WebClient service.

Using the Services management console, you can check the status of the WebClient service.Using the Services management console, you can check the status of the WebClient service.

Getting Your SharePoint Site Ready for Access

Sites and document libraries are the two SharePoint destinations that may be mapped as network drives. You may choose to map whole SharePoint sites or individual document libraries exclusively, depending on your requirements and access level.

A SharePoint Online document library is open in the browser in the image below.

Obtaining the URLs for the SharePoint Site and LibraryObtaining the URLs for the SharePoint Site and Library

The following is a dissection of the SharePoint URL elements from the snapshot above to make the URL’s anatomy plainly evident.

  • ‘https://poshlab2.sharepoint.com’ is the primary SharePoint URL.
  • ‘https://poshlab2.sharepoint.com/sites/ITOps’ is the site’s URL.
  • ‘https://poshlab2.sharepoint.com/sites/ITOps/Case Review’ is the URL for the document collection.

Trusted Sites: Adding your SharePoint URL

To map a SharePoint disk, you must first make the web site a Trusted Site on your client PC. To add a trustworthy site, follow these instructions.

  1. To find “internet options,” press the Start button and enter “internet options” into the search box. Then, on the Open button, click.

Changing Your Internet SettingsChanging Your Internet Settings

2. Select the Security tab in the Internet Properties box. From the list of zones, choose Trusted Sites. Then choose Sites.

Choosing Reliable WebsitesChoosing Reliable Websites

3. Type the SharePoint URL in the Add this website to the zone box. Select Add and then Close.

Adding a Reliable WebsiteAdding a Reliable Website

4. To dismiss and apply the changes, return to the Internet Properties window and click OK.

The Intenet Properties are now closed.The Intenet Properties are now closed.

Accessing your SharePoint Site for the First Time

You’ve added the SharePoint URL to your computer’s trusted sites list. The next step is to visit the website using Internet Explorer at least once so that you may log in. Other browsers are not supported by WebDav.

  1. Navigate to your SharePoint site via Internet Explorer. Log in and choose the option to declare that you are signed in.

Using Internet Explorer to access the SharePoint siteUsing Internet Explorer to access the SharePoint site

2. When the site loads, you’ve finished the SharePoint drive mapping preparation. If this is the case, you may have entered the incorrect credentials.

Using Internet Explorer to access the SharePoint siteUsing Internet Explorer to access the SharePoint site

It is critical to follow all of the preparatory measures outlined above. If you skip the preparatory stages, you’ll get the error shown below. As a consequence, you will be unable to map SharePoint as a network drive.

When mapping a SharePoint as a network drive, you get an Access Denied issue.When mapping a SharePoint as a network drive, you get an Access Denied issue.

How to Map SharePoint as a Network Drive in Windows Explorer

You’ve previously prepped your SharePoint site or library to be mapped as network drives at this stage. Using Windows Explorer, you’ll create mapped disks in this step (GUI). Follow the instructions outlined below.

  1. To begin, launch Windows Explorer. Go to This PC, then click Map network drive on the Computer ribbon.

Choosing Map network drive from the drop-down menuChoosing Map network drive from the drop-down menu

2. In the Map Network Drive box, perform the following:

  1. Choose a Drive letter for the SharePoint drive and assign it to it. Drive S is the drive letter used in this example.
  2. Enter the URL for the SharePoint site or document library in the Folder box.
  3. Put a check mark next to Reconnect upon sign-in to make the network drive permanent. If you choose this option, your computer will maintain the network disk mapped even if you reboot.
  4. Finally, click Finish. This step will not need you to re-authenticate since you’ve previously authenticated in to the SharePoint site using Internet Explorer.

Entering SharePoint Site InformationEntering SharePoint Site Information

3. Once the mapping procedure is complete, Windows Explorer will display the new network location as a mapped network drive.

Obtaining confirmation of the newly mapped diskObtaining confirmation of the newly mapped disk

Using the NET USE command to map a SharePoint drive

So far, you’ve learned how to use Windows Explorer to map a SharePoint disk. The net use command may be used to map SharePoint as a network drive using the same preparations described before in this article.

You may use the net use command to list the already mapped drives if you’ve previously mapped a SharePoint disk as demonstrated in the previous section. The SharePoint disk mapped in the previous part appears in the list, as seen in the picture below.

Obtaining a list of network disks that have been mappedObtaining a list of network disks that have been mapped

The route to the remote site is not specified in standard URL format. The path is written as [email protected]sitesITOps instead of https://poshlab2.sharepoint.com/sites/ITOps/.

Use the command below to create a new mapped disk that points to your SharePoint online site. Net use assigns the drive letter T to the remote path in the command below. The /persistent:yes parameter keeps the mapped disk linked even if the computer is rebooted.

In Windows PowerShell, run the command above. If there are no mistakes, you should get a result similar to the one below.

A SharePoint site may be mapped to a network disk.A SharePoint site may be mapped to a network disk.

When you execute net usage, you’ll see that the new network drive shows in the list of mapped drives.

a list of network disks that have been mappeda list of network disks that have been mapped

Accessing the contents using the file explorer is the final test to see whether the SharePoint drive mapping is effective. The contents of the SharePoint drive are available in Windows Explorer as a mapped network drive T, as seen in the picture below.

The contents of the mapped SharePoint network disk may be accessed.The contents of the mapped SharePoint network disk may be accessed.

Using PowerShell to map a SharePoint Drive

You can also map a SharePoint disk using PowerShell if you’re more familiar with it. If you want to include mapping network drives in a script, PowerShell is a great alternative.

How to Run a PowerShell Script is a related topic.

Component Object Model (COM) objects may be used by PowerShell to accomplish activities that aren’t native to PowerShell. There are many different types of COM objects. WScript.Network is the target COM object in this example.

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The script below will assign the drive letter X to the SharePoint object library and map it as a network drive. The mapped disk will be permanent as well.

(New-Object -ComObject WScript.Network).MapNetworkDrive( ‘X:’, # –> DRIVE LETTER ‘https://poshlab2.sharepoint.com/sites/ITOps/Case%20Review’, # –> SharePoint URL ‘true’ # –> Make the drive persistent )

Copy and paste the code above into your PowerShell session. The live example below demonstrates how the code works.

Using PowerShell to map a SharePoint disk with a COM ObjectUsing PowerShell to map a SharePoint disk with a COM Object

It’s possible that your SharePoint network drive may cease operating for a variety of reasons, including:

Maintain vigilance over your SharePoint network drives. Remember to check in to your SharePoint site using Internet Explorer from time to time to re-authenticate.

How to Map SharePoint Document Libraries with the OneDrive Sync App

You may already have access to OneDrive for Business if you have a Microsoft 365 account. Did you know you can map and sync SharePoint document libraries to your PC using the OneDrive Sync App?

WebDav is required to map SharePoint as a network disk using the OneDrive sync app. As a result, you won’t need to install Internet Explorer or create a drive letter on your computer. To use the OneDrive sync app to map SharePoint as a network drive, follow the instructions below.

  1. To begin, go to the SharePoint document collection you’d want to map.

2. Next, click the Sync button once you’re within the document library.

Using SharePoint to sync a document repositoryUsing SharePoint to sync a document repository

3. If you see a message stating that the site is attempting to access Microsoft OneDrive, choose Open.

Allowing OneDrive to open on the websiteAllowing OneDrive to open on the website

4. Wait for the synchronization procedure to start. When the sync is complete, you should receive a toast notice like the one below in the bottom right corner of your screen.

Syncing the toast notification for the document librarySyncing the toast notification for the document library

5. At this time, you may shut the browser down. In Windows Explorer, go to the left-hand navigation pane and look for the document library.

Viewing the SharePoint document library that has been mappedViewing the SharePoint document library that has been mapped

The linked SharePoint document libraries remain synchronized and available as long as the OneDrive sync client is up and running.

Steps to Follow

You may use one of two underlying technologies to map SharePoint as a network drive. WebDav is the first, yet it is an older technology. OneDrive client sync is a recent feature that comes with OneDrive for Business.

You’ve learned how to map SharePoint sites and document libraries using Windows Explorer, net use, COM Object, PowerShell, and the OneDrive sync client in this tutorial.

How do you believe you can put the skills you’ve learned in this article to use in the future? Using group rules or login scripts to automate your Team’s SharePoint libraries’ network drive mapping would be a great next step.

The “map sharepoint drive without internet explorer” is a method of mapping a SharePoint Drive without the use of Internet Explorer. The process involves using Microsoft PowerShell to map a local drive and then copying over the files that are needed for the SharePoint site.

Related Tags

  • how to map sharepoint to file explorer
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  • unable to map sharepoint as network drive
  • map sharepoint online as network drive powershell

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